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BLACKS ALWAYS A PART
Caveat: God made one race...the human! Man attempted to split themselves into subsections according to melanin, usually for political purposes and power. Jesus structured the Church. Western Man split the Church! However, the African root Church had little to do with that division.
These pages --concepts seek to calumniate no one!
All are children of God that wish to be.
However, those seeking to convert or evangelize us--we, who are known as Blacks, and in the Church of England and Wales, that includes Indians and Asians-- should note that FROM THE BEGINNING WE WERE ALWAYS A PART OF THE ONE CHURCH, HOLY, CATHOLIC, AND APOSTOLIC.
We emphasize to our brethren of traditional faiths, or professing other beliefs ,inter alia,Al Islam, that Yeshua, the Christ Jesus came out of Africa, as did Christianity--not to it!
No one brainwashed our Black minds to accept a foreign concept. Nor do we who profess starting from the first to fourth centuries, the Apostle's, Nicene, or Athanasian Creeds follow mindless ritual.
CENTER>OVERVIEW--CHRISTIANITY OUT OF AFRICA
Christianity Bespecially that of modern BlackB was not created to enslave black minds and bodies. It came out of Africa . As indicated above, among the first KNOWN figures to discover the concept of one God (relevant to us) was the African Pharaoh, Akhenaton of Khemet(Egypt). This was before the Habiru Patriarch, Joseph (Yusef) , and later Vizier or Chancellor of all Egypt was brought there. Some thousand years or so later, Moshe (Moses)( an African name meaning son of, was saved by Pharaoh's daughter. Moses married a black. This is before Alexander's generals-- the Ptolemies split Egypt around 330s B.C. This also preceded the invasion of the armies, merchants, and peoples of Al Islam.
EARLY MAN OUT OF AFRICA
Homo Sapiens Sapiens
Under the latest thesis from Olduvai Gorge,(Great Valley Rift, Kenya by the anthropologist family Leakeys, modern man walked out of Africa some 50 to 60 million years ago. But let's ignore that. Now ancient tradition (also in Bible, if you want to use it), both Joseph AND Mary were of the House of David. But wait-- there's black blood in that house. For the European colonialists decreed that one drop makes you black.
Tradition indicates that some of Vizier/Chancellor/Patriarch Joseph's kin had remained on the continent becoming what was later to be known as Essenian Jews. (See Dead Sea/Qumran Scroll documents, online). These were strict observers of the faith, who wrote about, and were looking for the "Sons of Light'. Jesus= African cousins were said to be numbered among them.
RETROGRESS: When Solomon and Sheba (Queen Malek) split, it is said she took the Ark of The Covenant back with her, to Abyssinia, with her son King Manelik/Manelek. But more importantly, the Jewish faith was also taken back to Axum. (Reference the Coptic Kebre Negaste)
Ark of the Covenant
The Sacred Ark is said to still be found in Axum, Ethiopia, where it apocryphally is rumored to still be guarded Coptic priests to this day.
OUR LORD YESHUA, YUSEF, AND MARY=S AFRICAN EXPERIENCE
Later, Yusef and Myrym (another spelling for each Holy Parent) become political refugees. Shortly after Yeshua (Jesus) was born, they ran to Africa for refuge! Khemet (Egypt) had always been a traditional place of refuge! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph remained there some 6-7 years, until Archaelus(... think that's the spelling), Herod's boy, was ruling.
Remarkably, Herod the Great was a "friend of Caesar", who had spies everywhere, as did Herod. One Rev. Jerome Walker in New York points out, with so many spies, "you can't hide no blond haired, blue eyed kid in Khemet-Egypt--not then! Not now!"
In Africa, during the formative years, Joseph and Mary had to practice their religion. Yusef and Myryrm strictly observed Jewish religious custom. Tradition has it Mary and Yusef raised Baby Jesus(aka, Yeshua) in the Essenian tradition. But wait a minute...that's African based! More comprehensively described later, they reportedly had African Essenian cousins living there.
Forward approximately 27 years. During Christian Pentecost, Jesus= Apostle, Philip was told to follow a coach carrying a certain treasury official of the Kandake-- Queen Candace's court-- from Abyssinia, (Ethiopia). The dignitary was reading from the Scriptures, the Book of Isaiah!. Reference the Kandake=s ancestor, Queen Makeda, King Solomon=s Ethiopian connection to Judaism.
APOSTLES= TERRITORIES
While Peter, Paul, and James headed toward what was later to be Europe, (see infra), Matthew, Philip, Jude Thaddeus Lebbeus, Nathaniel, and Evangelist John Mark (Yohan Marcus) evangelized or headed toward African soil. The Ethiopian Eunuch, Finance minister of the Kandake, Queen Candace of Axum preceded them (see Acts). That area was later to be known as Ethiopia, or Abyssinia, included parts of what is now Kenya.
Could it be Our Lord's recognition of the shelter Africa gave, while Herod sought His life? Could it have been a foreshadowing that the greatest return to the Church would be African in these end times?
Thomas Didymus (the doubter) evangelized another Black land--India! Tradition indicates he even touched what is now China.
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OUR BLACK CATHOLIC HISTORY I
Yet Our Lord once said, (as reported in the apocryphal literature),AHe (Jesus) is neither white, nor black, just God@. But in one of His more recent reported apparitions/manifestations to seers in Kibeho,Rwanda, He showed himself as an African.
(Editor=s note: The Bible says Yeshua had hair like lamb=s wool! Another irony gleaned from the ecclesiastical history is that area is part of the CHURCH ORIENTAL, in the former Roman province called ASIA).
And as repeated elsewhere in physics-- light theory shows the color black as the absence of color. But in pigment color theory, black proves the sum total of all colors.
BLACK AS A ROOT OF THE CHURCH
The grace of God deigned that we Blacks, the descendants of the African Church, be one of the roots in the Christian vineyard. That graft was not from a European shoot. Indeed, Christianity came out of Africa! Not to it!
We begin with WHAT BLACK CATHOLICS believe, then on Mary, Jesus' Mom, and retrogress until we reach the present.
What We Believe
NICENE CREED
ABelow, find a literal translation of the Greek text of the Constantinopolitan form.. Brackets indicating the words altered or added in the Western liturgical form in present use:
We believe (I believe)
in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only begotten Son of God,
and born of the Father before all ages.
(God of God)
light of light,
true God of true God.
Begotten not made,
consubstantial to the Father,
by whom all things were made.
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven.
And was incarnate of the Holy Ghost
and of the Virgin Mary
and was made man;
was crucified also for us
under Pontius Pilate,
suffered
and was buried;
and the third day rose again
according to the Scriptures.
And ascended into heaven,
sits at the right hand of the Father,
and shall come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead,
of whose Kingdom there shall be no end.
And (I believe)
in the Holy Ghost,
the Lord and Giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father
(and the Son),
who together with the Father and the Son
is to be adored and glorified,
who spoke by the Prophets.
And one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
We confess (I confess)
one baptism
for the remission of sins.
And we look for (I look for) the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen."
APOSTLE=S CREED
THE OLD ROMAN CREED
AS QUOTED BY AFRICAN THEOLOGIAN, TERTULLIAN
(around 200 a.d.)
De Virg. Vel., 1 Adv. Prax., 2 De Praecept., 13 and 26
(1) Believing in one God Almighty,
maker of the world,(1) We believe one only God, (1) I believe in one God, maker of the world,
(2) and His Son, Jesus Christ, (2) and the son of God Jesus Christ, (2) the Word, called His Son, Jesus Christ,
(3) born of the Virgin Mary, (3) born of the Virgin,(3) by the Spirit and power of God the Father made flesh in Mary's womb, and born of her
(4) crucified under Pontius Pilate, (4) Him suffered died, and buried, (4) fastened to a cross.
(5) on the third day brought to life from the dead, (5) brought back to life, (5) He rose the third day,
(6) received in heaven, (6) taken again into heaven,(6) was caught up into heaven,
(7) sitting now at the right hand of the Father,(7) sits at the right hand of the Father, (7) set at the right hand of the Father,
(8) will come to judge the living and the dead (8) will come to judge the living and the dead (8) will come with glory to take the good into life eternal, and condemn the wicked to perpetual fire,
(9) who has sent from the Father the Holy Ghost.(9) sent the vicarious power of His Holy Spirit,
(10) to govern believers
(In this passage articles 9 and 10 precede 8)
(12) through resurrection of the flesh. (12) restoration of the flesh.
ATHANASIAN CREED
Below find the Marquess of Bute's English translation of the text of the Creed:
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith.
Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the Catholic Faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity.
Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.
For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all One, the Glory Equal, the Majesty Co-Eternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.
The Father Uncreate, the Son Uncreate, and the Holy Ghost Uncreate.
The Father Incomprehensible, the Son Incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost Incomprehensible.
The Father Eternal, the Son Eternal, and the Holy Ghost Etneral and yet they are not Three Eternals but One Eternal.
As also there are not Three Uncreated, nor Three Incomprehensibles, but One Uncreated, and One Uncomprehensible.
So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not Three Almighties but One Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not Three Gods, but One God.
So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not Three Lords but One Lord.
For, like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion to say, there be Three Gods or Three Lords.
The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten.
The Holy Ghost is of the Father, and of the Son neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.
So there is One Father, not Three Fathers; one Son, not Three Sons; One Holy Ghost, not Three Holy Ghosts.
And in this Trinity none is afore or after Other, None is greater or less than Another, but the whole Three Persons are Co-eternal together, and Co-equal.
So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity is Trinity, and the Trinity is Unity is to be worshiped. He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting Salvation, that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man.
God, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the substance of His mother, born into the world.
Perfect God and Perfect Man, of a reasonable Soul and human Flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His Manhood. Who, although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but One Christ.
One, not by conversion of the Godhead into Flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by Unity of Person.
For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one Man, so God and Man is one Christ. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into Hell, rose again the third day from the dead.
He ascended into Heaven, He sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their own works.
And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.
This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved.
As the tradition remains rich, our ancient Church knows much about Yeshua's/Jesus= Mom. Mary=s ancestor=s were reportedly Essennes (a quite strict, Jewish faith branch), some of her kin lived in Africa, Kemet. Others resided in the desert, around Mt. Horeb.
As the Jewish calendar differed, Myrym (another spelling) was born in or about the year 18 B.C..Some authorities say in or about 22-20 B.C.--plus or minus a few years-- Yeshua was born about 6 to 4 B.C. This Immaculate Conception was the daughter of contralto voiced, Anne of Aaron, a seamstress -weaver, 55 years of age, brown skinned, with black eyes and high social standing, Joachim, another descendant of the House of King David from the AARONIC PRIESTHOOD See Luke 1:5.
Her grandfather on Anne=s side was called Stolanus, aka Girasha, or Saziri. Anne=s grandmother was of the Mari in the desert. (See the African name connection?)
Her name was Moruni or Emorun (meaning noble mother). Ismeria, the second daughter of Stolanus and Emorun married Eliud of the tribe of Levi. For those that care about the Aaronic line of priesthood from which The Savior was to stem). These were Anne=s parents.
About 18 months after Ismeria died, Anne, 19, married Heli Joachim, of the House of David (for those carrying about the Davidic line of priesthood.) Joachim was a distant relative of Joseph, Jesus= foster father.
Born in Nazareth, Joseph=s grandfather, Mathan descended from David through Solomon. He had two sons, Joses and Jacob, Joseph=s father. When Mathan died, his widow married Levi, a descended of David (through Nathan????). Joseph was related to Myriam in the 3d degree.
The greeting by the Archangel Gabriel, and her cousin, Elizabeth is the prayer of petition by which most in the West know her, "Rejoice, Mary" (called Hail Mary in football circles).
Its true translation is "Rejoice ,Mary, full of grace" (cf Luke 1:28, et seq), "The Lord is with thee, blessed are you amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus". (cf Like 1:35).
The Rosary--a chain of Roses devotion, based on the 150 Our Fathers,and earlier, 150 Psalms, is the scripturally inspired recitation of the Life and Authority of Christ for those who could not read).
Traditionally immaculate in body and soul , Mary has many titles: the Blessed Virgin Mary, Myriam Bat Joachim, Star of the Sea. Again tradition indicates a violent thunderstorm, followed by a rainbow covering Nazareth, signaled her birth. Her name means both star and bitterness in the Habiru Aramaic dialect.
While born into the propertied class, refuge from the Idumean King Herod the Great's(d. 4 B.C.) murderous rage soon reduced Joseph and Mary to abject homelessness and poverty as, the result of a political persecution which lasted throughout Mary's lifetime.
"From the first moment of her conception, a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God preserved the most Blessed Virgin Mary immune from all stain of original sin, by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race,".[135]
Mary & Eliza-beth--mother of John the Baptist-- were cousins. Eliza- beth(which means, daughter of Eliza) was married to one of the High Priests, Zechariah of the Abijah priestly division [the eighth of 24 divisions of priests who, for a week at a time, twice a year, served in the JERUSALEM TEMPLE] .
Both parents prayed constantly in the Temple for a child of their own, having occasionally baby sat a relative, Alphaeus (James Alphaeus, Apostle/disciple).
Tradition has it in thanksgiving for answered prayer to God through an angel who visited them prior to her conception, her formerly barren parents consecrated Mary from birth and pledged her to service in the Jewish Temple at Jerusalem, beginning at 3 to 5 years of age.
A first century manuscript, the Protoevangelium of James which describes the early events in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, indicates she took a vow of life-long chastity while there in Temple service. And depending on the source one researches, the Blessed Mother served at the Temple at the age of three for ten years.
Until about 12 to 13 years, when Temple High Priests deigned she should marry, among Mary's duties while at temple was repairing the curtains to the Holy of Holies as a seamstress.
At the age of thirteen, she was sent home to be betrothed to Joseph, a Nazarean carpenter.Mary's earthly spouse, Joseph, descended from the DAVIDIC branch of the priesthood. A strict Essenian Jew and much older(33?), Joseph had early in his life professed a vow of perpetual chastity.
In or about 6-4 B.C. she gave flesh(so as to save flesh), blood, and birth to Emmanuel, Who was to perpetually be her Immaculate Heart. Yeshua, Jesus, name means God is Salvation.
It can be seen that Yeshua was intimately connected with His Father's house, the Temple, through His earthly heritage from the beginning.
The daughter of Phanuel Asher, the Prophetess Anna would recognize Mary, having assisted in Mary's purification after birth. She also taught the Virgin as a little girl. Anna proclaimed , "and you yourself, a sword shall pierce" [Luke 2: 35 ].
That sword, another of Mary's Perpetual Sorrows, would be actually the short lance Chief Centurion of the Crucifixion, Longinus. Mary and and Jesus were symbiotically and hypostatically connected by feeling, and emotion from before inception. (These perpetual sorrows would later be reconized in a devotion called the Seven Sorrows).
And for her suffering, among other reasons Mary will soon be designated in the West, Co-Redemptrix. That appellation is already used in the Eastern Branches of the Mystical Body of Christ).
Certain names of Maria remain titles of honor, or places wherein she has labored including:
Our Lady of The Americas (Arizona)
Guadalupe (Aztec, Mexican mission)
Fatima (Portugal...and ironicallyBthe way God planned it, one of the names of the Prophet=s (peace be upon him) daughters. Al Islam recognizes and honors her.
Lourdes , Beauraing (spelling),Knock, Betania (South America), Kibeho(Rwanda), Garanbandal.
Our Lady of the Pilar (a name gained when she assisted St. James as he labored in Spain. For the neophyte Christians, Spain was earlier a Carthagenian colony, then a Roman one. St. Paul labored there as well).
Our Lady of Zeitun ( Africa--Kemet, Khemet-Egypt, near the Holy Family=s old neighborhood).
Other titles: The Immaculate Heart (symbolism: the Immaculate Heart of Mary IS JESUS); and Blessed Mother.
HONOR OF MARY
Many Christians of the European 16th, and 17th Century developments wonder why 1 billion of their brethren in the Liturgical parts of the Mystical Body of Christ (Latin Rite, Byzantine Rite Ways of Worship, including Episcopalian and Anglican, and Orthodoxies) honor the Mother of Jesus, Mary. Several misconceptions exist.
We had to write about this sister to clear misconceptions, and to honor her, as she has a festival(called feast day coming Dec.8. Sister, because she is Of the House of David -David's son, Solomon, had issue with Queen Makeda of Sheba, OR married Pharaoh=s daughterBEuropean one drop of black blood ruleBchoose your line of descent).
All mothers are honored(not worshiped). Neither is Mary worshiped. But she is highly honored.
Commandment IV tells us: Honor thy father and mother. Recognizing her as Jesus= mother, the Liturgical Church=s recognition of her is understandable.
Like so many black women, Mary, called Our Lady throughout the world, remains an example for us (especially the First world, African us).
For she was at one time: unwed teenager, expectant mother (14 years of age),political refugee, dispossessed and former middle class seamstress, homeless (trek into Khemet-Egypt), mother of one wrongfully accused and executed.
She remains an example of humility and obedience (the Latin root ob-audiere means TO HEAR).
Verses the Church feels alludes to, touches on, exemplifies Mary (remember to view a few verses before and after, as well as the footnotes. Certain Bibles are staggered,omitting some verses, adding others, depending on translation):
Gen 3:13;Isa 7:14;Micah 5:2,3. Matt 1:22,23; Luke 1:48; Luke 1:35;Luke 2:5;2:6; Luke 2:12;1:27; Mt 1:18;Luke 2:19;2:34 (see also Luke 12:51; Isa 8:14;John 9:39; Rom 9:33; 1 Cor 1,23; 1Pt 2, 7-8; Luke 2:35 (see also Luke 11: 27-28; 8,20-21 exegesis;
Matt 1:18;(see 15:7,14); Matt 1:20 [Mt 2:13,19;]; Matt 1:21[Isa 714 LXX]; Matt 1:25;Lk 2,7. Matt 2:3-15; Mt 12:46 [Mk 3,31-35;Lk 8,19-21];
John 2:1-5;John 4:46; Gen 41:55; John 19:25; Acts 1:4;
ALet it be according to thy will@ Luke 1:28-38; cf Rom 1:5; AMother of the Lord@ Lk 1:43; John 2:1;19:25; cf Mt 13:55; fiancee Mt 1:20; Isa 7:14 in the LXX; Mt 1:23 (Greek); Mk 3:31-35; John 19:26,27; Rom 8:29 ; Rev. 12:17;
REVELATIONS 12 :1 (Woman clothed in the sunBsee the picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe, those who live around Mexican or Spanish neighborhoods); 1 Cor 7: 34-35;
John 19:26-27; Lk 1:34,35;cf Mt 1:20;2:1-12;Lk 1:35; Lk 2:8-20; John 1:31-34; 2:11; Acts 10: 28;
Gen 3:15, 20; Immaculate Conception alliteration Lk 1:28; God chose her Eph 1:3-4;
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In many countries there are pictures of the Black Madonna, including Poland. The Coptic branch has many such Icons, a Black Madonna with with Black Baby Jesus.
