Consecration

General Message of the Lecture

This lecture addresses the concept of consecration in the Coptic Orthodox Church, clarifying its spiritual and organizational dimensions, and placing consecration in its proper framework as a calling to service and self-offering, not as a means for personal gain or ecclesiastical positions.

Lecture Summary

1. The lecture emphasizes that the Church is in constant need of consecrated servants, while clearly distinguishing between full consecration and partial consecration according to how much time, heart, and will a person offers to God.
2. True consecration does not only mean giving time, but giving one’s desires and ambitions entirely to God, so that the goal is service, not self-interest.
3. The lecture points to past experiences showing that consecration without a clear calling or without spiritual and administrative guidelines leads to pastoral and social problems.
4. It explains that the Church does not consecrate a person unless the direction is clear: either toward monasticism, priesthood, or a specific service with a spiritual, social, administrative, or liturgical nature.
5. It highlights the importance of defining responsibilities (job description) for consecrated servants to avoid conflicts with other servants in the Church.
6. The lecture warns against considering preaching or talent alone as sufficient qualification for consecration, as healthy relationships with others and humility are essential conditions.
7. It presents multiple models of consecration: spiritual service, social service, administrative service, and liturgical service, affirming that each has its own regulations and limits.
8. It stresses that consecration is a responsibility before God and the Church, requiring spiritual maturity and wise organization so that service remains pure and fruitful across generations.

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