The Safi Collection of Ibn al-ʿAssāl

First: The Main Idea of the Lecture

This lecture presents a historical and theological explanation of The Safi Collection written by Ibn al-ʿAssāl in the thirteenth century, clarifying its great value in church tradition—especially among the Ethiopian and Eritrean churches—while also offering a methodological critique of its content and manner of compilation.

Second: Historical and Scholarly Background

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains the status of the three sons of al-ʿAssāl, their prominent role in both state and church, their excellence in Arabic, Coptic, Greek, and Syriac, and their major contribution to reviving the Coptic language through dictionaries and theological writings.

Third: The Nature of The Safi Collection

He clarifies that Ibn al-ʿAssāl was not a critical scholar in the strict sense, but rather a compiler of canons. His main distinction lay in organizing and classifying the canons into structured chapters, yet this compilation included both authentic and forged canons without sufficient verification.

Fourth: Ecclesiastical Issues

The main problem lies in mixing authentic church canons with canons falsely attributed to ecumenical councils—especially the Council of Nicaea—as well as incorporating royal and civil laws as if they were ecclesiastical laws.

Fifth: The Theological and Spiritual Dimension

From a Coptic Orthodox perspective, Pope Shenouda III emphasizes that true church canons do not include corporal punishments, but are based on repentance and spiritual healing. Mixing civil law with church law distorts the spirit of the Gospel.

Sixth: The General Message

The core message of the lecture is a call for conscious discernment between authentic church tradition and uncritical compilations, and for respecting true ecclesiastical law without unexamined sanctification of historical sources.

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