The reference above may be found in the principle source: Catechism sites below mentioned.
Mary goes before us all in the holiness that is the Church=s mystery as the Abride without spot or wrinkle@ see Eph: 5:27; That is why the AMarian@ dimension of the Church precedes the APetrine@ MD 27.
Our (East and West) tradition calls her Eschatological Icon of the Church.
Catechism Section 972 (you can access on the Web. See kerygma site below, if really interested)
AAfter speaking of the Church, her origin, mission, and destiny, we can find no better way to conclude than by looking to Mary.
In her we contemplate what the Church already is in her mystery on her own Apilgrimage of faith,: and what she will be in the homeland at the end of her journey.
There, Ain the glory of The Most Holy and Undivided Trinity,@in the communion of all the saints. LG 69, Athe church is awaited by the one she venerates as Mother of her Lord and as her own mother@
In the meantime, the Mother of Jesus, in the glory which she possesses in body and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise she shines both on earth, until the day of the Lord cf 2 Pet 3:10.
Documents for the scholarly:
MD= Mulieres dignitatem
LG= Lumens Gentum
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Mary Co-Redemptrix-What The Vatican Says
By Fr Lawrence Faisal
"The Church always believed and proclaimed Jesus Christ as the only Savior of the world, The only Redeemer of mankind. Shedding His blood on the Cross, He paid the penalty for our sins, and snatched us away from the hands of Satan.
St. Peter said to the early Christians: "It was not with perishable things such as silver or gold, that you were redeemed from the way of life handed down to you from your forefathers; but with the precious Blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or spot." (I Peter 1:18-19)"
"However, the Early Fathers of the Church stated that the Blessed Virgin Mary played a significant role in the Mystery of Redemption. They noticed her presence on Calvary, beneath the Cross.
They knew that Adam's rebellion prompted Jesus to drink the bitter chalice of suffering and drew a conclusion: As a woman (Eve) contributed to death, so also a Woman (Mary) contributed to life.
In fact, the Blessed Virgin gave birth to the Source of life (Jesus) who said: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life". (John 14:16)".
"The knot of Eves disobedience was untied by Mary s obedience", they said. "What Eve bound through disbelief the Virgin Mary loosened by faith". Having contemplated this unfathomable Mystery, the Fathers exclaimed: Death through Eve, life through Mary".
"By the Second Century, the Church believed the Blessed Mother contributed to the work of our salvation by her faith and total submission to the Will of God.
St. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons in the Second Century said: By her obedience, she became the cause of salvation for herself and the whole human races" -
"Throughout the centuries, this doctrine was enshrined in the consciences of the Christians, and constituted an important part in their culture and pious devotion".
"During the sessions of the (Church convention) Vatican II in 1964, Pope Paul VI promulgated the Dogmatic Constitution >Lumen Gentium". The second chapter is entitled: RoIe of the Blessed Mother in the Economy of Salvation".
Consecrated to Our Lady, the chapter showed the Fathers of the Ecumenical Council declared without ambiguity that >Mary devoted herself totally to the Person and work of Christ, serving the Mystery of the Redemption'".
On Calvary, she united herself with a maternal heart to His Sacrifice, and lovingly consented to the immolation of this Victim which she herself had brought forth . Vatican II)".
"Notice this document is called Dogmatic Constitution. The belief is not a defined dogma. But it is generally accepted by the majority of Christ s faithful, to fervently pray that one day, the Co-Redemptrix of Mary will be officially proclaimed by the Pope as a Dogma of Faith- That proclamation will be the Culmination of the glorification of The Blessed Mother".
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POPE JOHN PAUL II
AND THE NEW DOGMA OF MARY
by Scott Hahn
"Pope John Paul II used these titles (Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix of all Graces and Advocate repeatedly (along with Co-Redemptrix ) throughout his pontificate.
He found just the right formula to make it possible for the Catholic world not only to believe them, which it already, does, but to grasp Mary with both head and heart C end to celebrate them.
John Paul II as a well-trained theologian, introduced the compact phrase, >maternal mediation' into the common currency of flue Church s theological vocabulary. It captures the very heart of Marian doctrine and devotion".
"As an evangelical, I(the writer reviewed here) rushed to the one verse that seemed to snuff out this seemingly heretical spark (of) St Paul's categorical assertion that Christ is the only mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). How dare we refer to Mary s maternal mediation, or call her Mediatrix"? (I asked).
"But the Greek word used here for >one is "eis", which means first or primary , not "monos", which means >only or sole .
Just as there is one mediator there is also one Divine Sonship, which we all share -- by way of participation-- with Christ ("filii in Filio", sons in the Son).
Christ's mediation excludes not Mary's. It rather established it, by way of her participation".
"Furthermore, the Epistle to the Hebrews explains Christ's high priesthood in terms of his being the firstborn Son of God (Heb 1:6-2:17).
This (which) serves as the basis for our divine sonship (Heb 2:10-11), as well as our priestly sanctity and service (Heb 13:10-16): >Pet 2:5). Once again, there is no tug-of-war between us".
"As firstborn Son in Gods family, Jesus mediates as the High Priest between the Father and His children: whereas Mary mediates as queen-mother (see Kg 2:19) and Rev 12:1-17)
This is the meaning of Mary's maternal mediation. For the Father, Mary mothers the Son. For us sinners, she mothers His siblings. When it comes to Mary's role in God's saving plan, >mother is not only a noun but a verb, and hence an office".
"As the Mother of God and His children, Mary shows us how to glorify the Father, not by groveling, but by receiving the gift of His Son in the fullness of the Spirit.
It is the means God s sovereign grace enables us to share in His glory, and so become partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet 14). So if you want to judge how well a person grasps the Gospel in its essence, fir~d out how much they make of having God as their Father, and Mary as their Mother".
"Judging by this standard, I would say that Pope John Paul II appreciates the Gospel as much as any other man of our time. And his magisterial insight into maternal mediation may well prove decisive."
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(From the Book of the Ancestor)(Author Unknown-So Test! Discern the Spirit on these traditions. Have your Bibles open! Be always in meditative and contemplative prayer):
"493 Fathers of the Eastern tradition call the Mother of God "the All-Holy" (Panagia). They celebrate her as "free from any stain of sin, as though fashioned by the Holy Spirit and formed as a new creature".
[138] By the grace of God Mary remained free of every personal sin her whole life long. "Let it be done to me according to your word. . ."
"Her previous temple service probably allowed Simeon in the Spirit to speak to her (Luke 2:25-32),
490 "To become the mother of the Savior, God enriched Mary " with gifts appropriate to such a role."[132] She was, by sheer grace, conceived without sin as the most humble of creatures, the most capable of welcoming the inexpressible gift of the Almighty. It was quite correct for the angel Gabriel to greet her as the "Daughter of Zion": "Rejoice."[103]
491 Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, "full of grace" through God,[134] was redeemed from the moment of her conception."
"Rejoice, you who are full of grace"
Archangel Gabriel salutes her at the moment of the annunciation as "full of grace".[133] For Mary to freely assent in her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace.
La Virgen's consent to Archangel Gabriel to be the mother of the Savior, betrothed her spiritually as the spouse of the Holy Spirit. Consent to God's word, allows Mary to become the mother of Jesus.
Espousing the Divine Will for salvation wholeheartedly, without a single sin to restrain her, she gave herself entirely to the person and to the work of her Son; she did so in order to serve the mystery of redemption with him and dependent on him, by God's grace:[140]
In or about 6-4 B.C. she gave flesh (so as to save flesh), blood, and birth to Emmanuel, Who was to perpetually be her Immaculate Heart. Yeshua, Jesus, name means God is Salvation.
"By pronouncing her >fiat' at the Annunciation, and giving her consent
To the Incarnation, Mary joined with the whole work her Son was to accomplish. She is mother wherever he is Savior, and head of the Mystical Body.
Such assent at the Annunciation starts the fullness of time (Gal. 4:4), the time of fulfillment of God's promises and preparations, wherein the "whole fullness of deity" would dwell bodily (Col. 2:9).
"The Holy Trinity descended with Its perfections, inhabited with its Three Persons enclosed Its infinity in a small place." 485 "The mission of the Holy Spirit is always conjoined and ordered to that of the Son.[122]"
Results of that acquiescence became the first of seven life- circumstances that earned her the title of Our Lady of Sorrows. At the time, she could have been stoned to death as an unwed mother.
But Our Lord in poetic literature said of her," in her, the absence of incentives, the inheritance of sin. She is contented only with loving God...In her, there is only the icy and white-hot wisdom of divine love.
A fire that strengthens the flesh with ice, so that iit may be a transparent mirror at the altar where God married a Virgin and does not lower Himself because His perfection embraces Her perfection, which as it becomes a bride, is only inferior to His by one point, subject to Him as a Woman, but without fault, as He is without fault".
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486 "The Father's only Son, conceived as man in the womb of the Virgin Mary, is "Christ", that is to say, anointed by the Holy Spirit, from the beginning of his human existence."
While born into the propertied class, refuge from the Idumean King Herod the Great's(d. 4 B.C.) murderous rage soon reduced Joseph and Mary to abject homelessness and poverty as, the result of a political persecution which lasted throughout Mary's lifetime.
As the Ark of The New Covenant (her womb), she returned to the traditional place of sanctuary for persecuted Jews, Africa. Joseph and Mary settle in and around what is now Old Cairo.
Mary teaches Jesus
Here, the around 4'5" Mary taught Jesus to read and write several languages. Reportedly, He studies at one the great African libraries in Heliopolis about 6 miles nearby. Tradition has it another comprehensive library lay near the Sphinx Temple complex.
An African upbringing initially gave Yeshua His outlook on life. Experiences of the Holy Family there can still be spiritually felt in their old neighborhoods as Zeitun /Zaytoun, ((Khemet-(Khemet-Egypt))/Kemet).
She was involved in the life of Jesus throughout His ministry. She cared for Him as an infant (Matt 1:18 - 2:23); she looked for Him in the Temple when she thought He was lost (Luke 2:41-49); she cared for Him through adolescence (Luke 2:51-52); she interceded with Him at the wedding at Cana (John 2:2-5);
She worried about Him as He began His ministry (Matt 13:46); she was at His cross when He was crucified (John 19:25-26); and she prayed with the other followers of Jesus after His ascension (Acts 1:14).
Eastern and Western members of the Mystical Body of Christ greet Mary as Our Blessed Mother due to the commission given by Our Lord, Yeshua on the Cross to the Apostle John(d.100 A.D.)
721 Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. Because his Holy Spirit prepared her, for the first time in the plan of salvation and, the Father found the dwelling place by his grace, where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men.
In this sense the Church's Tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary.[101] Mary is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the "Seat of Wisdom." In her, the "wonders of God" that the Spirit was to fulfill in Christ and the Church began to be manifested:
722 It was fitting that the mother of him in whom "the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily"[102] should herself be "full of grace." Mary in her canticle[104] lifts up to the Father in the Holy Spirit while carrying within her the eternal Son the thanksgiving of the Church and whole People of God.
723 In Mary, the Holy Spirit fulfills the plan of the Father's loving goodness. With and through the Holy Spirit, the Virgin conceives and gives birth to the Son of God. By the Holy Spirit's power and her faith, her virginity became uniquely fruitful.[105]
724 The Holy Spirit in Mary, manifests the Son of the Father, now become the Son of the Virgin. She is the burning bush of the definitive theophany. Filled with the Holy Spirit she makes the Word visible in the humility of His flesh. She makes him known.[106] to the poor and the first representatives of the gentiles.
725 Through Mary, the Holy Spirit begins to bring men, the objects of God's merciful love,[107] into communion with Christ. And the humble are always the first to accept him: shepherds, magi, Simeon and Anna, the bride and groom at Cana, and the first disciples.
726 At the end of this mission of the Spirit, Mary became the Woman, the new Eve ("mother of the living"), the mother of the "whole Christ."[108] She was present with the Twelve, who "with one accord devoted themselves to prayer,"[109] at the dawn of the "end time" which the Spirit opened on the morning of Pentecost with the manifestation of the Church.
" 964 Mary's role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it. "This union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest from the time of Christ's virginal conception up to his death";[502] it is made manifest above all at the hour of his Passion:
Thus the Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross.
In keeping with the divine plan there she stood, enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of his suffering, joining herself with his sacrifice in her mother's heart, and lovingly consenting to the immolation of this victim, born of her: to be given, by the same Christ Jesus dying on the cross, as a mother to his disciple, with these words: "Woman, behold your son."[503]
"Woman(symbolizing mother church) behold thy son. Son, behold thy mother."
[John 19:26,et.seq.] Commentaries show the "woman" title Jesus" spoke of his mother subtly referenced the woman of Gen 3:15, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel."( a footnote refers us to Is 7,14; 9:5; Rom 16, 20; 1 John 3,8; Rev 12,17.
Commentaries indicate He will strike ...at his heel: since the antecedent for he and his is the collective noun offspring, i.e., all the descendants of the woman, a more exact rendering of the sacred writer's word would be, "They will strike...at their heels."However, later theology saw in this passage more than unending hostility between snakes and men.
He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel" (Gen 3:15). Here, God promises humanity salvation through the woman of Genesis; her offspring will crush the head of the serpent. Jesus' reminds us in this way all that He is the salvation promised by His Father. He tells us that God always keeps His covenant.
The serpent was regarded as the devil(Wis 2,24; John 8, 44; Rev 12, 9; 20,2) whose eventual defeat seems implied in the contrast between head and heel. Because "the Son of God appeared that he might destroy the works of the devil".
(1 John 3,8), the passage can be understood as the first promise of a Redeemer for fallen mankind. The woman's offspring then is primarily Jesus Christ. and the enmity between her offspring and that of the Satan serpent.
"Mary beneath the cross represents a double role. First as feminine symbol of mother church, caring for, and placed in the care of Jesus' Apostle /disciples , who became her children, and consequently, Jesus' brothers and sisters.
Secondly, as woman of victory, showing the feminine contribution to salvation "the negative biblical portrait of Eva has been replaced by that of the life-giving Ave.
During Mary's presence at the Cross, her future role in Christianity is unveiled. "When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold your son.' Then he said to the disciple, `Behold, your mother.'"(John 19:26).
The use of the word "woman" in this context is unusual. Jesus, like any loving Jewish son of His time, would address His mother with more affection than the use of "woman" seems to indicate. However, Jesus, quoted at the Crucifixion and at the wedding at Cana, as refers to His mother as "woman".
A Genesis description of the Savior indicates, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers.
The knot of Eve's disobedience was untied by Mary's obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith."[142] Comparing her with Eve, they call Mary "the Mother of the living" and frequently claim: "Death through Eve, life through Mary."[143]
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MARY AS CHURCH MOTHER
Now, many of our Black Churches have Church mothers, the wife of the Pastor, or Pastor Emeritus. Mary, the model of humility and all other virtues, becomes the Mother of the Christian Church, Mother of Christians, at the birth of the Christian Community..
"The Virgin Mary . . . is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and of the Redeemer.... She is 'clearly the mother of the members of Christ' ... since she has by her charity joined in bringing about the birth of believers in the Church, who are members of its head."[500] "Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church."[501]
For the Crucifixion is the epitome of Christendom. Redemption was effected. Resurrection remains epilogue (since He himself had already foretold it would happen).
"But while in the most Blessed Virgin the church has already reached that perfection whereby she exists ...the faithful still strive to conquer sin and increase in holiness. And so they turn their eyes to Mary(cf Eph 5:26-27; Lumen Gentum 65) in her, the Church is already the "all- holy".
Western Catechism declare, "We look to Mary. In her we contemplate what the Church already is in her mystery on her own pilgrimage of faith, and what she will be in the homeland at the end of her journey.
There ,"in the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity," "in the communion of all the saints,"(referencing Lumens Gentum 69) the Church is awaited by the one she venerates as Mother of her Lord and as her own mother. (Note: The church means the total Christian church in all its divisions, branches. The church, because Christ established it, is all holy. It is the people that have problems).
In the meantime the Mother of Jesus, in the glory which she posses in body and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come.
Likewise, she shines forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come, a sign of certain hope and comfort to the pilgrim people of God."(Lumen Gentum 68, cf 2 Pet 3:10)
"Mary goes before us all in the holiness that is the Church's mystery, as the bride without spot or wrinkle."(Eph 5:27). This is the "Marian" dimension of the Church precedes the "Petrine"(cf John Paul II Mulieres Dignitatum 27).
Now no Christian worships Mary. She is honored(as all mothers are honored, or should be). This mother of the Savior, Theotokos she is called in the Eastern Churches,"Called in the Gospels "the mother of Jesus", the Holy Spirit prompts Elizabeth to acclaim Mary at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the mother of my Lord".[144]
In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos).[145]
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Mary's Virginity
Mary's virginal motherhood in God's plan
502 The eyes of faith can discover in the context of the whole of Revelation the mysterious reasons why God in his saving plan wanted his Son to be born of a virgin.
504 Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary's womb because he is the New Adam, who inaugurates the new creation: "The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven."
[162] From his conception, Christ's humanity is filled with the Holy Spirit, for God "gives him the Spirit without measure."[163] From "his fullness" as the head of redeemed humanity "we have all received, grace upon grace."[164]
These reasons touch both on the person of Christ and his redemptive mission, and on the welcome Mary gave that mission on behalf of all men.
503 Mary's virginity manifests God's absolute initiative in the Incarnation. Jesus has only God as Father.
499 The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Mary's real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made man.[154]
In fact, Christ's birth "did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it."[155] And so the liturgy of the Church celebrates Mary as Aeiparthenos, the "Ever-virgin".[156]
500 Against this doctrine the objection is sometimes raised that the Bible mentions brothers and sisters of Jesus.
[157] The Church has always understood these passages as not referring to other children of the Virgin Mary. In fact James and Joseph, "brothers of Jesus", are the sons of another Mary, a disciple of Christ, whom St. Matthew significantly calls "the other Mary".[158] They are close relations of Jesus, according to an Old Testament expression.
