Canon Law – Sources of Natural- Divine- Civil- and Ecclesiastical Laws

First: Natural Laws

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that the earliest laws known to humanity were natural or moral laws, which God placed within the depths of the human being to discern between good and evil, right and wrong, even before the existence of any written law. Thus, humanity was morally accountable according to conscience, as seen in the stories of Cain and Abel and Joseph the Righteous.

Second: The Need for Divine Law

Because the human conscience is capable of error and deviation, divine law was given to guide and stabilize the conscience. The conscience is not infallible and can be influenced by culture, emotions, or false thinking, leading a person to justify evil as good.

Third: Civil Laws

Civil laws are established by states to organize societal life, whether by kings in the past or legislative bodies in modern times. They may also be supplemented by stable traditions that carry the force of law, even if they are not written.

Fourth: Ecclesiastical Laws and Tradition

Ecclesiastical laws are founded upon divine law and the authority granted to the Church by Christ. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III emphasizes the importance of ecclesiastical tradition, whether written or oral, as an authentic source of canon law transmitted through apostolic succession.

Fifth: Types of Ecclesiastical Laws

He explains that ecclesiastical laws are of various types:

• Permanent laws related to doctrine and faith.

• Temporary laws established to confront heresies or specific circumstances and removed once their causes ceased.

• Laws subject to modification, addition, or deletion according to contemporary needs.

• Historical laws whose application has ceased while retaining historical value.

Sixth: The Spirit of the Law Rather Than Its Letter

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III stresses the necessity of understanding the spirit of the law rather than adhering rigidly to its letter, whether in interpreting commandments or applying laws, because the spirit of the law seeks to preserve human dignity, health, and spiritual freedom, and to prevent anything that harms a person physically, psychologically, or socially.

Conclusion

Canon law is neither rigid nor detached from reality; it is living and dynamic. The Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, establishes laws to address the needs of every age while preserving the unchanging foundations of faith, leading humanity toward mature spiritual life based on understanding and awareness rather than fear or literalism.

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