The Center of Preaching and Teaching in the Holy Church
The Center of Preaching and Teaching in the Holy Church
Preaching and Teaching Are the Work of the Priests:
The introduction of the Didascalia calls the priests “teachers,” and from the mouth of the priest the law is sought, as Scripture says. Alongside the service of the priesthood, they also have the ministry of teaching. In this regard, the Apostle Paul says: “Let the elders (priests) who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine” (1 Timothy 5:17).
In the rite of ordination, the bishop prays for the newly ordained priest, saying to the Lord: “Grant him the spirit of wisdom, that he may be filled with works of healing and the word of teaching, to teach Your people with meekness.” And in the charge read to him by the bishop, he says: “Be enlightened by reading, persevering in reading and teaching the meanings of the books of the Church.”
We have an example in the famous preaching priests, such as Saint John Chrysostom when he was a presbyter in Antioch. In our own generation, Father Philotheos and Father Mansi Yohanna, and others, have distinguished themselves.
Preaching and Teaching Are Also the Work of the Deacons:
Although among the services of the deacons are caring for the poor and assisting the priest in the service of the altar, teaching is also among their most important works. Stephen the Archdeacon taught, and three councils stood before him, “and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (Acts 6:10). Philip the deacon preached in Samaria (Acts 8:5) and also evangelized the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:35).
The deacon Athanasius—at the Council of Nicaea—gives us a strong and beautiful picture of the role of the deacon in teaching. In our present generation, time would fail us if we were to speak about Habib Girgis and Alexander Hanna and their work in teaching.
Preaching and Teaching Are the Work of the Anagnostis (Reader):
The Anagnostis (Agnostis) is the reader. His liturgical role in the Church is to read the Holy Scriptures, know their interpretation, and explain them to the people. As for understanding what he reads, this is clear from the words of the ecclesiastical canon: “He who fills the ears of the people with words—does he not understand the meaning of what he says?!” It is also clear from the reminder given to him at ordination: “Let the reader understand.”
The rite of his ordination carries the meaning of his work in preaching and teaching. The bishop prays for him, saying to the Lord: “Reveal Your face upon Your servant (so-and-so) who stands before You, whom they have presented to proclaim Your holy words and to preach Your commandments to Your people, and to teach them Your pure word, by which is the salvation and deliverance of their souls.”
He also says to him in the charge: “You must learn, one by one, the chapters of the Holy Scriptures, the breath of God entrusted to you, so that you may preach them to the people.”
In Conclusion:
Let us care for teaching, preaching, and evangelism, for “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14). Let us teach at all times, encourage teachers and preachers, give them room, and provide them with resources.
3. Outside the Pulpit
The priest has a direct role in teaching, such as preaching—whether in special preaching meetings, sermons of the Divine Liturgy, Vespers, and so on. But he also has another role in teaching, an indirect one, focused on the following:
The Library:
The priest can contribute to the education of his people by establishing a reading library in his church, giving them the opportunity to read and explore—either inside the library or through borrowing. He may also establish a bookstore with facilitated prices or lower than the market price, financially supported by the Church. Some beneficial books may also be distributed as gifts.
Gifts may be given in youth meetings during feasts or special occasions, as rewards for excellence or success in competitions, or beneficial books may be given to some families during pastoral visits. The people can also be encouraged to read and the benefits of reading explained to them.
The library should be comprehensive for all age groups. It should not be limited to what adults read only, but should also include materials suitable for children and adolescents. It should be diverse, including studies in the Holy Bible, doctrine, theology, spirituality, rites, Church history and canons, the lives of the saints, as well as books in various cultural fields.
Library books should be reviewed, ensuring that there are no books contrary to doctrine that might corrupt the readers’ thinking. As for discerning readers who can distinguish between Church doctrine and non-liturgical ideas, it is permissible for them to read such books, provided that warnings are given regarding erroneous ideas.
The priest, as a confessor, can also supervise what his children read—asking them what they have read and their opinion of it. If a strange idea has entered their minds, he hastens to respond to it before it deepens and develops. If the confessors know that their spiritual father is capable of responding to heresies, they will naturally open up to him about the troubling ideas they encounter.
How good it would be if every church had a Coptic library, including images of monastery manuscripts, the lives of the saints, and the interpretations of the early Fathers. The Patriarchate has currently established a microfilm and microfiche center for this purpose, for the benefit of our institutes and churches in Egypt and abroad. Likewise, it would be beneficial for all churches to have a complete collection of what has been published abroad from the sayings of the Fathers, so that our children may receive knowledge from its trustworthy original sources.