501 Jesus is Mary's only son, but her spiritual motherhood extends to all men whom indeed he came to save: "The Son whom she brought forth is he whom God placed as the first-born among many brethren, that is, the faithful in whose generation and formation she co-operates with a mother's love."[160]
"He was never estranged from the Father because of the human nature which he assumed. . . He is naturally Son of the Father as to his divinity and naturally son of his mother as to his humanity, but properly Son of the Father in both natures."[161]
505 By his virginal conception, Jesus, the New Adam, ushers in the new birth of children adopted in the Holy Spirit through faith. "How can this be?"[165] Participation in the divine life arises "not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God".[166]
The acceptance of this life is virginal because it is entirely the Spirit's gift to man. The spousal character of the human vocation in relation to God[167] is fulfilled perfectly in Mary's virginal motherhood.
506 Mary is a virgin because her virginity is the sign of her faith "unadulterated by any doubt", and of her undivided gift of herself to God's will.[168] It is her faith that enables her to become the mother of the Savior: "Mary is more blessed because she embraces faith in Christ than because she conceives the flesh of Christ."[169]
507 At once virgin and mother, Mary is the symbol and the most perfect realization of the Church: "the Church indeed. . . by receiving the word of God in faith becomes herself a mother.
By preaching and Baptism she brings forth sons, who are conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of God, to a new and immortal life. She herself is a virgin, who keeps in its entirety and purity the faith she pledged to her spouse."[170]
510 Mary "remained a virgin in conceiving her Son, a virgin in giving birth to him, a virgin in carrying him, a virgin in nursing him at her breast, always a virgin" (St. Augustine, Serm. 186, 1: PL 38, 999): with her whole being she is "the handmaid of the Lord" (Lk 1:38).
511 The Virgin Mary "co-operated through free faith and obedience in human salvation" (LG 56). She uttered her yes "in the name of all human nature" (St. Thomas Aquinas, S Th III, 30, 1). By her obedience she became the new Eve, mother of the living.
Mary as Christ bearer is the bridge between the Old and The New Testament
"488 God sent forth his Son", but to prepare a body for him,[125] he wanted the free co-operation of a creature. For this, from all eternity God chose for the mother of his Son a daughter of Israel, a young Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee, "a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary":[126]
The Father of mercies willed that the Incarnation should be preceded by assent on the part of the predestined mother, so that just as a woman had a share in the coming of death, so also should a woman contribute to the coming of life.[127]"
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MARY=S DEATH
"Mary lived about 15 years after Jesus' Ascension. She died around 69 or 70 years of age, around the reign of Claudius Caesar, having overseen her Son's sibling the Church struggle to take its first walks, and talking loudly, boldly.
Only Thomas missed the funeral. He wept bitterly because of it. 965 After her Son's Ascension, Mary "aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers."[504] In her association with the apostles and several women, "we also see Mary by her prayers imploring the gift of the Spirit, who had already overshadowed her in the Annunciation."[505]
She was assumed(taken up)into Heaven.(Remember, Jesus went up under His own power). Now it is said there presently exists only two human bodies in heaven, Jesus, and Mary. Albeit glorified, these are also is composed of the corpus, as well.
966 "Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death."
[506] The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians:
In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death.[507]
968 Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. "In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior's work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace."[509]
969 "This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfilment of all the elect.
Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation .... Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."[510]
970 "Mary's function as mother of men in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin's salutary influence on men . . . flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on his mediation, depends entirely on it, and draws all its power from it."
[511] "No creature could ever be counted along with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer; but just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by his ministers and the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is radiated in different ways among his creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source."[512]
"Mary Immaculate, delight of the Trinity God created for Himself, and then for the salvation of men was the first salvation, never deprived of the remembrance of God"
An all knowing God conceived her from the beginning of His works. So Holy Church honors the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God with a special love. She is inseparably linked with the saving work of her Son.
In her, the Church admirers and exalts the most excellent fruit of redemption and joyfully contemplates, as in a faultless image that which she herself desires and hopes wholly to be. (Sacrosanctum Concilium 103)
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DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN
971 "All generations will call me blessed": "The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship."[513] The Church rightly honors "the Blessed Virgin with special devotion.
From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of 'Mother of God,' to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs.... This very special devotion ... differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration."
[514] The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an "epitome of the whole Gospel," express this devotion to the Virgin Mary.[515]
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From the Book of the Ancestor: and Rev(Apoc) 12: 1,2
MARY, THEOTOKOS, MOTHER OF JESUS, MOTHER OF GOD
(Or all you wanted to know about Mary, But Were Afraid To Ask)
"A great and wondrous sign(Gen 37:9) appeared in the heaven: a woman clothed in the sun, the moon under her feet. On her head was a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and cried out in pain and distress (due to Eve's transgression[ Gen 3,16; cf Is 66,7-14] in labor giving birth".
While the passage bespeaks many meanings, the Byzantine, Church Oriental (including African), and Latin rite branches of the Mystical Body of Christ ascribes that the woman, on at least one level (following ancient world folkways) refers to and prefigures Mary, the Mother of Yeshua, Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of mankind.
As Woman, Mary , adorned with the sun, the moon, and the stars (Joseph's symbols in Gen to Jacob) signifies God's Old and New Testament people. Old Israel
births the Messiah(vs 5), becoming the New Israel. The church which suffers throughout the tribulation (Rev. 6,13-17).
The Revelations/ Apocalypse verses depict evil power , represented by a dragon fighting, God and his people. The dragon stalks the woman about to give birth. But her son is saved and "caught up to God and his throne"
"493 Eastern tradition Fathers call the Mother of God "the All-Holy" (Panagia). They celebrate her as "free from any stain of sin original or personal, her whole life, fashioned by the Holy Spirit and formed as a new creature, by God's grace", "Let it be done to me according to your word. . ." It was her previous temple service which probably allowed Simeon in the Spirit to speak to her (Luke 2:25-32),
490, 491 Centuries helped the Church recognize that Mary, "full of grace" through God,(Lk 1: 28) was redeemed from the moment of her conception." Archangel Gabriel salutes her at the moment of the annunciation as "full of grace".Lk 1:28.] "God enriched Mary to become the Savior's mother, with gifts appropriate to such a role."
By grace, she was conceived without sin as the most humble of creatures, the most capable of welcoming the inexpressible gift of the Almighty. For Mary to freely assent in her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace. Thus Archanangel Gabriel greeted her as the "Daughter of Zion": "Rejoice." cf Zeph 3:14; Zech 2:14
Such assent at the Annunciation starts the fullness of time (Gal. 4:4), the time of fulfillment of God's promises and preparations, wherein the "whole fullness of deity" would dwell bodily (Col. 2:9).
"The Holy Trinity descended with Its perfections, inhabited with its Three Persons enclosed Its infinity in a small place." 485 "The mission of the Holy Spirit is always conjoined and ordered to that of the Son." cf John 16:14,15
Results of that acquiescence became the first of seven life- circumstances that earned her the title of Our Lady of Sorrows. At the time, she could have been stoned to death as an unwed mother.
But Our Lord in poetic literature said of her," in her, the absence of incentives, the inheritance of sin. She is contented only with loving God...In her, there is only the icy and white-hot wisdom of divine love.
A fire that strengthens the flesh with ice, so that iit may be a transparent mirror at the altar where God married a Virgin and does not lower Himself because His perfection embraces Her perfection, which as it becomes a bride, is only inferior to His by one point, subject to Him as a Woman, but without fault, as He is without fault".
486 "The Father's only Son, conceived as man in the womb of the Virgin Mary, is "Christ", that is to say, anointed by the Holy Spirit, from the beginning of his human existence."
As the Ark of The New Covenant (her womb), she returned to the traditional place of sanctuary for persecuted Jews, Africa. Joseph and Mary settle in and around what is now Old Cairo. Here, the around 4'5" Mary taught Jesus to read and write several languages. Reportedly, He studies at one the great African libraries in Heliopolis, about 6 miles nearby.
An African upbringing initially gave Yeshua His outlook on life. Experiences of the Holy Family there can still be spiritually felt in their old neighborhoods as Zeitun /Zaytoun, Khemet-Egypt Kemet).
Now, many of our Black Churches have Church mothers, the wife of the Pastor, or Pastor Emeritus. Mary, the model of humility and all other virtues, becomes the Mother of the Christian Church, Mother of Christians, at the birth of the Christian Community..
MARY-"EVER-VIRGIN"
499 Deepening faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Mary's real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made man.
In fact, Christ's birth "did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it." And so the liturgy of the Church celebrates Mary as Aeiparthenos, the "Ever-virgin".
Skeptics raise objections that the Bible mentions brothers and sisters of Jesus. cf Mk 3:31-35;6:3; 1 Cor 9:5; Gal 1:19. The Church always understood these passages as not referring to other children of the Virgin Mary.
James and Joseph, "brothers of Jesus", are the sons of another Mary, a disciple of Christ, whom St. Matthew significantly calls "the other Mary". Mt 13:55;28:1, cf Mt 27:56. They are close relations of Jesus, according to an Old Testament expression. Cf Gen 13:8; 14:16; 29:15 et seq.
501 Jesus is Mary's only son. But her spiritual motherhood extends to all men whom indeed he came to save: "The Son whom she brought forth is he whom God placed as the first-born among many brethren, that is, the faithful in whose generation and formation she co-operates with a mother's love."cf John 19:26-27; Rom 8:29; Rev. 12:17
Mary's Virginal Motherhood in God's Plan
502 The eyes of faith can discover in the context of the whole of Revelation the mysterious reasons why God in his saving plan wanted his Son to be born of a virgin. These reasons touch both on the person of Christ and his redemptive mission, and on the welcome Mary gave that mission on behalf of all men.
503 Mary's virginity manifests God's absolute initiative in the Incarnation. Jesus has only God as Father. "He was never estranged from the Father because of the human nature which he assumed. . . He is naturally Son of the Father as to his divinity and naturally son of his mother as to his humanity, but properly Son of the Father in both natures." 1 Cor 15: 45,47
504 Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary's womb because he is the New Adam, who inaugurates the new creation: "The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.
" From conception, Christ's humanity is filled with the Holy Spirit, for God "gives him the Spirit without measure." From "his fullness" as the head of redeemed humanity "we have all received, grace upon grace." Jn 1:16. Cf Col 1:18
505 By his virginal conception, Jesus, the New Adam, ushers in the new birth of children adopted in the Holy Spirit through faith. "How can this be?" Lk 1:34; cf John 3:9. Participation in the divine life arises "not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God". John 1:13.
The acceptance of this life is virginal because it is entirely the Spirit's gift to man. The spousal character of the human vocation in relation to God cf 2Cor 11:2 is fulfilled perfectly in Mary's virginal motherhood.
510 Mary "remained a virgin in conceiving her Son, a virgin in giving birth to him, a virgin in carrying him, a virgin in nursing him at her breast, always a virgin" (St. Augustine, Serm. 186, 1: PL 38, 999): with her whole being she is "the handmaid of the Lord" (Lk 1:38). 511 The Virgin Mary "co-operated through free faith and obedience in human salvation" (LG 56).
She uttered her yes "in the name of all human nature" (St. Thomas Aquinas, S Th III, 30, 1). By her obedience she became the new Eve, mother of the living.
506 And Mary is a virgin because her virginity is the sign of her faith "unadulterated by any doubt", and of her undivided gift of herself to God's will. 1Cor 7:34-35. It is her faith that enables her to become the mother of the Saviour: "Mary is more blessed because she embraces faith in Christ than because she conceives the flesh of Christ."
507 Virgin and mother, Mary symbolizes the most perfect realization of the Church: "the Church indeed. . . by receiving the word of God in faith becomes herself a mother. By preaching and Baptism she brings forth sons, who are conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of God, to a new and immortal life.
She herself is a virgin, who keeps in its entirety and purity the faith she pledged to her spouse."
Mary, Christ bearer is the bridge between the Old and The New Testament
"Mary lived about 15 years after Jesus' Ascension. She died around 69 or 70 years of age, around the reign of Claudius Caesar, having overseen her Son's sibling the Church struggle to take its first walks, and talking loudly, boldly.
Only Thomas , coming in from India, missed the funeral. He wept bitterly because of it. 965 After her Son's Ascension, Mary "aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers." In her association with the apostles and several women, "we also see Mary by her prayers imploring the gift of the Spirit, who had already overshadowed her in the Annunciation."
She was Assumed into Heaven. Now, it is said there presently exists only two human bodies in heaven, Jesus, and Mary. Albeit glorified, these are also is composed of the corpus, as well.
966 "Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death."cf Rev 19:16.
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians: In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death.
MOTHER FULL OF GRACE
967 By her complete adherence to the Father's will, to his Son's redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church's model of faith and charity. Thus she is a "preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church"; indeed, she is the "exemplary realization" (typus) of the Church.
968 Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. "In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior's work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace."
969 "This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfilment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation .... Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."
970 "Mary's function as mother of men in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin's salutary influence on men . . . flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on his mediation, depends entirely on it, and draws all its power from it.
No creature could ever be counted along with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer; but just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by his ministers and the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is radiated in different ways among his creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source."
"Mary Immaculate, delight of the Trinity God created for Himself, and then for the salvation of men was the first salvation, never deprived of the remembrance of God...An all knowing God conceived her from the beginning of His works. So Holy Church honors the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God with a special love."
"She is inseparably linked with the saving work of her Son. In her, the Church admirers and exalts the most excellent fruit of redemption. The Church also joyfully contemplates, as in a faultless image that which she herself desires and hopes wholly to be. (Sacrosanctum Concilium 103)
Paragraph numbers are to the Church's Catechism
.
< H2> MARY - ESCHATOLOGICAL ICON OF THE CHURCH
972 After speaking of the Church, her origin, mission, and destiny, we can find no better way to conclude than by looking to Mary. In her we contemplate what the Church already is in her mystery on her own "pilgrimage of faith," and what she will be in the homeland at the end of her journey.
There, "in the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity," "in the communion of all the saints,"[516] the Church is awaited by the one she venerates as Mother of her Lord and as her own mother.
In the meantime the Mother of Jesus, in the glory which she possesses in body and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise she shines forth on earth until the day of the Lord shall come, a sign of certain hope and comfort to the pilgrim People of God.[517]
IN BRIEF
973 By pronouncing her "fiat" at the Annunciation and giving her consent to the Incarnation, Mary was al ready collaborating with the whole work her Son was to accomplish. She is mother wherever he is Savior and head of the Mystical Body.
974 The Most Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was completed, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of her Son's Resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all members of his Body.
975 "We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ" (Paul VI, CPG # 15).
Citations are to the Bible Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Catechims, Lumens Gentum
.
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Exegesis/ Catechetics: (Western sources, but they are not antithetical to derivative, African thought)Sections 484-507 (with cross references);829;773,973;965;963-72;2030;273;966,974;485,509,723,490,488-93;508,491-92;489,721,968-70; as mediator, not source of God=s grace,970;in restoration of supernatural life into souls,968;intercessor before God, 969,975; Mother of the church,963;Panagia, 493;personification of the Church, 507; Theotokos,495;Throne of Wisdom,721; obedience of faith 144,494,511;prayer of Mary; 2617-19;prepared by the Holy Spirit, 722; prophecy of Jesus= birth 484; sinless during her life,411; virginity 496-507,510,502-506; in the gospels 497-98;500;tradition of the Fathers, 496.
Now the only thing mandated by the Liturgical Christian Church traditions one MUST believe with respect to Myriam, Mary, Mara is in the two creeds. AHe (Jesus) was born of the Virgin Mary...
With respect to Jesus= mother, that=s it. Todo! Finiti! Nada mas!
Research:
For those with a extensive prayer life(exegetical sources):
THE BIBLE (anybody=s copy, depending on your tradition And for that all important checking doctrinal/dogma re: quotations. Neither Jesus, nor His mother have ever uttered anything contra scripture. Impossible. Can=t be done. It=s the Father=s book.
Also, an Amplified Bible(s)(with footnotes)
a good concordance and commentary(not the same).
A good Bible Dictionary
www.ChristusRex.org
www.Alapadre.net
Metaphysical Sources(Do not view if on Aspiritual milk@):
http://members.aol.com/bjw1106/marian.htm
http://www.medjugorje.org/
http://www.conyers.org/conyers.html
http://members.aol.com/bjw1106/marian1b.htm
http://web.frontier.net/Apparitions/Resources.html
(links to other apparitions, Betania, Guadalupe, etc).
http://www.nervline.com/therock/appar/emmits/frontier/emmitsbu.htm
Books:
16th Century ACity of God@ Ven Maria de Agreda (English translation available)
Thomas A. Nelson book publishers have an extensive listing.
17th Century (anything by the German Anne Catherine Emmerich, English translation available) AThe Life and Passion of Our Lord,@ etc
18th Century: Life of St. Joseph (Maria Cecilia Bay, OSB (English Translation from the German, 101 Foundation, NJ)
20th Century: APoem of the Man God@,5 Volumes, Maria Valtorta
Eastern Side(Byzantine): The Church of The Ancient Councils, St. Vladimirs Seminary Press.
Holy Qu=ran (there are a couples of Suras on her).
Other Aapproved@-- depending on your tradition-- apocryphal sources.
SPECIAL PRAYERS(Meditations)
Rosary of the Seven Sorrows: Mary's heart is pierced seven times.
1) The Prophesy
Joseph comforts Mary
.
The Prophesy of Simeon to Mary (Luke 2:2-35)
Our Father, 7 Hail Marys
2) The Flight
Joseph has a dream.
Mary's Flight into Khemet-Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15)
Our Father, 7 Hail Marys
3) The Loss
Joseph comforts Mary.
Mary Loses Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:43-51)
Our Father, 7 Hails Marys
4) The Meeting
Mary Meets Jesus Carrying the Cross (Luke 23:27)
Our Father, 7 Hail Marys
5) The Death
Mary at the Foot of the Cross (John 19:25-27)
Our Father, 7 Hail Marys
6) The Embrace
Mary Receives the Body of Jesus (John 19:38)
Our Father, 7 Hail Marys
7) The Burial
Mary Buries her Son Jesus (John 19:39-42)
Our Father, 7 Hail Marys
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PHARAOH AKHENATON AND AONE GOD@
Shortly before Vizier Joseph the Patriarch and of Khemet -Egypt came upon the world stage:
AThe New Kingdom witnessed the first attempt of monotheism. Amenhotep IV established Aten as the sole universal god of Khemet-Egypt. He thus eliminated all the traditional Eyptian pantheon deities. Not in fact unknown to the Khemet-Egyptians, this god originally represented the light and heat of the sun.
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Ancient Khemet--Egyptian Religion
AWith apologies to Khemetian brothers and sisters, if any facts are wrong.
