His Holiness Pope Shenouda explains that man is composed of body, soul, and spirit, as stated in Scripture: “May your spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The body is the material part, the soul gives physical life, and the spirit connects man with God and grants spiritual life. Animals have a soul that gives them life but not a spirit, for the human spirit is immortal, having been breathed into man by God.

The Soul and the Spirit

He differentiates between them:

• The soul gives bodily life and sometimes refers to the whole person.

• The spirit is the divine element in man that unites him with God, calling him to live according to the spirit and not the flesh.
  Even the spirit can fall into sin, as shown by the fall of Satan and the evil angels.

Conscience and Mind

The conscience is a voice from God guiding man, but not the voice of God Himself, since it may err or become sick. It must be enlightened by divine grace and the Word of God. The mind, too, can go astray if not purified by the spirit.

Relation Between Body and Spirit

The body and spirit act together: spiritual reverence brings bodily humility, and bodily acts like bowing and fasting awaken spiritual devotion. True worship involves both body and spirit in harmony.

Man in the Image of God

Man was created in God’s image—in righteousness, holiness, knowledge, freedom, and dominion. He shares in God’s moral attributes but in a limited way: man’s righteousness is finite, while God’s is infinite. God gave man free will and respected it even when it led to sin, because freedom is precious and carries responsibility.

Unity of Body and Spirit

Man is one nature formed of body and spirit united, just as the divine and human natures were united in Christ.

Conclusion

Man is a spiritual, rational being created in God’s image to live in holiness, freedom, and responsibility. He must let his spirit lead his body and purify body, soul, and spirit to be blameless before God.

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