Audio-Visual Media:
The priest can also contribute to teaching by providing the church with necessary audio-visual materials such as cassette tapes, videos, and religious films issued by some dioceses about saints and martyrs, or films produced abroad—on the condition that they are reviewed and appropriately edited or dubbed. Film has a strong effect through sound and image, as if life itself is moving before the viewers. The same applies to slides displayed by a projector.
Pamphlets:
The priest can also teach his children through printed pamphlets distributed to attendees, provided they bear the church’s name and emblem, so they are not confused with pamphlets distributed by other denominations that contain teachings contrary to our doctrine. These pamphlets may include beneficial spiritual topics, concise doctrinal themes, brief historical notes, or reflections on a particular Church rite.
Pamphlets may also be given to newly married couples, and others to newly baptized parents—containing, in the first case, a spiritual word about marital life, and in the second, teaching about the sacrament of Holy Baptism and how to raise children in a spiritual and sound religious manner.
Small pamphlets—perhaps one or two pages—help those who do not have time to read long books or articles. The priest may write these pamphlets himself, or specialists in the Church may write them, or they may be issued by the Patriarchate or dioceses and distributed to churches according to a studied plan, which is the best approach.
Seminars:
Another teaching method used by the priest is holding seminars—whether in the church or one of its halls—on topics of interest. A seminar differs from a sermon in that it includes exchange of thought and opinion, dialogue, discussion, and opportunities for questions and answers. Seminars with youth provide an opportunity to discover their inner thoughts and questions and to discuss them.
Seminars require sound management: organizing speech, supervising the flow of ideas, ensuring that no erroneous thought is raised without response, and that no problem is presented without a solution. The seminar must have a clear goal, defined topics, and prepared elements, with prior study of the ideas expected to arise and the appropriate responses.
Inviting Speakers:
The priest’s main concern is the religious and spiritual education of his children—whether through himself or through others. Therefore, he may invite fellow priests or senior servants to speak. If he wishes to invite a bishop, this should be done through the Patriarchate or the diocese to which he belongs. It is preferable that each speaker address a topic in which he is proficient, by prior agreement.
Inviting speakers reflects the humility of the priest. He does not monopolize teaching in his church, nor does he fear competition. On the contrary, he rejoices if a speaker gains the appreciation of his children, because he desires their benefit and rejoices whenever they receive new, useful teaching. This also reflects his love—love for the fathers he invites, love for his children who benefit, and love for knowledge itself.
Preparing Teachers (Servants):
The priest’s duty is not only to be a teacher, but also to prepare teachers from among his children. He prepares leaders for youth meetings, girls’ meetings, and service in surrounding villages. Some may be specialized leaders—for example, if the area is challenged by Jehovah’s Witnesses, he prepares leaders who fully understand how to respond to them, know their points of argument, topics, and misused verses, and how to answer all of this. The same applies to Seventh-day Adventists and other denominations that challenge the area with strange ideas.
Preparing servants involves equipping them with the necessary knowledge and spiritual approach, supervising them practically to ensure success in service, and instilling love for service in their hearts.
Part of preparation for service is instilling the spirit of teaching within the family—encouraging fathers and mothers to teach their children the way of the Lord, as God said in Deuteronomy: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house…” (Deuteronomy 6:6–7).
I remember that I often used to say to a mother at the baptism of her child: “Teach your child and train him in the way of the Lord. When he grows up, do not abandon your responsibility under the excuse that he goes to Sunday School. If your child spends one hour a week in Sunday School, he spends 167 hours a week with you. If you do not know, then study and teach him; memorize and help him memorize.”
It would be good for the priest to teach fathers and mothers what to teach their children, and for the Church in general to prepare booklets for family education, so parents do not need many books to teach their children.
Competitions:
This is a beautiful way for the priest to contribute to teaching—by organizing competitions for youth and servants on topics or research projects, providing references from the church library, and offering valuable prizes to winners. There is no harm in providing intellectual guidance during their research. Valuable winning research may be placed in the library in a special section (Research Section), and winners may be given the opportunity to summarize their research in youth meetings and answer questions about it.
All of this is beneficial in forming a second generation of speakers.
Among beautiful research topics is storytelling—forming a group of youth to collect stories about various virtues. Stories are engaging not only for children but also for adults, and are useful in preaching. Stories can be collected from the lives of the saints, the Synaxarium, Church history, and general storybooks—provided each story has a spiritual goal. Among the most famous storytellers of this generation is Archdeacon Alexander Hanna.
Prizes may be awarded to winners, and their stories preserved in the church library.
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