Khemet-Egyptian faith practices guided all of Khemet life and civilization. Egyptian religious beliefs were based on the worship of many gods (polytheism). The ancients worshiped at least 2000 gods and goddesses. The entire kingdom worshiped chief deities like Amun. Other gods enjoyed regional worship. Their two chief gods were Amon-Ra and Osiris. Amon-Ra was believed to be the sun god and the lord of the universe. Osiris was the god of the underworld. Stories about him revolved around the idea of immortality. Osiris was the god that made a peaceful afterlife possible. The Egyptian "Book of the Dead" contains the major ideas and beliefs in the ancient Khemetian religion. Because their religion stressed an afterlife, Egyptians devoted much time and wealth to preparing for survival in the next world.
Artists portrayed gods and goddesses with part human and part animal features. The sky god, Horus= head was of a hawk. His body was shown as human. Khemetians thought as sacred, animals such as the bull, the cat, and the crocodile. Then, Pharaoh Akhenaton=s briefly stopped this.
Many tales explained world creation to the Egyptians. One legend sees its genesis in an ocean in darkness. Dry land rose. Re, the sun god appeared, creating light and all things.
The second version shows the sun God Aemerging from a sacred blue lotus@ growing from the mud. A third legend shows the deity appearing as a scarab beetle on the eastern horizon.
TEMPLES
Each jurisdiction erected a temple built for the god of that city. Temples were felt to be a god=s dwelling place. This Acosmic center@ structure was a sacred space where the faithful had communication with the gods. (Note: quite similar to our temples-bodies, being dwelling places of God, and the Holy SpiritBthe more things change, the more they remain).
Priestly duties included caring for and attending the needs of the gods. The holy men gained more and more political power. Priestly functions included Afuneral rites, teaching school, supervising artists and works, and counseling folks . Kings and the rich built tombs as a part of great temples. Each section had purpose.
Funerals and Death
Khemetians saw death as a transition. A person could only reach one=s fullness thereafter. The ancients knew the progression from this world=s hard life to a better life in the next. Three souls made up each individual, the "ka," the "ba," and the "akh." (Note: today we speak of the mentals, emotionals, the physical, or the soul body, and spirit). To properly work , Egyptians thought it essential for one=s body to survive. Rebirth after death drove their funeral practices. (Note: How ironic we blacks believe in Athe resurrection of the body, and life everlasting, amen@).
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Christianity and Africa Traditional Religion Comparisons
by Richard Chowning
Creator God
AAfrican theologians and missionaries continually dialogue as to whether the creator God of various African Traditional Religions is Jehovah God. Some bible translators have chosen to use the traditional name for creator God and others denominate Him as "Jehovah" or "God".
Most African traditional religions sees the Supreme Being as the creator of humans and all other living things. Viewed in different forms and dwelling places, this Supreme Being is the Almighty.
The Presence of Evil
God is often distant from humans because of some of their bad actions.
Humans are often the battle ground between evil and good forces in the world. Humans can also call upon evil forces to punish or persecute wrong doers or enemies. Special functionaries have the greatest input into the forces of evil, but all people can wield it to a lesser degree.
Unseen Realm
African Traditional Religions do not divide the world into the seen and the unseen realms. Existence is lived in wholeness of those two realities. The two planes interact with each other. Some personalities have lived in both realms more than once. People can move into the unseen realm during dreams, visions, or trances and at death.
Communication Between the Seen and Unseen
Functionaries communicate with God and the spirits on behalf of individuals and the community in most African Traditional Religions. This does not negate the ability of individuals to talk with the unseen. These functionaries train, are initiated, and in many cases, spring from a bloodline that has a special window into the unseen realm. Communication takes many forms, among them prayers, incantations, sacred objects, and incense.
Emphasis on Community
Family lays at the core of African society, and is emphasized. But African society is broader than that. It compasses friends, age mates, relatives: community. Each community member has a defined role to play. And responsibilities exists to each other. Any transgression brings about judgement from God or the spirits.
Covenant
God made covenants with humans on several occasions. The breaking of those covenants causes Creator God to be so distant from humans. This relationship-- called redemptive analogies
--somewhat parallels redemption.
Lostness
Most African Traditional Religions encompass the idea that the soul lives forever. Often it is born back into life after spending a period in the realm of the dead. For those who habitually trangress taboos, the faiths also provide for eternal lostness.
Areas In Which the Gospel Meets Spiritual Needs
Fear
Due to the unpredictability of the spirits and the ability of people to curse their enemies, many people in African Traditional Religion live in fear. The terror concerns death> Iit comes so often in Africa. Spirits are much more active and closer to humans when someone in the village or cities has died. In the modern world when many of the traditional ways of dealing with the spirits do not seem to work, fear in heightened.
"We have not been given the spirit of fear (timidity), but power, love and self-discipline." (2 Tim. 1:7)
"If God is for us, who can be against us..... in all things we are more than conquerors.... For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons..... will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:31-39)
Circular World view
Life in Africa proves often painful. Drought, floods, disease, and poverty often bring heartache and disappointment. All followers of African Traditional Religion have to look forward to is dying and going to the realm of the dead for a short while. For some ethnic groups, the realm of the dead is an evil place. Then, they will be reborn into the land of the living again. This circular world view breeds hopelessness.
"Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sun, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." (Heb. 9:27,28)
"Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world." (Matt. 25:34)
Limited Power
African Traditional Religionists remain aware of the power of the principalities and powers in the unseen realm. They only have limited power to protect themselves from the spirits and those who would wield the might of these spirits against them. They feel primarily powerless to change their lot in life. A
"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes..... so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground..... take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." (Eph. 6:10-20)
"I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength." (Phil. 4:13)
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Comparison with Akhenaton=s One God, ATON
This god=s name appeared frequently in texts, and used in expressions, the most common was [All that Aten encompasses] referring to the universe. Akhenaten's old/new doctrine lasted only shortly after his death. Return to the orthodox worship of Amon- Re took place under the influence of the the next father, Ay, who guided the steps of the small king Tutankhaten. During Tut's reign Amon-Re regained its supremacy that lasted till the end of the Egyptian empire.@
Jesus AI am the Way ,the Truth, and the Light(Life)@...Later the Essenes were looking for the Sons of Light...There appears to be a connection.
Below are a few examples of the African fathers of the church we=ll be covering.
Cyril of Alexandria
Frumentius
Anthanasius
Augustine
St. Monica
St.Antony
Desert Fathers
St. Pachomius (290-346),
to name a few (See site)
.
GO TO NEXT PAGE
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RESOURCES
For Liturgical Church members, attend daily Mass. If only you knew the protections the devotion affords. And YOU attain a promised higher place in Heaven for each celebrated Mass attended.
A lot can be gleaned from I believe www.Alapadre.net. The Solomon, David
connections/Sheba...Pharoah's daughter, straight out of the Bible. The King Manelik/Queen Malek, apocryphal, but there is a book the Ethiopian Coptics. Best to write the Coptic Church in Ethiopia (or see Cyber Ethiopia site below).
Also ask the about the Legend(in the cultural anthropologic sense, not myth) of the Ark of the Covenant in Axum. We are informed the American wNetwork, PBS, broadcast a documentary. They have a website.
Essenian Jews: view online, especially at sites of the Qumran/Dead Sea scrolls. They are the branch said to have hidden them. They also wrote about the "Son of Light". (also enter the "M" text, and "Q" text of the bible).
If you are Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, you might find the apocryphal writings, the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary, Gospel of Thomas, Protoevengelium of James interesting, as well as somewhat quasi-historical, for backgrounder purposes.
Since those books did not make the "cut" in the list of Canon, inspired books of the Bible, they must be viewed carefully. Test the Spirit, and discern.
If your faith branch is not of those, Catholic/Orthodox/Anglican/Episcopalian/Lutheran, then any good and extensive, commentary may provide some of the facts. Jesus as "Black", check the European "one drop" rule, established to keep us enslaved (any book on slavery will probably provide the info).
Pharaoh Akhenaton, also called, we believe Amenophis IV, BThe there is"One God" Pharoah, research him online. Jealous priests attempted to erase his name. References to that Pharaoh may be found in any large library. Look at the dates of his reign, then look when Patriarch Joseph was sold into Khemet-Egypt, which was later.
Compare when the "Habiru" tribe
actually came to Khemet-Egypt. Folks forget Egypt of that period is in Africa. Its power and influenced stretched far into what is modern day Burundi. There was no North Africa. Look up the dates of Moses ,said to be 120 years when he died.
In the Roman thinking, Africa was a province of Asia, we are informed and believe. But the Church listed it as part of the Oriental Church.
Jewish sites on line may give you good information, as to dates,you have to translate the actual date because they are in the 5000s in the numbering of their years, or your bible.
Moses in Africa, see Deuteronomy and Leviticus, Bible. Moses marrying Black, check Numbers His sister Myriam became jealous, and was stricken with leprosy. Ethiopian official and Philip, Acts 8, around vs. 26) God loves Ethiopia.
There is an Ethiopian, Coptic site online. See below. For the purely metaphysical online, view keyword, Zeitun, Egypt, just outside Old Cairo. It is where Joseph, Mary, and Jesus lived.
Of course we didn't even mention the Black who carried Jesus' cross, Simon the Cyrenaican. Cyrenaica or Cyrene (near Kadafi's place, todayBLibya--, is the old stomping grounds of the great African General, Hannibal, and Carthage. Of course the Romans had to wipe it out, so the tradition is somewhat "wiped".
We found out there were (four black African popes--Roman tradition-- some say three),more in the Coptic (as now). and more Bishops in Africa in the Early Church than in the rest of the world combined, until the Vandal invasions of 400s. Then everything (for us)started to go down hill. So I smile at origins that began in Europe, respect, but smile. Lastly, look up St. Jude (Jesus' cousin).
There is a wonderful story Our Lord was invited back to Africa the King of Axum. Jesus had an appointment on Golgotha, but promised to send someone. He sent his cousin, St. Jude Thaddeus. there's that connection with Ethiopia again.(believe" Poem" vol 4,5 (dealing with the Crucifixion)touches on it, as well as comprehensive stories on the Apostle,Jude)
(not as good b/c somewhat Eurocentric, but you'll get the idea: http.members.Xoom.com/redingtn/eth.html (note: redingtn might be red.ngtn/
This will start you on Christianity always being in Africa, Jesus' visit there, and so on.
Peace of Christ be with you.
correction: that middle site seems to be www.ancientsites.com/~Torrey_Phile/sheba
The Spirit and the lord moves in mysterious ways. Maybe He wanted that information out.
While we cannot find the scholarly URL which we had, the below will give your spouse and child insight (though not as good):
www.envirolink.org/oneworld/focus/etiopia/ark.html (About the Ark of the Covenant, Sheba who in these sites is called Queen Makeda (who can also be researched on netfind.
....This writer believes the problems (and several wars) germinate from which "Scriptures", which translation, whose language--Greek? which one? Latin? which one? Hebrew text, English? Which one?
Coptic (Yes, the African has a translation--Remember, Philip told the Holy Spirit to catch a certain carriage transporting the Assinian (Ethiopian) official of Queen Candace. He was reading, Isaiah), but which o ne?.
Even the Khemet-Egypt)ians have an ancient translation.(Remember, our tradition of this writer, an all Orthodoxy-Russian, Armenian, Greek, Syrio-(Khemet-(Khemet-Egypt))o contain a few extra books: the Wisdom book of Sirach, among them.
Kings(some, 1-4 Kings) (and how many readers have actually heard of 1 and 2 Paralipomenon) may not be divided exactly as is, for exple, the English, King James Bible is.(The Finnish and German translations may differ) Our Psalms may be(depending on the year) numbered ,one offset from others.
And our (all Christianity) commandments differ in form and manner from that of the Torah. This is the reason for the problem of quotes. Can't we all just get along?
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..... We have gleaned some misconceptions about the African derivative, Catholic Christian doctrines in of our rite (way of worship). Many folks erroneously ascribe beliefs to our branch of the Mystical Body of Christ, we just don't have.
ON THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH CATHOLIC
or Just what Does Catholic mean
The universal faith tradition (which is what "catholic" means)--Coptic, Ethiopian
coptic, Syrio-Aegypto, Khemet-Egypt)ian, Melkite,Maronite, Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox,
Ukrainian Orthodox, Orthodox, Anglican Catholic, Chinese Catholic, Old Catholic--(and
to some extent,offshoots caused by European King Henry VIII-Anglican, and the American
cousin, Episcopalian, and the German branch started by the Augustinian priest called Fr.
Martin Luther--ARE ALL CHRISTIANS, AND PART OF THE CHURCH CHRIST began at the Last
Supper....
An example-the Indian Church.
GRAMMATA ON THE MAR THOMA ORTHODOX CHURCH
(From their site)
AThe last few years have brought to the forefront a certain number of organizations bearing the name ASt. Thomas@. The principal reason for this was the discovery of ancient Christianity in India and how St. Thomas Christians came to in America by
the end of the last century through H. H. Mar Timotheos I.
It has convinced many persons in our culture that Mar Thoma is more than a peculiar ancient branch of the Church of mere oriental interest. On the contrary, the Mar Thoma Orthodox Church now stands revealed as a fascinating and creative early element of Orthodox Christianity that possesses many features of contemporary relevance.
To those of us who are committed to the Mar Thoma tradition, the modern excitement and claim of St.Thomas Christianity have brought both satisfaction and concern. Recognize there are a number of historic Churches in India - not even using the
term AMar Thoma@ in their name - with branches abroad that are equally St. Thomas Christians.
It must be emphasized that The Mar Thoma Orthodox Church Outside of India is
neither part of the Anglican Communion (such as the protestant AMar Thoma Church@), nor is or was it ever Amonophysite@, nor are we part of "SCOBA" or ever intended to be.
For example, The Mar Thoma Orthodox Church exists for the purpose of upholding the St. Thomas tradition and to administer the holy sacraments to those of God=s people who are attracted to the altars of this more ancient Orthodox tradition. An active ministry of parish work is thus an essential feature of this church. Our churches offer regularly scheduled church services and catechetical instruction in order to serve the spiritual needs of the faithful and community at large.
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We follow just 12 Articles (the apocryphal story being, each Apostle added one): We believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Article 2.And In Jesus Christ, His only son, Our Lord. Article 3.He was conceived the power of the Holy Spirit, and was born of the Virgin Mary. Article 5, He descended into hell ("death"), the third day he rose again.
Article 6. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 7.From thence He will come again to judge the living and the dead.8.We believe in the Holy Spirit.9.We believe in the Holy, Catholic Church("catholic" means universal).10. We believe in the forgiveness of sins.
11. We believe in the resurrection of the body. 12. We believe in life everlasting. That's the dogma...that's it...all she wrote... all we are MANDATED to believe.
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I believe
Jewish sites on line may give you good information, as to dates,you have to translate the actual date because they are in the 5000s in the numbering of their years, or your bible.
There's a great book (18th century) on St.Joseph (Jesus' foster dad)if you are Catholic, Lutheran, or Anglican/Episcopalian which would help
meditation to discover the "facts".
The Life of St. Joseph, 101 Foundation 908.689.8792. (If you are not of those disciplines, wouldn't recommend it). Traditions: Jesus in Africa, i f you really want a mental-prayer-meditation workout (you have to keep your bible and Catechisms handy to discern the Spirit):
p>
The five volume, metaphysical set, Poem of the Man-God, translations Editions Paulines
Sherbrooke, Canada 819.569.5535 can be found in larger Catholic bookstores; and the four volume, (metaphysical set) Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations (Four Volumes : Anna Emmerich,translation from the German, Tan Books and Publishers Rockford Illinois) if not of those faith disciplines, would not recommend the previous two. Stuff on Moses in Africa, Deuteronomy and Leviticus, Bible.
Moses marrying Black, check Numbers (his sister Myri bece jealous, I believe, and was stricken with leprosy). Ethiopian official and Philip, Acts 8, around vs. 26) God loves Ethiopia. There is an Ethiopian, Coptic site online, but don't know the URL. If find it, will supply.
(If you really want your mind blown,and you have interest, punch up online Zeitun, Khemet-Egypt, just outside old Cairo, where Joseph, Mary, and Jesus lived. You'll know it when you see it). Of course we didn't even mention the Black who carried Jesus' cross, Si the Cyrenaican.
Cyrenaica or Cyrene near Kadafi's place, today, is the old stomping grounds of the great African General, Hannibal, and Carthage. Of course the Romans had to wipe it out, so the tradition is somewhat "wiped".
We discovered this stuff, when we tired of Eurocentricism in the Church(had some bad experiences with my own church--but then found the Europeans even attacked Catholic zantine Churches in Palestine, during the Crusades,and looted them), so the internecine squabble was European based.
We found out there were (four black African popes--Roman tradition-- some say three),more in the Coptic (as now). and more Bishops in Africa in the Early Church than in the rest of the world combined, until the Vandal invasions of 400s. Then everything (for us)started to go down hill.
So I smile at origins that began in Europe, respect, but smile. Lastly, look up St. Jude (Jesus' cousin).
A perception, check out the variations of "Hamitic" and "Semitic" as a sub culture.(As an aside, you'll find why blacks can't be, in my opinion, anti-semitic--we are semitic derivative, or they are hamitic
derivative).
Further, we were using the European "one drop rule", recently officially abrogated, and which was used for so long to keep us subjugated, to wit, "One drop of black blood, makes you black". (In community organizing, it's called 'hitting them over the head with their own rulebook').
As a matter of history, check all old Roman maps (you can even go so recently as Turkish/Arabic maps of the 13th, 14th century, You will not find the word "North", in any cartography of the African region. This is a European "invention", again, we believe, to explain away all the good pyrid and cultural stuff-- to subjugate us.
Lastly, it is our understanding, the principal Arab influx ce with the armies of the Prophet, and spread of Isl, 7th, and 8th century on. BUUUUTTTTT, to use an old slavers trick...(get out your old National Geographics), if you were to look at the skin color, the "roots of the hair" (an old
Southern method), and the arreolas of the womenfolk, you could probably come to a conclusion that they, too, are BLACK BLACK BLACK.
(Indeed, they used to be called, and still are in certain areas, 'sand ni........". Our children need to know our immense cultural contributions in the world.
If you really wish to know about blacks, without racking your brains. Try to research the CONTINENT OF GWONDANALAND (before the last major tectonic plate rift).
You will find the reason why the blacks in INDIA, Australia--New Zealand, New Guinea, Borneo, all the "Nesias" Micronesia, Polynesia, Marshalls, Solomonmons, Fiji--why we all look similar(notwithstanding their diffusion boat). Those areas were once connected with Africa. Even today, if you look at South erica, and Africa, you'll see a puzzle type "fit".
Roman Catholic from the African TRADITION. But TEST EVERYTHING, discern. And we wish it was our knowledge, but alas, not. Most is stuff we learned in Catechism, purported sayings of Jesus in apocryphal sources, or from the Saints(to people not of our tradition, "saint" means "friend of God) like St. Augustine, black African Bishop of the 3d or 4th century.
