Doctrinal Differences with the Protestants

The lecture by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains the essence of the doctrinal dispute between the Orthodox and the Protestant brethren: the basic dispute is the Protestants’ rejection of a mediator between God and people, while the Orthodox view affirms that the Church, its ministers, the holy sacraments, and the saints have a practical and spiritual mediatory role in conveying faith and granting salvation and grace.

Main extracted points

1. The Protestants’ rejection of mediation: Protestants reject the idea of the priesthood as a mediator, they rejected the intercession of the saints, and they rejected ecclesial primacy and the authority of mediatory means and ecclesial procedures.

2. The role of the Church as a mediator: The Church is a means for spreading faith and teaching believers; the apostles and teachers were given to build up and evangelize believers; faith reaches people by the mediation of the Church and its servants.

3. Sacramental and scriptural mediations: The Church administers the sacraments (baptism, the Eucharist, chrism…), lays hands on ministers and ordains them, and through them the Holy Spirit is given as shown in Acts passages (example: the Samaritans, Ephesus).

4. The ministry of reconciliation and teaching: The Church is sent to perform the ministry of reconciliation (the ministry of reconciliation), and appoints ambassadors who call people to repentance and faith, and carries out correct teaching that leads to spiritual growth.

5. The importance of ecclesial order and canonical channels: Calling and sending must occur through the canonical channels of the Church (as in the experience of Paul and Barnabas); a personal meeting with Christ is not sufficient without entering the life of the Church and its ways.

6. Unity of believers and the communal gateway: The Church’s work also unifies believers in thought and spirit to form one body, and the Church organizes worship and continues the sacraments in communal life.

The spiritual and Orthodox educational dimension

Orthodox teaching does not negate Christ’s work, rather it sees that Christ’s grace reaches people through the family of the Church and its spiritual and sacramental system. Mediation is not delegation for human dominion but channels of divine mercy: teaching, baptism, the Eucharist, reconciliation, anointing, and laying on of hands, so that believers are united in Christ.

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