Much of it is from the Ethiopian Coptic treasury of faith. So it's not I "but the Christ"... As indicated before, being born in the South, constantly heard,(50s &60s)"you blacks ain't blah, blah, blah.." So a lot of it had to be looked up. Have a blessed evening!
Backgrounder for the African theologians
Tertullian and Origen on the Trinity:
This power and disposition of the Divine Intelligence is set forth also in the Scripture under the ne of sofia, Wisdom; for what can be better entitled to the ne of Wisdom than the Reason or the Word of God? Listen therefore to Wisdom herself, constituted in the character of the Second Person (Tertullian, Against Praxeas 6).
Tertullian goes on to quote Proverbs 8, the most frequently cited text in which wisdom is personified as a separate person from the Creator:
The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.
Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth; before he had made earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.
When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master workman; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always (Proverbs 8:22-).
Although the Arians seized upon the word "created" in verse 22 as evidence that the Logos was a creature, and hence had a beginning, orthodox exegesis of the passage took "created" to mean begotten from eternity).
The Son ce from the Father but was preexistent, as the remaining verses show stressing the existence of wisdom before anything that was created. Justin interpreted this passage to mean that the one begotten was "another in number" than the one who begets, and Tertullian asserted this distinction between the Logos and the Father based on the se passage.
Origen used this scripture to argue against Sabellianism, in which the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not distinct persons but merely different modes of God.5 Behind all the christological polemics centering on this little verse was the shared assumption that the figure of wisdom in the wisdom books was, in fact, the Logos.
.... Tertullian reasons that since all judgment has been given to the Son (John 5:22), "all" necessarily means without regard for time. Judgment in the Old Testament therefore was also the work of the Son:
It is the Son, therefore, who has been from the beginning administering judgment, throwing down the haughty tower, and dividing the tongues, punishing the whole world the violence of waters, raining upon Sodom and Gomorrah fire and brimstone, as the Lord from the Lord.
For He it was at all times who ce down to hold converse with men, from Ad on to the patriarchs and the prophets, in vision, in dre, in mirror, in dark saying (Against Praxeas 16).
Tertullian calls these manifestations "rehearsals" for the coming of Jesus. It is not that God needed to rehearse how to communicate with man. Rather, mankind needed to be prepared for the Incarnation, "that we might the more readily believe that the Son of God had come down into the world, if we knew that in times past also something similar had been done" (Against Praxeas 16).
Tertullian mentions God speaking with Ad in the garden, God instructing Noah to build the ark, and the fourth man in the fiery furnace as other instances of the Second Person manifesting Himself.
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ETHIOPIA ETHIOPIA ETHIOPIA ETHIOPIA ETHIOPIA ETHIOPIA ETHIOPIA ETHIOPIA
This is a little broad, but here are some basics. FROM A COPTIC PRIEST ON ONE OF THEIR SITES
AXUM: Ethiopian culture is descended from that of an ancient empire called Axum, which had ties to Nubia (CUSH, IN THE BiBLE (Sudan), Khemet-Egypt, and Yemen/South Arabia. According to Ethiopian tradition, Axum was Sheba, and the Queen of Sheba introduced Judaism to the country around 1000 BC.
Secular scholars agree Axum became largely Jewish, although they say it happened later under Yemeni influence. (This writer's note: If you've ever seen a Yemeni, they're black,too. Also MOSHE/MUSA/MOSES MARRIED A CUSHITE WIFE. WHY MYRIAM WAS STRICKEN AGAINST LEPROSY TALKING AGAINST HER. See Numbers,somewhere around .11)
THE ARK: Ethiopians believe that that the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Ethiopia by Menelik Ben-Solomon, along with numerous Israelite settlers who intermarried with the local population. The Ark is still in East Africa today, at the Cathedral of the Theotokos "Mary of Zion" in Axum City. Some people connect this with the Jewish Temple known to have existed in Elephantine, Khemet-Egypt.
FALASHAS: Judaism persists in Ethiopia to this day as a minority religion. "Falasic" Judaism differs from rabbinical but is close to that of the Old Testament, because the presence of the Ark in Jewish hands enabled Temple worship to continue.
Monasticism is also practiced, a Jewish custom mentioned by Philo. Recently most Falashas migrated to Israel, where however they have been shockingly forced to undergo "conversion" to (rabbinical) Judaism!
THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH: Ethiopian tradition claims that a representative of the people went to Jerusalem three times a year to fulfill Exodus 23:17. The Eunuch of Acts converted by St. Stephen was such a representative. Stress is placed on the fact that he is not called a gentile.
EARLIEST AXUMITE CHURCH: The Eunuch converted (the) Kandake, Queen of Axum, and her court. (Secular scholars think the Kandake was ruler of Nubia; perhaps she was both). St. Matthew also preached in Ethiopia,
although the meaning of the word "Ethiopia" is not automatically the same in ancient and modern sources.
ABBA SALAMA: Frumentius, a Phoenician traveler shipwrecked in Eritrea, is the "St. Patrick" of Ethiopia who consolidated and extended the Church and was first bishop. He is called Abba Salama, the father of peace. This was in the reign of King Ezana, 320-356.
CHALCEDON: The Council of Chalcedon in 451, which proclaimed that Christ has two natures, was considered Nestorian (heretical) by the Khemet-Egypt)ian Coptic Church on which the Ethiopian Church depended. Since
that time, a schism has existed between Chalcedonian and Cyrillian (so-called "Monophysite") Orthodoxy.
TEWAHEDO: The Ethiopian Church teaches that Christ is fully God and fully man, and thus has one "nature". (Perhaps this is not what the Fathers of Chalcedon meant by nature).
The concept of "oneness" or tewahedo is very important in Ethiopian philosophy, which stresses the interconnectedness and interpenetration of all things. My under- standing, however, is too limited for me to expand on this point or its relation to Christology.
ELLATZBAN: Despite Chalcedon, relations between Axum and Byzantium remained good. The Emperor Justinian requested the help of King Ellatzban Caleb of Axum in ending the persecution of Arabian Christians; Ellatzban is a saint revered by Greeks and by Roman Catholics in spite of being non-Chalcedonian.
He ended his days as a hermit. It is said that coffee was introduced to the outside world by his soldiers.
THE LITURGY was developed at this time, when angels revealed the appropriate melodies to St. Yared. The Liturgy is celebrated in Geez, the Axumite language, which has the same role in African history as Latin in Western European.
It is based on the Khemet-Egypt)ian Coptic service, but shows Jewish influence; a copy of the Ark must be present at every liturgy.
This will get you started. But don't let the 48 A.D. date below get you, the African church goes back further even before that.[Jesus grew up in Africa, until about 6 or 7...folks really forget where Kemet--(Khemet-(Khemet-Egypt))] is start here: http://pharos.bu.edu/cn/exhibits/Articles.html
http://www.coptic.crafti.com.au
SECTION I PREFACE
Ethiopia remains the first African nation to appreciate and worship the One True God of Old Testament and adopted the Judaic element (1,000 B.C.). Worship of one God as an idea there reportedly existed even earlier. Confined to a limited number of families it later disappeared when a segment of the population strayed to all forms of worship.
QUEEN MAKEDA AND KING SOLOMON
Known as the Queen of Sheba, Queen Makeda officially announced and established The worship of the true God on her return from her historic visit to King Solomon at Jerusalem. Purportedly, The powerful Queen reigned over parts of southern Arabia in Sabaea (Sheba). Hence, she was titled, Queen of Axum and Sheba.
Her long and strenuous journey to Palestine in Search of righteousness, was a symbol of great faith, and so our Lord Jesus Christ, over a thousand years later, spoke of her to the continuing generations, that she "shall rise up in the judgement with this generation and shall condemn it: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here" (Matt. 12:42).
The Queen was then converted to the worship of the true God. Her conversion was the light she found in King Solomon's wisdom - the light who is God and therefore, greater than Solomon.
The worship of the true God was officially announced and established by Queen Makeda on her return from her historic visit to King Solomon at Jerusalem. This powerful Queen had managed to reign over parts of southern Arabia in Sabaea (Sheba), and because of this was titled, Queen of Axum and Sheba.
Her long and strenuous journey to Palestine in Search of righteousness, was a symbol of great faith, and so our Lord Jesus Christ, over a thousand years later, spoke of her to the continuing generations, that she "shall rise up in the judgement with this generation and shall condemn it: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here" (Matt. 12:42).
The Queen was then converted to the worship of the true God. Her conversion was the light she found in King Solomon's wisdom - the light who is God and therefore, greater than Solomon.
Makeda stayed in Jerusalem for six months during which time her union with Solomon produced King Minelik I, who was born while she journeyed back to Ethiopia. She condemned other types of worship and introduced to her people the true light.
About Makeda and her work, a wealth of information is to be found in the book of Kebre Negest (The Glory of Kings) from which most of this section is cited.
The Kebre Negest, States that when Menelik grew up he visited his father in Jerusalem; and came back home accompanied by Azarias, the son of Zadok the high priest and many other Israelites carrying with them the Ark of the Covenant, and placed it in the St. Mary of Zion Church in Axum, which is the birthplace of the Ethiopian civilization.
The Ethiopian Falasha in northern Ethiopia who practice after the Judaism formula to this day, are to be descendants of those who accompanied Menelik. From this point of view Judaism and paganism were in effect in Ethiopia. The later was short-lived while the former became a channel for direction and introduction towards Christianity.
CENTER>History of the Coptic Orthodox Church
By
Father Marcos Marcos
Name and Origin(Kemetian/(Khemet-(Khemet-Egypt))ian Connection):
Copts are the original Khemet-Egypt)ians, and the word "Copt" itself is derived from the Greek word "Aegyptus" which means Khemet-Egypt. The Copts are the descendants of the ancient Khemet-Egypt)ians. They are considered one of the most anthropologically pure races in the world.
Christianity In Ethiopia
(The Ethiopian Eunuch)
Abyssinia/EthiopiaBalso known as ancient Cush/Nubia, as a country early embraced Christianity. It maintained the doctrine of Christ from the era of the Apostles to the present day. See narration of (Acts 8:26-39).
Ethiopian Church history records that St. Matthew the Apostle preached the Gospel to the Ethiopians and won a few converts to the new doctrine and left the country. Another Apostle shortly after Pentecost, of St. Phillip baptizes the Eunuch who was Areading Isaiah@. A man of high rank, this Eunuch proved to be the finance minister of Candace, Queen of Ethiopia.
Eusebius speaks of him as the first fruits of the faithful in the whole world. Irenius writes that preached the Gospel of the Ethiopians. Other evidence is that during the time that the Eunuch preached Christianity, Ethiopian women wore crosses upon their heads signifying the recognition of the Crucifixion of Christ. Besides St. John Chnysostom witnessed that among those who were present at Pentecost (the birth of the Universal Church) were Ethiopians.
The Coptic Era
When people think of Khemet-Egypt, they usually think of ancient Khemet-Egypt with its pyramids. Then they jump over to the Islamic period represented by the forest of minarets, which a person sees in Cairo today. However, in between these two extremes, there is a modest bridge. This bridge does not pass over a valley of darkness where the Copts resided in complete isolation. On the contrary, this era is considered one of the luminous periods in the national and ecclesiastical history of Khemet-Egypt.
Strictly speaking, the purely Coptic Christian period extends for about six centuries at the dawn of the Christian era. In Khemet-Egypt)ian history, this is a tiny fraction but not at all insignificant. From the cultural standpoint, that short span was epoch-making in the development of Khemet-Egypt)ian ideas and ideals. Indeed it stands for what is rightly called "Coptic Civilization".
COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH
St. Mark, the founder, and a disciple of African origin and the writer of the earliest Gospel, came to Khemet-Egypt ushering in the dawn of Christian faith. The year of his arrival in the famous Capital of Khemet-Egypt, Alexandria, cannot be established with certainty. Some sources put his entry in Khemet-Egypt as early as 48 AD. Others put it in 55, 58 and even as late as 61 AD However, the consensus of opinion puts the date of his martyrdom in Alexandria in 68 AD.
In that short period St. Mark was able to win many converts and to found the Church in Khemet-Egypt. Since that time, Christianity spread like fire throughout the country. The main reason for this was the fact that the Khemet-Egypt)ian has always been religiously minded. The ancient Khemet-Egypt)ian searching mind was always exploring the domain of religion, and ultimately arrived at certain tenets and beliefs, which were later identified with the theory and sublime teachings of the Christian religion.
Church Identity Through Persecution:
The Khemet-Egypt)ians or the Copts accepted Christianity so very rapidly to the extent that the Romans had to exercise a series of persecutions in an attempt to suppress the growth of a religion, which openly defied the divinity of the Emperor. The edict of 202 AD decreed that Christian conversion should be stopped at all costs. The edict of 250 AD decreed that every citizen should carry at all times a certificate issued by the local authorities testifying that he had offered sacrifice to the gods.
Those who refused to conform were tortured with unprecedented ferocity. Some were beheaded, others were thrown to the lions and others were burnt alive. All were subjected to even innovated veracious torture regardless of age or sex. The Catechetical School of Alexandria was closed by order of the authorities, though its members continued to meet in other secret places. At one time, the number of bishops was restricted by the State to three.
The consummation of the age of persecution is considered by the Copts to be during the reign of Emperor Diocletian (284-305). So severe was the mass execution and the savage torture of the Copts that they took the day of Diocletian's military election as Emperor to mark the beginning of the era of the Coptic martyrs. That very day marked the start of the Coptic Calendar known in the Western world as Anno Martyrum (A.M.) or the year of the Martyrs.
It was in the midst of this ruthless execution and torture that Khemet-Egypt)'s Church flourished beyond recognition until it assumed its definitive form in the course of the second century. In other words, the third century saw the Coptic Church with a great hierarchy ranging from the Patriarch in Alexandria down to the modest priest and the monks who lived out in the Eastern and Western Deserts.
The rise of this great hierarchy conterminously with the Roman persecution resulted in the identification of the Coptic people with their own Church in Alexandria. This tradition persisted and even became more prominent when, in a subsequent age and for other reasons, the Byzantines resuscitated Coptic persecution.
The Coptic Church in History
All through history and particularly during the Coptic Era, the Coptic Church played quite a significant role in shaping and defining Christian drought and doctrines. The contribution of the Coptic Church to world Christianity can be briefly summarized in the following four movements:
(1) Theological Scholarship and the Catechetical School:
Before Christianity, Alexandria was famous for having the largest library and museum in the world. That compound was actually the headquarters of the well-known School of Alexandria. It housed millions of scrolls of papyrus, which were said to have held all the knowledge of ancient scholarship. It was established by Ptolemy Soter in 323 BC.
In that school, seventy legendary scholars from the Jewish community translated the Old Testament from Hebrew to Greek in 270 BC. It was a monumental work that stood the test of time and is known as the "Septuagint." Those scholars also established the order in which the books of the O.T., including the "Apocrypha", are arranged.
The school started as a predominantly scientific and literary institution. It then developed into a philosophical and theological university. The Catechetical School of Alexandria came in direct succession to it. This was the earliest important institution for theological education in Christian antiquity. Its deans, teachers, and graduates were responsible for what could be called the philosophisation of Christian creed and for the most monumental works of exegesis. They defined Christianity in its final form for all generations to come.
The first known dean of the school was Pantaenus (died 190 AD), followed by Clement of Alexandria who made a real effort to successfully convert educated Greeks to Christianity. Next came Origen (about 215 AD) who was a biblical scholar and philosopher. He wrote lengthy commentaries on almost every book in the Old and New Testaments. His homilies are known to be the most ancient example of Christian preaching.
Origen was succeeded by Dionysius of Alexandria (The Great) who later became the Patriarch of the Church (246-264 AD). Another distinguished dean of the School was Didymus the Blind. He lost his sight when he was four years old. However, this handicap did not deter him from acquiring the vision of the mind and the soul. He mastered grammar, rhetoric, poetry, philosophy, mathematics and music.
He knew by heart both the Old and the New Testaments. Among his pupils were St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. Jerome, Palladius and Rufinus the historian. In his care for educating the blind, he became the first one in history to devise a system of engraved writing. By the fourth century, Coptic Alexandria had indeed become the seat of Christian Learning for the whole world.
(2) The Ecumenical Movement:
Early in the fourth century, and amid the fierce storm of persecution of the Copts by Diocletian, the Coptic Church was subjected to another storm rising from within. This storm was more dangerous to the Church than the first. It was the Arian heresy. The Coptic Patriarchs ex-communicated Arius successively stripping him from his priestly office. However, he continued preaching his heresy and, through his eloquence, he won many converts including two Libyan bishops and the Nicomedian bishop Eusebius.
The Arian heresy spread throughout all Khemet-Egypt, Libya, Palestine and Asia Minor, and reached the ears of Constantine. The quarrel between the old patriarch and Arius was blazing furiously to the extent that there was bloodshed in the streets of Alexandria and Nicomedia.
The Emperor summoned all of the bishops (about 1800) to meet in Nicea, Asia Minor to discuss the dispute and settle it once- and-for-all. It was the first Ecclesiastical Council with imperial authority and sanction. Because the heresy had not yet reached Europe, only six bishops represented the Western Church.
The rest of the 318 bishops came from the East including the Metropolitan of India, which was outside the Empire. It was difficult to overlook the signs of disfigurement and mutilation in many of these bishops who had been victims of the persecution of Diocletian, the predecessor of Constantine. The bishops of the Council represented all the varying traditions of Christianity
The first order of business was to reach a verdict in the conflict between Abba Alexandros and Arius. Therefore Arius was called to present the nature of his beliefs. Having set them into chants and music, he unexpectedly started chanting accompanied by music and Alexandrian dance bands. Athanasius in turn, who was chosen by the Coptic Patriarch to reply, presented a close-knit argument, and in great eloquence stated step by step all the follies that result from the Arian folkloric lyric: "There was a time when the Son was not." Athanasius' argument swayed the Council members to the Orthodox position including the Emperor who commended him for the way he marshaled all his forces to present the Apostolic faith and to refute Arius' argument.
After that heated debate a creed was called for. It was Athanasius again who formulated the text of the creed, which was accepted unanimously by the Council.
The Council of Nicea (325 AD) was the beginning of an era in the history of the Church that could be defined as the age of the Ecumenical Councils. As mentioned earlier, those Councils set the basis of the Christian Creed. In all of them, the role of the Copts was supreme and their theological and philosophical contribution to Christian doctrine and dogma was unsurpassed. The Ecumenical Movement ended with the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD).
(3) The Monastic Movement:
This particular movement is going to be dealt with in some detail as the general populace has very little knowledge of the roots of monasticism. Besides, there are some misconceptions about it in this day and age, especially in the Western world. Khemet-Egypt is known to be the Motherland of Christian Monasticism. As Professor Atiya calls it "It is truly the gift of Khemet-Egypt to Christendom." Monasticism sprang into existence in Khemet-Egypt as early as the second half of the third century. In a few decades, it spread over the whole Christian world. The characteristics which shaped Coptic monasticism are:
a) The urge to pray without ceasing,
b) The hunger to meditate on the word of God, and
c) The disciplining of one's self by fasting, vigils, celibacy, the subduing of fleshly desires, willful poverty and the renunciation of worldly concerns.
Most historians consider St. Antony (251-356) to be the first to renounce the world and retire to the eastern desert of Khemet-Egypt. It is true that, as a movement, monasticism was started by St. Antony. However, long before that, organized flights to the deserts of Khemet-Egypt took place.
Just as an example, "Acta Sanctorum" tells us that in the second century, a wealthy Alexandrian Christian called Frantonius decided to reject the world. He was able to persuade seventy others to accompany him. They all went to the Nytria desert and there they led a life of prayer and contemplation.
The main motive behind Coptic monasticism could be summarized in one word "LOVE". When a person loves God with all his heart, he wants to be alone with him all the time. He would not concern himself with anything or anyone but Him (I Corinthians 7:32 - 35), In his love, he sacrifices all to enjoy his oneness with God, to attain the purity of heart and thus to reach perfection in God.
For some others, there might have been another motive, namely to suffer with Christ and for His sake. St. Paul taught: "for to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also suffer for His sake." (Phil. 1:29). As he retires to the desert, the monk seems to be saying: "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." (Phil. 3:10).
Before the conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity, Christians were fought against, severely tortured and mass martyred for their faith. Now, after the issuing of the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, the Christians took on the fight themselves. The monks, torturing their bodies in the burning heat of the desert, and practicing severe ascetic disciplines, became the successors of the martyrs. One can almost hear them saying: "For your sake, we are killed all day long." (Rom. 8:56). In this regard, St. John Chrysostom says that the "martyr is tortured for few days to win the crown of martyrdom, but the monk suffers severely from his self-inflicted ascetic torture all his life."
The Development of Coptic Monasticism
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There are three stages in the development of Coptic monasticism:
a) Antonian Monasticism: This is the first stage whereby a pious Christian lives in seclusion, a life of asceticism and austerity, disciplining the body to elevate the soul.
There must have lived many hermits in the deserts of Khemet-Egypt before St. Antony. However, the one that is well known is St. Paul of Thebes (Lurer) who entered the desert in about 218 AD.
In a miraculous way, God fed him by means of a raven which brought him half a loaf of bread daily. St. Paul the hermit died a natural death at the age of 113 shortly after St. Antony met with him. This is a well-known story in monastic history. Nevertheless, the most defined monasticism is that of St. Antony whose biography St. Athanasius wrote himself.
While still a young man of 19 years of age, Antony took to heart the words of our Lord to the rich young man: "If you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor and come follow Me." (Matthew 19:21). He sold all his inheritance giving some to his sister and the rest to the poor. He then went to the eastern desert to attain perfection through a life of asceticism in complete seclusion.
He kept pushing further and further into the desert with greater austerity and longer fasting. According to St. Athanasius, Antony's combat with demons grew more spectacular. All through his life in the desert, he descended to the Nile Valley only twice. The first time was in 311 AD. It was enough for him to appear with his long beard and illuminated face among the tortured Christians during the time of Maximinus' persecution to strengthen their faith and vanquish their fear.
The second time was in 338 AD, to fight the remnants of the Arian heresy. St. Antony's fame spread far and wide. This brought him many disciples who sought his spiritual guidance, and it led to the second stage of development of the monastic life.
b) Collective Hermitism or Semi-Anchoritism: St. Antony's disciples continued to lead solitary lives in the neighborhood of his cave. As their number grew larger, there was a great necessity to have many settlements of anchorites in that area of the desert. Each settlement congregated around one of those great and rare holy masters for reasons of security both spiritual and physical. These settlements multiplied not only to cover a large area in the eastern desert toward the Red Sea, but they also spread westward and southward. However, the largest of them was the one around the cave of St. Antony who had attained the summits of personal holiness.
In this development, the solitary and communal lives balanced one another. During the week, each monk lived alone in his cave or cell. On Saturdays and Sundays, they all congregated in the church for common prayers, vespers, Eucharistic liturgy, agape and lessons in spiritual life. This type of monasticism allowed for personal prayers, meditations and exercises in austerity, as well as corporate prayers and worship.
c) Pachomian Koinonia or Cenobitism: The third stage of development was not a natural evolvement from the second. While the second stage was progressing, and the number of settlements was being multiplied, a new chapter in the history of monasticism was being written by St. Pachomius (290-346). His life story is a most fascinating one.
He was born a pagan and as a young man, he served in the army of Constantine. During his combats, he was deeply touched by the communities of Christians. They, in dedication and love, served the soldiers, washed their feet and gave them food in spite of the harshness with which they were treated by them. The goodness of those Christians won Pachomius to Christianity.
He himself became an anchorite, a disciple of the famous hermit Palamon. This abbot trained Pachomius vigorously in the art of self-inflicted torture of the body to attain the purity of heart. The combination of his training in army discipline and in spiritual austerity, coupled with his belief that the aim of a monk is continual prayer, were the factors which collectively led him to inaugurate the third and last stage in the development of Coptic monasticism, namely, the Pachomian Cenobitism.
By the time St. Pachomius died (346 AD), a large number of monasteries had been established accommodating communities of monks spreading to all other monastic centers and following the Pachomian rule. Hardy the historian estimates conservatively the number of monks in the Khemet-Egypt)ian deserts at the end of the fourth century to be between 100,000 and 200,000 out of a population not exceeding 7.5 million inhabitants. The rule of St. Pachomius is indeed a landmark in the history of Christian monasticism. Professor Atiya, a distinguished historian writes in his book "History of Eastern Christianity" :
"The general trend of the Pachomian system showed the soldier and the holy man combined in one person. Every detail of the monk's activity by day or night was prescribed by the legislator: the brother's dress, his food, the hours and manner of his sleep, his travels, his hours of worship and a penal code to be rigorously enforced against the defaulters. Yet Pachomius was no inhuman giant who imposed a merciless regime on his followers. A monk must curb the body, but it was unnecessary for him to destroy it in pursuit of heaven."
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Coptic monasticism became known all over the world mainly because of the biography that St. Athanasius wrote about St. Antony. As a result, pious men from many parts of the world flocked to these cenobite monasteries to sit at the feet of those great spiritual giants and learn from them the art of monasticism. Among those were Greeks, Romans, Cappadocians, Libyans, Nubians, Ethiopians and many others. Each nationality was designated a special quarter in each monastery with a fellow citizen as an abbot guide.
There were no barriers based on race, culture, color or language. The vastness of the Khemet-Egypt)ian desert became but one school of Coptic spirituality and mysticism for the entire world. Some of the greatest personalities of that era were attracted to the Khemet-Egypt)ian deserts to see these terrestrial saints and to follow in their footsteps. Among these were
St. John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople, Sts. Jerome and Rufinus the Italians, the Cappadocian father St. Basil the Great who introduced monasticism into Byzantia, St. John Cassian who carried Coptic Monasticism in France, and many others.
Someone said that monasticism for the Church is like the foundation for the building.
The deeper and stronger the foundation is, the more the building can rise high and solid. Ecclesiastical history attests to this reality when it tells us that at times of monastic strength in Khemet-Egypt, the Church was strong. Through their continual prayers, devotions and mediations, the monks make of their monasteries the powerhouse of the Church. It is a fact that the Coptic Church has suffered a great deal throughout its long history at the hands of Greeks, Romans, Muslims and western missionaries, but through God's grace, the strength of Coptic monasticism has kept the Church still standing as a monument to original Apostolic Orthodox Christianity.
(4) Coptic Mission:
In contrast to Judaism, Christianity is a missionary religion. The example and teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, the preaching of the Disciples to Jews and Gentiles and the mere fact of St. Mark's preaching in Khemet-Egypt spoke to the Copts very emphatically about the missionary character of the Church.
Therefore, the missionary movement began in Khemet-Egypt early in the first steps of Christianity through the first converts. It followed three channels simultaneously:
a) Individual and Group Witnesses and Missionaries: Here the Copts excelled. The accounts of such individuals from St. Athanasius the Apostolic to the simple nurse accompanying the Roman Legions attest to the zeal and dedication of the Copts to spread the good news.
St. Athanasius, the Pope of Alexandria, was exiled five times because of his adamant opposition to the Arian heresy. Two of his exiles were in Europe, one began in Constantinople and ended in Trier and the second was in Rome. In each exile he preached Orthodox Christianity to both Christians and Gentiles, and he introduced to the West the highly developed monastic rule as well as the spirituality of the Fathers of the Khemet-Egypt)ian deserts.
The story of the Theban legion (from Thebes, present day Lurer in Upper Khemet-Egypt) is a spectacular example of witnessing to the Christian faith. Maximian, the second in command to Emperor Diocletian, ordered the legion to camp at the border of Gaul (France) in preparation to crush a rebellion there (285 AD). The legion camped in present day Switzerland.
The night before the attack, Maximian ordered the legion to accompany him to the pagan temple to pray to the gods. The Coptic soldiers unanimously refused to obey and declared that they were Christians, a declaration that angered Maximian. He stood them in file and had them decimated (i.e. every tenth man killed) hoping to intimidate the rest. The remaining soldiers met together and wrote a letter to him, which they all signed.
They wrote:
"Great Caesar - we are your soldiers, and at the same time we are God's slaves. We owe you our military service, but our prime allegiance we owe to God. From you we receive our daily wages; from Him our eternal reward. Great Caesar, we cannot obey any order if it run counter to God's commands. If your orders coincide with God's commands we will certainly obey; if not, 'we ought to obey God rather than man.' (Act 5:29) for our loyalty to Him surpasses all other loyalties. We are not rebels; if we were, we would defend ourselves for we have our weapons.
But we prefer to die upright than to live stained. As Christians we will serve you. But we will not relinquish our faith in our Lord, and this we openly declare. "
This steadfastness of the whole legion infuriated Caesar and he ordered the Roman soldiers to wipe out the whole legion, which they did. Pere Cheneau the historian described the event in this way:
"Thus they were martyred.... It was a mighty holocaust; an unparalleled massacre, the plains were drunk with blood and the bodies strewn to the winds. But by being willing to make the supreme sacrifice, the men of the Theban Legion proved that their faithfulness to their Heavenly Lord and King surpassed their valor as soldiers in the army of the temporal ruler."
An accompanying nurse named Verena witnessed all this. After a few days of prayers and meditation, she came to the realization that God, in His wisdom, had spared her to do His work as a missionary to those pagans. Therefore, she spent the rest of her life preaching Christ to the people of Switzerland. In addition, she taught them basic hygiene. To this day she is portrayed in her icon as having a water jug in one hand and a comb in the other.
Coptic missionaries reached as far as the British Isles long before the arrival of St. Augustine of Canterbury in 597 AD. Stanley Lane-Poole, the well-known historian, wrote:
"We do not know yet how much we in the British Isles owe to these remote hermits. It is more than probable that to them we are indebted for the first preaching of the Gospel in England, where, till the coming of Augustine, the Khemet-Egypt)ian monastic rule prevailed. But more important is the belief that Irish Christianity, the great civilizing agent of the early Middle Ages among the northern nations, was the child of the Khemet-Egypt)ian Church.
Seven Khemet--Egyptian monks are buried at Desert Uldith, and there is much in the ceremonies and architecture of Ireland in the earliest time that reminds one of still earlier Christian remains in Khemet-Egypt. Every one knows that the handicraft of the Irish monks in the ninth and tenth centuries far excelled anything that could be found elsewhere in Europe; and if the Byzantine-looking decoration can be traced to the influence of Khemet-Egypt)ian missionaries, we have more to thank the Copts for than has been imagined.
Ecclesiastical history is impregnated with captivating accounts of Coptic Christians who preached Christianity in north, west and south Africa, Arabia, Persia, India, and Europe. Archaeological findings support these accounts which were thought to be legendary tales by early historians.
b) Missionaries Appointed to Mission-Fields: Since the Church's inception in Khemet-Egypt, some early Coptic Christian converts were commissioned to mission fields.
Tradition tells us that St. Mark, in his missionary trip from Alexandria to Pentapolis (the five northwestern nations of Africa), took with him some Copts to help him preach to the people of those nations.
Through the writings of the ecclesiastical historian Eusebins, bishop of Caesurae (260-340 AD) it becomes clear that missionary work was an organized movement in the Church and its Catechetical school. Missionaries were appointed and mission fields were assigned to them. He wrote:
"Now at that time there was a man of great zeal for learning named Pantaenus. He displayed such ardent love and zeal for the divine word that he was appointed as herald of the Gospel of Christ to the nations of the East."
v
In the course of the third and fourth centuries, and with the rise of monasticism, many Pachomian monks in the southern parts of Khemet-Egypt were sent to Nubia as missionaries. Those, along with some Coptic Christians who fled from the Roman persecution, went southward up the Nile Valley to win converts to Christ. It is intriguing to know that the whole kingdom was officially converted to Orthodox Christianity in 559 AD .
However, the most spectacular event in Coptic mission work was the Christianization of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) at the hands of Frumentius. He and his brother Aedesius were Coptic Christians residing in Tyre. On one of their trading trips to India, they had a shipwreck near Axoum, the Capital of Abyssinia.
They were taken to the king who appointed Aedesius as his cupbearer and Frumentius as his personal secretary and the tutor of the young crown prince Aeizanas. Frumentius taught Aeizanas the four R's (reading, writing, arithmetic and religion- Christianity). When Aeizanas became king, he was converted to Christianity and decreed Christianity as the official religion of the land.
Immediately Frumentius went to Alexandria, to St. Athanasius the Patriarch asking him to send a bishop to establish the Church there. St. Athanasius chose Frumentius and ordained him, giving him the name of Bishop Salama. Since then, the Ethiopian Church looks at the Coptic Church as its Mother Church.
c) Pilgrims to the Alexandrian Church: As mentioned earlier, Christians from almost all the nations of the known world at that time, came to Khemet-Egypt either to study or to sit at the feet of those spiritual giants, the Fathers of the Khemet-Egypt)ian deserts. On returning to their lands, those students and pilgrims imported the spirituality, thought, dogma, practice and monastic rule of the Orthodox Alexandrine Church.
There, they wrote books (like John Cassian) and established monasteries, churches, dioceses and even theological schools. In other words, those pilgrims became indigenous missionaries of the Coptic Church in their nations and among their people.
You can go to Father=s work to understand the copts under Arab rule after 642..
The Copts Just Before Arab Rule
a) Between Chalcedon (451) and the Arab Conquest (642): The first schism in the Apostolic Church occurred at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD. The schism appeared to be the result of a theological dispute between the Eastern Churches (Orthodox) and the Western Churches (Roman Catholic) regarding the Nature of Christ. The Copts were branded as "Monophysites", Rome and Constantinople as "Diophysites. "
However, the real reason behind the dispute was more of a political nature rather than a theological one. The concealed reason was for the Western Church to transfer the Papacy from Alexandria to Rome. To be sure, the present dialogue between the Roman Catholics and the Orthodox resulted in the agreement of the two Churches regarding the nature of Christ; although other theological developments are still being discussed (i.e. Purgatory, Immaculate Conceptions, etc.).
The aftermath of Chalcedon was one of the saddest periods in the history of Coptic Christian antiquity. The Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria was deposed and exiled by the Western civil and ecclesiastical authorities. The Byzantines installed an Imperial Byzantine Patriarch for the See of Alexandria.
This infuriated the Copts and they retaliated by electing a native rival Orthodox Patriarch. Consequently, the See of Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt) was split between two Patriarchs, the Melkite or the Royalist Chalcedonian from Constantinople, and the native Jacobite or Monophysite who does not recognize Chalcedon. The Byzantines, aided by the civil authorities, persecuted the Copts very severely massacring them even as they worshiped inside their churches. All attempts to reconcile the two lines failed until the Arab invasion of Khemet-Egypt when a new chapter in the history of the Copts' oppression was about to be written.@ (Fair Use)
BibIiography:
Atiya, Aziz Suryal: A history Eastern Christianity. Krans Reprint, 1980. Atiya, Aziz Suryal: The Coptic Encyclopedia. 8 Volumes. Macmillan, 1991.
El Masri, Iris Habib: The Story of the Copts, The True Story of Christianity in Khemet-Egypt, 3 Volumes. End-Time Handmaiden, l982.
Payne, Robert: The Holy Fire, Tire Story of the Fathers of the Eastern Church. St. Vladimir, 1980.
Eusebius of Caesaria: Ecclesiastical History (in Arabic) "Tarikh El Kaneesa"
A Monk at St. Pishoy monastery: The Story of St. Pishoy Monastery (in Arabic) "Qessat Deir El-Keddees El-Azeem El-Anba Bishoy" Anba Rowais Press, 1990.
Constantine
http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?constant.htm
Carthage
http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?carthage.htm
Cush
http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?cush.htm
Cleopatra
http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?cleopatr.htm
Information on Copts--http://pharos.bu.edu/cn/exhibits/Articles.html
http://dynamic.aol.com/cgi/redir-post?p=encyclopediapost&search=Coptic%20Church&sp=sp
Information on Pope Shinouda (where the apostles established a headquarters, called a Chair, or See, there is a chief priest called the pope)...
This includes the Ancient African Church below Cush/Nubia...As we said. Christianity came out of Africa, not to it.
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Frumentius - First Bishop of Ethiopia
AThe writings of St. Tekle Haymanot tells us that in the beginning of the fourth century after Christ,(300s A.D.), Meropius, a philosopher (pilgrim) from Tyre, came to Ethiopia accompanied by two young men, Frumentius and Aedesius (Sidrakos). Anbaram, the high Priest, graciously received them. At night, Meropius became feverish. He died a few days later.
The two companions were nevertheless introduced to the King Ella-Amida. Learning Ethiopian customs and life-styles, they grew up in the house of Anbaram,. Frumentius was later chosen and was sent to Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt)(Khemet-(Khemet-(Khemet-Egypt))), then Patriarch Athanasius consecrated him bishop and sent him back. Upon arrival in Axum, he was called Abba Selama (Father of Peace).
As the first Archbishop he preached the gospel throughout the country. The book of St. Tekle Haymanot tells nothing about whatever occurred in relation to Aedesius, but according to the information given by Rufinus, a contemporary writer, he was made a priest in Tyre.
Emperor Ezana (Edna) and Christianity
According to the Western historians and writers the introduction of Christianity to Ethiopia was in the fourth century during the reign of Ezana (320-356 A.D.) and Ezana became the first African King to have been a Christian . He made Christianity the official religion of his empire. Nevertheless, Christianity was certainly known in the country before the time of Frumentius. Of course, Candace whose conversion had been due to the Eunuch becomes the first Christian Queen of the country.
The official declaration of the doctrine of Christ by Ezana was done not as a new introduction to the people. He did it to prove himself as the true Christian leader of the nation.
Since then the Christian Church took great responsibility in maintaining an interest, guiding people in their responses to the true God and their relationship to him, and has become a guardian of education, and the country became a stronghold of Christianity. Also the nine Syrian Saints, who came to Ethiopia the fifth century A.D. made a large contribution to the growth of the Church in translating books from Greek, Hebrew, Syrian and other languages in Geez and in propagating the Gospel as well as setting up the monastic orders and schools.
Teachings of the Ethiopian Church
As is with all Oriental Orthodox Churches the teachings of the Church is founded on the Apostles experience of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Creator and Saviour of the World.
The first three ecumenical councils Nicaea 325, Constantinople 381, and Epheus 431 which confessed the Son of God as being of substance with the Father and condemned Arius' formula are accepted by the Ethiopian orthodox Church, but the Church refuses to accept the Council or Chalcedon 451 presided by Pope Leo I which teaches the formula of the "two natures" against that of "one nature" the teaching of St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt).
The Ethiopian Church holds that there were, two natures before incarnation, but only one after the union. The human nature was not dissolved in the Divine as Eutyches taught. But rather, the Divine made the human nature immediately its own. The word and the human constitute one nature, and union is established without confusion and without division.
The Church rejects the idea of Eutyches, the monophysite who taught a confusion against the union of the human by the Divine, which was regarded by (Dyophysite) theologians to be the same with teaching of the Ethiopian Church and its sister Churches, which was done without investigation and hence ignorance because Eutryches' condemnation by St. Dioscorus is an evidence to the point.
One can see that the words, "dysophysite" and "monophysite" as fitting to play a great role not between the oriental Churches which have nothing to do with such phrases but between the Caldedonian and Eutyches himself.
The Church emphasizes that all concerning Christ should be applied to His entire person as one Lord. Not to single out the "Human nature" as subjected to suffering hunger, passion etc., Properties peculiar to the human are referred to His Divine powers as God suffered, God was crucified, God shed blood, God died, and God was risen up for the salvation of all men.
The seven sacraments (mysteries) Baptism, Confirmation, penance, Holy Communion, Unction of the Sick, Matrimony and Holy Orders are important in the teaching of the E.O.C. The administration of these sacraments is somehow similar to that of other Eastern Orthodox Churches in many ways. But with more native elements especially in hymary (chanting) and the custom of rites.
Sacraments are holy ordinance through which the believer receives an invisible grace under the form of an outward sign. In the performance of each sacrament the Divine Majesty Himself is present. THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS
Also the Church teaches other five pillars of Mysteries. They are the Mystery of the Trinity, Incarnation, Baptism, Eucharist and the Mystery of the Resurrection of the dead. These Mysteries are regarded by the Church as basic knowledge for all faithful and every Christian must know this. Fasting is strictly observed by all baptized members above the age of seven years. During lent; meat, and products of meat are prohibited.
Furthermore all faithful must keep the Ten Commandments and the six parables in Matt. 25:35-36, in order to inherit eternal life. In the second coming of Christ the dead will be raised and sinners will receive punishment according to their deed. So man is responsible for his own committed sins.
The Church and its Liberation
A real productive life which meets the need of the people and the need for new patterns and effective participation, in the decision making which determine their future life, can only be obtained through Liberation. In this case Liberation becomes the Mother of achievement for a new progressive and productive life. On the other hand, dependency demands the opposite in the improvement of one's life.
From the beginning the Ethiopian Church was affiliated with the See of St. Mark of Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt), for a long period of time. After Abba Selama (father of Peace), known also as Frumentius, who was the first Archbishop of Ethiopia died, Ethiopian Bishops were appointed to head the Ethiopian Church. This continued until early the twentieth century. (it should be noted that through the history of the Church there was always an Ichege (Administrator) of the Church who was a native Ethiopian, and who would not try to supersede his Khemet-Egypt)ian Peer).
This was done for several reasons: (1) The Ethiopian Church Fathers do not seek after their own glory, but that they had rather seen the glory of others. (2) The word, "A Prophet is without honour in his own country" (John 4:44) is much respected among the Ethiopians. (3) If a native person is consecrated Bishop, there was a fear that he, the Bishop might be tempted to becoming partial in his administration to those who are paternally related to him. (4) According to the dogma of the late fathers the Ethiopians had been discriminated from obtaining such positions.
It was said that Ethiopians should not consecrate Bishops from among themselves, such discrimination was done with no reason. For this and other reasons the Ethiopian Fathers stayed away from obtaining positions for a long period of time. Even today some fathers in several Monasteries would never accept any position.
When it is given to the, they hide themselves somehow, until election day is over and until they are sure that the position is given to someone else. However, due to the difficulty in communication because of the language and other problems, it was very necessary for the Ethiopian Church to have native born Bishops who could, without difficulty, speak the National language, Amharic, including Geez, the classical language of the Church.
Note from Fr. Marcos:"We would like to extend our boundless gratitude to His Eminence Archbishop Yesehaq, Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in the Western Hemisphere for preserving the history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church."
Hagiography of St. Nicholas, archbishop of Myra. Tells the story of him striking Arius with his hand at First Nicaea. (That was the First Nicean Council in which Africans were heavily represented. There were several)
http://www.vcn.bc.ca/stgeorge/saints/n/nicholas.html
The righteous St. Nicholas is the true personality behind Santa Claus or Baba Noel.
http://www.vcn.bc.ca/stgeorge/saints/n/nicholas2.html
http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?coptic_c.htm
Northridge, CA (Orthodox) Khemet-Egypt)ian-origin Christian Church belonging to the Coptic Patriarchate of Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt).
http://www.st-athanasius.org
(Where ever you see St. Athanasius, talking about a Coptic. If it is Anthanasius of Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt), talking about a Coptic from Africa (Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt), Libya, Cyrene are all in Africa Bthere is no North Africa in ancient Roman, Greek, Khemet-Egypt)ian, or even Turkish, or Muslim maps of old. It seems to be a European invention.
Diocesan website of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angelos, under His Grace Bishop Serapion.
http://www.lacopts.org
Northridge, CA (Orthodox) Khemet-Egypt)ian-origin Christian Church belonging to the Coptic Patriarchate of Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt).
http://www.st-athanasius.org
The Coptic liturgy is still celebrated in its original form. Three liturgies are used in the Coptic Church, the Liturgy of St. Cyril, the Liturgy of St. Basil and the Liturgy of St. Gregory. According to tradition, the Liturgy of St. Cyril is originally that of St. Mark. It was transmitted orally to the following generations and finally recorded by St. Cyril the Great in the Fifth Century. It is regarded as the greatest, the oldest and the most complete liturgical text in existence. As a work of religious literature, it is supreme.
Constantine
http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?constant.htm
Carthage
http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?carthage.htm
Cush
http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?cush.htm
Cleopatra
http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?cleopatr.htm
Information on Copts--http://pharos.bu.edu/cn/exhibits/Articles.html
http://dynamic.aol.com/cgi/redir-post?p=encyclopediapost&search=Coptic%20Church&sp=sp
Information on Pope Shinouda (whereever the apostles established a headquarters, called a Chair, or See, there is a chief priest called the pope)...
This doesn't even begin to include the Church(Ancient church) in Africa under/below Cush/Nubia...As we said. Christianity came out of Africa,(per se) not to it.
Much more, by e-mail to come. (Until you say stop). This is just the introduction.
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PART II
Ethiopia, formerly cush Nubia, Then later called Abyssinia
here's the stuff. It's long, but it's important to know of Africa being the root of Christianity. The below is from one of the Ethiopian sites.
ZAGWE: The Axumite Empire fell a little after the Roman and little is known of the following centuries. A dynasty called Zagwe, which was descended from King David of Israel but not from Solomon and the Queen of Sheba as the Axumite royalty were, eventually re- established the Empire in mediaeval times.
GABRE MANFAS QEDUS, the other great saint of Ethiopia, is a quasi-immortal Khemet-Egypt)ian hermit whose sanctity was such that even in saints' lives he appears as a mysterious figure. He is shown in ikons clad in his own long hair and beard, with a bird drinking his tears to stay alive during a drought. He was accompanied by large numbers of lions and hyaenas.
PHILIP was the first "echege". Before the Ethiopian church became autocephalous, the patriarch was always a Copt from Khemet-Egypt, who often did not even know Amharic. The office of echege or chief-of-monks, always occupied by a native Ethiopian, was a bridge between the patriarch and people, and sometimes a balance against patriarchal
power.
The Introduction of Christianity into Ethiopia (The Ethiopian Eunuch)
The country embraced Christianity and maintained the doctrine of Christ from the era of the Apostles to the present day, as it is narrated in (Acts 8:26-39). The history of St. Phillip the Apostle baptizing the Eunuch who was very much interested in religion, is of great interest for the Ethiopian Church history. This Eunuch was a man of high rank, the finance minister of Candace Queen of Ethiopia.
Eusebius speaks of him as the first fruits of the faithful in the whole world. Irenius writes that preached the Gospel of the Ethiopians. Other evidence is that during the time that the Eunuch preached Christianity, Ethiopian women wore crosses upon their heads signifying the recognition of the Crucifixion of Christ. Besides St. John Chnysostom witnessed that among those who were present at Pentecost (the birth of the Universal Church) were Ethiopians.
In the history of the Church, it is further recorded that St. Matthew the Apostle preached the Gospel to the Ethiopians and won a few converts to the new doctrine and left the country.
(more)
Frumentius - First Bishop of Ethiopia
The book of St. Tekle Haymanot tells us that in the beginning of the fourth century after Christ, there came to Ethiopia Meropius, a philosopher (pilgrim) from Tyre, accompanied by two young men, Frumentius and Aedesius (Sidrakos). They were received graciously by Anbaram the high Priest. In that very night Meropius was ill with fever and after a few days he died. But the two young men were introduced to the King Ella-Amida; they grew up in the house of Anbaram, learning the customs and life-style of Ethiopia. Later Frumentius was chosen and was sent to Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt), then Patriarch Athanasius consecrated him bishop and sent him back. Upon arrival in Axum, he was called Abba Selama (Father of Peace).
EARLY AFRICAN SYNODS
(read with some care-this is redacted from a Eurocentric source)
A While it is said that no general council of the entire Church held at any time in Africa, there were, however, many national or plenary assemblies of bishops representing the African Church. These are commonly called African or Carthaginian Synods, and are not to be confounded with the district or provincial assemblies, of which there were also very many in the separate provinces of Africa.
These (sometimes) Roman provinces lay between the Sahara and the Mediterranean and extended from Cyrenaica on the east to the Atlantic on the west, corresponding roughly to the part of the continent occupied by modern Tripoli, Algeria, and Morocco. The Church entered into history there at the end of the second century, and disappeared in the beginning of the eighth.
Ecclesiastical Organizations
About the middle of the third century the bishops of the three civil provinces (Proconsular Africa, Numidia, and Mauretania) formed but one ecclesiastical province, but as dioceses were multiplied, they came to be grouped into divisions corresponding to the prevailing political divisions of the country. Diocletian re-districted Africa into six civil provinces, and by the end of the fourth century the Church had adjusted her organization to these lines. Thus there came to be six ecclesiastical provinces:
1.Proconsular Africa; 2.Numidia; 3.Byzacena; 4.Tripoli; 5.Mauretania Sitifensis; 6.Imperial Mauretania.
This organization lasted till the Arab invasion in the seventh century. Because of its civil importance, Carthage was the primatial see and held control of these suffragan provinces, except perhaps during the period of the Byzantine domination in Africa (534-646), when Tripoli and the two Mauretanias seem to have been independent of Carthage. The Bishop of Carthage was in rank and privilege, though not in name, the Patriarch of the African Church.
It was he who called and presided over the general synods, and early in the fifth century, it was his wont to sign the decrees in the name of all. These synods were held, with but few exceptions (e.g. Hippo, 393; Milevum, 402) at Carthage. In several instances we are able to name the church where the meeting took place: as "the Church of the Second District", or the "Ecclesia Restituta", or the "Secretarium Basilicae Fausti."
Number of Synods
In the time of Tertullian there were no synods held in Africa. But about 220, Agrippinus called together seventy bishops from Proconsular Africa and Numidia. From the time of St. Cyprian general synods came to be the wonted resource of Church administration, and they were held in Africa with greater frequency and regularity than elsewhere in Christendom. We know from the letters of St. Cyprian that, except in time of persecution, the African bishops met at least once a year, in the springtime, and sometimes again in the autumn.
Six or seven synods, for instance, were held under St. Cyprian's presidency during the decade of his administration (249-258), and more than fifteen under Aurelius (391-429). The Synod of Hippo (393) ordered a general meeting yearly. But this was found too onerous for the bishops, and in the Synod of Carthage (407) it was decided to hold a general synod only when necessary for the needs of all Africa, and it was to be held at a place most convenient for the purpose.
As a matter of fact, the needs were so persistent that general synods were held with perhaps equal frequency up to the Vandal invasion (429), and Carthage continued to be the meeting-place. The Church of Africa then entered on "penal times". Towards the end of the Vandal domination there was a cessation of persecution, and synods were resumed.
The general Synod of Carthage in 525, though numerously attended, shows in reality a humble and diminished church. There was an improvement under the Byzantine control (533-647), and the Synod of 534 (perhaps the only general one for this period) is the second largest in point of numbers of all the African synods. In 646 we still find the bishops meeting in provincial synods, on the very eve of the final dissolution of their ancient organization. The Arab domination spread in successive waves from 647 up to 698, when Carthage fell. Within the following half century the Church of Roman Africa had ceased to be.
Attendance and Representation
v
Elsewhere in Christendom only bishops attended general synods; but in Africa there was, at least for a time, a departure from this custom. In the synods held under St. Cyprian, to deal with the lapsed, and in the synod of 256, which considered the question of re-baptism, there were present not only the bishops, but many priests and deacons, and even a very large representation of the laity.
Only the bishops, however, had a vote in the final determinations. Not all the bishops of the country were required to assist at the general synod. At the Synod of Hippo (393) it was ordered that "dignities" should be sent from each ecclesiastical province. Only one was required from Tripoli, because of the poverty of the bishops of that province.
In the synod held in Carthage in September, 401, it was decreed that each province should be divided into two or three districts, and that each of them should send deputies to the general synod. Attendance was urgently insisted on. There were ninety bishops in attendance at the synod that condemned Privatus (236-248), and more than two hundred and twenty-three, the largest recorded for Africa, at the Synod of 418.
It has been through her literature, the writings of Tertullian, St. Cyprian, and, more than all, of St. Augustine, rather than by her synodal action that the great Church of Africa has modified the world's history. The African synods dealt for the most part, as was natural, with matters of local discipline, and today are chiefly of interest to students of Church History and Canon Law.
Nevertheless, at times, their decrees transcended their immediate and local scope and helped, in concert with Rome, to fix the discipline and to define the doctrine of the Church Universal. The penitential decrees drawn up after the Decian persecution and the decrees against Pelagianism are instances in point.
Brief Analysis of Synodal Acts
The synodal decrees show how restless and factional the national temper was, and how ready to break out into violent schism. Those who lapsed under Decius formed a party strong enough to withstand the hierarchy, and the synods of the fourth and fifth centuries are constantly engaged with the bitter and persistent Donatist Schism, which upset all Africa and perplexed both Church and State. Civil intervention was invoked in the Synod of 404.
The persecution of Decius left in Africa, as elsewhere, many who had denied or compromised their faith under fear of death. The Church was now called upon to determine whether she might forgive so grave a sin. In the Synod of May, 251, under the presidency of St. Cyprian, it was decided that the lapsed should be admitted to penance, and should be reconciled at least at the moment of death.
The next year (Synod of 252) further grace was shown them in view of the persecution of Gallus, and all who had entered seriously upon a course of penance were to be restored to fellowship at once. The Church of Africa was not equally fortunate in finding the solution for the difficult problem of the worth of Baptism as administered outside the Church.
The earliest synod (about 220) took the matter up and declared such Baptism invalid, and this decision was reaffirmed in synods held in 255-256 under St. Cyprian. All converts should be re-baptized. St. Cyprian strove to press the African views on Rome, but Pope Stephen (q.v.) menaced excommunication. At the celebrated September Synod of 256 the eighty-seven bishops assembled from the three provinces still maintained their attitude against Baptism by heretics. This error was finally retracted in the Synod (345-348) under Gratus.
These records show how the close relations between Africa and Rome were several times troubled during the course of five centuries. The baptismal controversy put the Church into a state of passive resistance to Rome. In the Synod of September, 256, St. Cyprian was placed in a painful dilemma. While maintaining the right of bishops to think for themselves, he still clung to the necessity of unity in the Church, and would not break the revered bond with Rome.
Again, early in the fifth century, the appeal to Rome of Apiarius (q.v.), a deposed priest, stirred up strong feeling among the African bishops, and appeals of priests and laics "over sea" (to Rome) were forbidden in the Synod of 418. Legates came from Rome to adjust the difference. In the Synods of 419 an enquiry was made into the canonical warrant for such appeals.
The Roman legates cited by mistake, as canons passed at Nicea (325), the canons of Sardica (343) regulating the appeals of bishops. This led to a tedious delay, and the whole matter was dropped for the moment. It was reopened a few years later, when Apiarius, who had been deposed a second time, on new charges, again appealed to Rome for reinstatement. Faustinus, the Roman legate, reappeared at the Synod of 424 and demanded the annulment of the sentence passed on the priest.
Apiarius, however, broke down under examination, and admitted his guilt. So nothing further could be done for him. A synodal letter to Rome emphasized how needful it was that Rome should not lightly credit all complainants from Africa, nor receive into fellowship such as had been excommunicated.
At the Synod of Hippo (393), and again at the Synod of 397 at Carthage, a list of the books of Holy Scripture was drawn up. It is the Catholic canon (i.e. including the books classed by Protestants as "Apocrypha"). The latter synod, at the end of the enumeration, added, "But let Church beyond sea (Rome) be consulted about confirming this canon".
St. Augustine was one among the forty-four bishops who signed the proceedings. Celestius, the friend of Pelagius, came to Carthage to be ordained a priest; Paulinus, the deacon of Milan, warned the Bishop of Carthage against him; and thus, in 411, began the series of synods against Pelagianism. They had a most important influence in checking its spread. The earlier ones seem to have been provincial.
The important Synod of 416, under Sylvanus, at Milevum urged Innocent I to stop the heresy, and in the synod of all Africa held at Carthage in 420 the bishops, intensely convinced that vital issues were involved, passed a series of doctrinal utterances with annexed anathemas against the Pelagians. St. Augustine was present. It was, in respect of doctrine, the most important of all the synods of Africa.
It is no longer possible from the meagre remains to attempt a complete list of the general synods of Africa; nor is it any longer possible to determine, with exactness in every instance, what synods were general. The following approximate enumeration is made therefore with all due reserve:
Under St. Cyprian. Synods about A.D. 220 under Agrippinus; 236-248 (condemned Privatus of Lambesa). Carthage, 251, 252, 254, 255; Autumn of 255, or Spring of 256; September 256. $Under Gratus. at Carthage, 345-348. $Under Aurelius. at Carthage, Hippo-Regius, 393, 394, 397 (two sessions), June and September; 401; at Milevum, 402; at Carthage, 403-410, end of 417 or beginning of 418; May, 418; May and November, 419; 420, 424. $Under Boniface. Synod of Carthage, 525, 534.
NOTES
The texts of the Synods are found in the collections of Mansi or of Hardouin. Cf. Hefele, History of the Christian Councils (Edinburgh, 1871) I; Routh, Reliqiae Sacrae, III, 93-217; Leclerq, L'Afrique chretienne (2 vols., Paris, 1904); Duchesne, Histoire ancienne de l'Eglise (Paris, 1905), I 388-432.
F.P. HAVEY, Transcribed by Tim Drake (Fair Use)
From the Catholic Encyclopedia, copyright 8 (Fair Use)
EXCURSUS ON THE USE OF THE WORD "CANON
(Bright: Notes on the Canons, pp. 2 and 3.)
Kanwn, as an ecclesiastical term, has a very interesting history. See Westcott's account of it, On the New Testament Canon, p. 498 if.
The original sense, "a straight rod" or "line," determines all its religious applications, which begin with St. Paul's use of it for a prescribed sphere of apostolic work(2 Cor. x. 13, 15), or a regulative principle of Christian life(Gal. vi. 16).
It represents the element of definiteness in Christianity and in the order of the Christian Church.
Clement of Rome uses it for the measure of Christian attainment(Ep. Cor. 7). Irenaeus calls the baptismal creed "the canon of truth"(i. 9, 4): Polycrates(Euseb. v. 24) and probably Hippolytus(ib. v. 28) calls it "the canon of faith;" the Council of Antioch in A.D. 269, referring to the same standard of orthodox belief, speaks with significant absoluteness of "the canon"(ib. vii. 30).
Eusebius himself mentions "the canon of truth" in iv. 23, and "the canon of the preaching" in iii. 32; and so Basil speaks of "the transmitted canon of true religion"(Epist. 204-6).
Such language, like Tertullian's "regula fidei," amounted to saying, "We Christians know what we believe: it is not a vague 'idea' without substance or outline: it
can be put into form, and by it we 'test the spirits whether they be of God.' "
Thus it was natural for Socrates to call the Nicene Creed itself a "canon," ii. 27. Clement of Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt) uses the phrase "canon of truth" for a standard of mystic interpretation, but proceeds to call the harmony between the two Testaments "a canon for the Church," Strom. vi. 15, 124, 125.
Eusebius speaks of "the ecclesiastical canon" which recognized no other Gospels than the four(vi. 25). The use of the term and its cognates in reference to the Scriptures is explained by Westcott in a passive sense so that "canonized" books, as Athanasius calls them(Fest. Ep. 39), are books expressly recognized by the Church as portions of Holy Scripture.
Again, as to matters of observance, Clement of Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt) wrote a book against Judaizers, called "The Churches Canon"(Euseb. vi. 13); and Cornelius of Rome, in his letter to Fabius, speaks of the "canon" as to what we call confirmation(Euseb. vi. 43), and Dionysius of the "canon" as to reception of converts from heresy(ib, vii. 7).
The Nicene Council in this canon refers to a standing "canon" of discipline(comp. Nic. 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 15, 16, 18), but it does not apply the term to its own enactments, which are so described in the second canon of Constantinople(see below), and of which Socrates says "that it passed what are usually called 'canons' "(i. 13); as Julius of Rome calls a decree of this Council a "canon"(Athan. Apol. c. Ari. 25); so Athanasius applies the term generally to Church laws(Encycl. 2; cp. Apol. c. Ari. 69).
The use of kanwn for the clerical body(Nic. 16, 17, 19; Chalc. 2) is explained by Westcott with reference to the rule of clerical life, but Bingham traces it to the roll or official list on which the names of clerics were enrolled(i. 5, 10); and this appears to be the more natural derivation, see "the holy canon" in the first canon of the Council of Antioch, and compare Socrates(i. 17),
"the Virgins enumerated en tw ekklhsiwn
kan ni," and(ib. v. 19) on the addition of a penitentiary "to the canon of the church;"
see also George of Laodicea in Sozomon, iv. 13. Hence any cleric might be called kannikos, see Cyril of Jerusalem, Procatech.(4); so we read of "canonical singers." Laodicea, canon xv.
c AND RESPECT BY AND FOR THE EARLY AFRICAN CHURCH
d. The famous discussion between the African bishops and the Bishop of Rome, on the subject of appeals to Rome, gives us a very important testimony on the true number of the Nicene canons.
The presbyter Apiarius of Sicca in Africa, having been deposed for many crimes, appealed to Rome. Pope Zosimus(417-418) took the appeal into consideration, sent legates to Africa; and to prove that he had the right to act thus, he quoted a canon of the Council of Nicaea, containing these words: "When a bisho OWER p thinks he has been unjustly deposed by his colleagues he may appeal to Rome, and the Roman bishop shall have the business decided by judices in partibus."
The canon quoted by the Pope does not belong to the Council of Nicaea, as he affirmed;
It was the fifth canon of the Council of Sardica(the seventh in the Latin version). What explains the error of Zosimus is that in the ancient copies the canons of Nicaea and Sardica are written consecutively, with the same figures, and under the common title of canons of the Council of Nicaea; and Zosimus might optima fide fall into an errorB which he shared with Greek authors, his contemporaries, who also mixed the canons of Nicaea with those of Sardica.
The African bishops, not finding the canon quoted by the Pope either in their Greek or in their Latin copies, in vain consulted also the copy which Bishop Cecilian, who had himself been present at the Council of Nicaea, had brought to Carthage.
The legates of the Pope then declared that they did not rely upon these copies, and they agreed to send to Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt) and to Constantinople to ask the patriarchs of these two cities for authentic copies of the canons of the Council of Nicaea.
The African bishops desired in their turn that Pope Boniface should take the same step(Pope Zosimus had died meanwhile in 418)--that he should ask for copies from the Archbishops of Constantinople, Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt), and Antioch. Cyril of Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt) and Atticus of Constantinople, indeed, sent exact and faithful copies of the Creed and canons of Nicaea; and two learned men of Constantinople, Theilo and Thearistus, even translated these canons into Latin.
Their translation has been preserved to us in the acts of the sixth Council of Carthage, and it contains only the twenty ordinary canons. It might be thought at first sight that it contained twenty-one canons; but on closer consideration we see, as Hardouin has proved, that this twenty-first article is nothing but an historical notice appended to the Nicene canons by the Fathers of Carthage.
It is conceived in these terms: "After the bishops had decreed these rules at Nicaea, and after the holy Council had decided what was the ancient rule for the celebration of Easter, peace and unity
of faith were re-established between the East and the West. This is what we(the African bishops) have thought it right to add according to the history of the Church."
[45]The bishops of Africa despatched to Pope Boniface the copies which had been sent to them from Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt) and Constantinople, in the month of November 419; and subsequently in their letters to Celestine I. (423-432), successor to Boniface, they appealed to the text of these
documents.
Notes ABOUT: e. All the ancient collections of canons, either in Latin or Greek, composed in the fourth, or quite certainly at least in the fifth century, agree in giving only these twenty canons to Nicaea. The most ancient of these collections were made in the Greek Church, and in the course of time a very great number of copies of them were written.
Many of these copies have descended to us; many libraries possess copies; thus Montfaucon enumerates several in his Bibliotheca Coisliniana.
Fabricius makes a similar catalogue of the copies in his Bibliotheca Groeca to those found in the libraries of Turin, Florence, Venice, Oxford, Moscow, etc.; and he adds that these copies also contain the so-called apostolic canons, and those of the most ancient councils.
The French bishop John Tilius presented to Paris, in 1540, a MS. of one of these Greek collections as it existed in the ninth century. It contains exactly our twenty canons of Nicaea, besides the so-called apostolic canons, those of Ancyra, etc.
Elias Ehmger published a new edition at Wittemberg in 1614, using a second MS. which was found at Augsburg; but the Roman collection of the Councils had before given in 1608, the Greek text of the twenty canons of Nicaea.
This text of the Roman editors, with the exception of some insignificant variations, was exactly the same as that of the edition of Tilius.
Neither the learned Jesuit Sirmond nor his coadjutors have mentioned what manuscripts were consulted in preparing this edition; probably they were manuscripts drawn from several libraries, and particularly from that of the Vatican.
The text of this Roman edition passed into all the following collections, even into those of Hardouin and Mansi; while Justell in his Bibliotheca juris Canonici and Beveridge in his Synodicon (both of the eighteenth century), give a somewhat different text, also collated from MSS., and very similar to the text given by Tilius. Bruns, in his recent Bibliotheca Ecclesiastica, compares the two texts.
Now all these Greek MSS, consulted at such different times, and by all these editors, acknowledge only twenty canons of Nicaea, and always the same twenty which we possess.
CAPTIONS OF THE ARABIC CANONS ATTRIBUTED TO THE COUNCIL OF NICE
CANON XXXVI
Of the creation of a patriarch for Ethiopia, and of his power, and of the honor to be paid him in the Synod of Greece.
THE SYNODAL LETTER
From the Emperor Constantine
(Found in Gelasius, Historia Concilii Nicaeni, lib. II, cap. xxxiii. ;
Socr., H. E., lib. I., cap. 6; Theodor., H. E., lib. I., cap. 9.)
To the Church of Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt), by the grace of GOD, holy and great; and to our well-beloved brethren, the orthodox clergy and laity throughout Khemet-Egypt, and Pentapolis, and Lybia, and every nation under heaven, the holy and great synod, the bishops assembled at Nicea, wish health in the LORD.
FORASMUCH as the great and holy Synod, which was assembled at Niece through the grace of Christ and our most religious Sovereign Constantine, who brought us together from our several provinces and cities, has considered matters which concern the faith of the Church, it seemed to us to be necessary that certain things should be communicated from us to you in writing, so that you might have the means of knowing what has been mooted and investigated, and also what has been decreed and confirmed.
First of all, then, in the presence of our most religious Sovereign Constantine, investigation was made of matters concerning the impiety and transgression of Arias and his adherents;
and it was unanimously decreed that he and his impious opinion should be anathematized, together with the blasphemous words and speculations in which he indulged, blaspheming the Son of God, and saying that he is from things that are not, and that before he was begotten he was not, and that there was a time when he was not, and that the Son of God is by his free will capable of vice and virtue; saying also that he is a creature.
All these things the holy Synod has anathematized, not even enduring to hear his impious doctrine and madness and blasphemous words. And of the charges against him and of the results they had, ye have either already heard or will hear the particulars, lest we should seem to be oppressing a man who has in fact received a fitting recompense for his own sin.
So far indeed has his impiety prevailed, that he has even destroyed Theonas of Marmorica and Secundes of Ptolemais; for they also have received the same sentence as the rest.
But when the grace of God had delivered Khemet-Egypt from that heresy and blasphemy, and from the persons who have dared to make disturbance and division among a people heretofore at peace, there remained the matter of the insolence of Meletius and those who have been ordained by him; and concerning this part of our work we now, beloved brethren, proceed to inform you of the decrees of the Synod.
The Synod, then, being disposed to deal gently with Meletius(for in strict justice he deserved no leniency), decreed that he should remain in his own city, but have no authority either to ordain, or to administer affairs, or to make appointments; and that he should not appear in the country or in any other city for this purpose, but should enjoy the bare title of his rank;
but that those who have been placed by him, after they have been confirmed by a more sacred laying on of hands, shall on these conditions be admitted to communion: that they shall both have their rank and the right to officiate, but that they shall be altogether the inferiors of all those who are enrolled in any church or parish, and have been appointed by our most honorable colleague Alexander.
So that these men are to have no authority to make appointments of persons who may be pleasing to them, nor to suggest names, nor to do anything whatever, without the consent of the bishops of the Catholic and Apostolic Church, who are serving under our most holy colleague Alexander;
while those who, by the grace of God and through your prayers, have been found in no schism, but on the contrary are without spot in the Catholic and Apostolic Church, are to have authority to make appointments and nominations of worthy persons among the clergy, and in short to do all things according to the law and ordinance of the Church.
But, if it happen that any of the clergy who are now in the Church should die, then those who have been lately received are to succeed to the office of the deceased; always provided that they shall appear to be worthy, and that the people elect them, and that the bishop of Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt) shall concur in the election and ratify it.
This concession has been made to all the rest; but, on account of his disorderly conduct from the first, and the rashness and precipitation of his character, the same decree was not 54 made concerning Meletius himself, but that, inasmuch as he is a man capable of committing again the same disorders, no authority nor privilege should be conceded to him.
These are the particulars, which are of special interest to Khemet-Egypt and to the most holy Church of Alexandria (in Khemet-Egypt); but if in the presence of our most honored lord, our colleague and brother Alexander, anything else has been enacted by canon or other decree, he will himself convey it to you in greater detail, he having been both a guide and fellow-worker in what has been done.
We further proclaim to you the good news of the agreement concerning the holy Easter, that this particular also has through your prayers been rightly settled; so that all our brethren in the East who formerly followed the custom of the Jews are henceforth to celebrate the said most sacred feast of Easter at the same time with the Romans and yourselves and all those who have observed Easter from the beginning.
Wherefore, rejoicing in these wholesome results, and in our common peace and harmony, and in the cutting off of every heresy, receive ye with the greater honour and with increased love, our colleague your Bishop Alexander, who has gladdened us by his presence, and who at so great an age has undergone so great fatigue that peace might be established among you and all of us.
Pray ye also for us all, that the things which have been deemed advisable may stand fast; for they
have been done, as we believe, to the well-pleasing of Almighty God and of his only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
ON THE KEEPING OF EASTER
From the Letter of the Emperor Constantine to all those not present at the Council
(Found in Eusebius, Vita Const., Lib. iii., 18-20.)
When the question relative to the sacred festival of Easter arose, it was universally thought that it would be convenient that all should keep the feast on one day; for what could be more beautiful and more desirable, than to see this festival, through which we receive the hope of immortality, celebrated by all with one accord, and in the same manner?
It was declared to be particularly unworthy for this, the holiest of all festivals, to follow the custom[the calculation] of the Jews, who had soiled their hands with the most fearful of crimes, and whose minds were blinded. In rejecting their custom,(1) we may transmit to our descendants the legitimate mode of celebrating Easter, which we have observed from the time of the Savior's Passion to the present day[according to the day of the week].
We ought not, therefore, to have anything in common with the Jews, for the Savior has shown us another way; our worship follows a more legitimate and more convenient course(the order of the days of the week); and consequently, in unanimously adopting this mode, we desire, dearest brethren, to separate ourselves from the detestable company of the Jews, for it is truly shameful for us to hear them boast that without their direction we could not keep this feast.
How can they be in the right, they who, after the death of the Savior, have no longer been led by reason but by wild violence, as their delusion may urge them? They do not possess the truth in this Easter question; for, in their blindness and repugnance to all improvements, they frequently celebrate two passovers in the same year.
We could not imitate those who are openly in error. How, then, could we follow these Jews, who are most certainly blinded by error? for to celebrate the passover twice in one year is totally inadmissible. But even if this were not so, it would still be your duty not to tarnish your soul by communications with such wicked people[the Jews].
Besides, consider well, that in such an important matter, and on a subject of such great solemnity, there ought not to be any division. Our Saviour has left us only one festal day of our redemption, that is to say, of his holy passion, and he desired[to establish] only one Catholic Church.
Think, then, how unseemly it is, that on the same day some should be fasting whilst others are seated at a banquet; and that after Easter, some should be rejoicing at feasts, whilst others are still observing a strict fast. For this reason, a Divine Providence wills that this custom should be rectified and regulated in a uniform way; and everyone, I hope, will agree upon this point.
As, on the one hand, it is our duty not to have anything in common with the murderers of our Lord; and as, on the other, the custom now followed by the Churches of the West, of the South, and of [55] the North, and by some of those of the East, is the most acceptable, it has appeared good to all;
and I have been guarantee for your consent, that you would accept it with joy, as it is followed at Rome, in Africa, in all Italy, Khemet-Egypt, Spain, Gaul, Britain, Libya, in all Achaia, and in the dioceses of Asia, of Pontus, and Cilicia.
You should consider not only that the number of churches in these provinces make a majority, but also that it is right to demand what our reason approves, and that we should have nothing in common with the Jews. To sum up in few words:
By the unanimous judgment of all, it has been decided that the most holy festival of Easter should be everywhere celebrated on one and the same day, and it is not seemly that in so holy a thing there should be any division.
As this is the state of the case, accept joyfully the divine favor, and this truly divine command; for all which takes place in assemblies of the bishops ought to be regarded as proceeding from the will of God.
Make known to your brethren what has been decreed, keep this most holy day according to the prescribed mode; we can thus celebrate this holy Easter day at the same time, if it is granted me, as I desire, to unite myself with you;
we can rejoice together, seeing that the divine power has made use of our instrumentality for destroying the evil designs of the devil, and thus causing faith, peace, and unity to flourish amongst us. May God graciously protect you, my beloved brethren.
CANON XXXVII.
Below are letters we have written previously. We have done little editing, but you can get a gist of additional research in which you can engage.
....This writer believes the problem (and several wars) germinate from which "Scriptures", which translation, whose language--Greek? which one? Latin? which one? Hebrew text, English? Which one? Coptic (Yes,the African has a translation--Remember, Philip told the Holy Spirit to catch a certain carriage transporting the Assinian (Ethiopian) official of Queen Candace. He was reading, Isaiah), but which one?.
Even the Khemet-Egyptians have an ancient translation.(Remember, our tradition of this writer, an all Orthodoxy-Russian, Armenian, Greek, Syrio-Khemet-Egypto contain a few extra books: the Wisdom book of Sirach, ong them. Kings(some, 1-4 Kings) (and how many readers have actually heard of 1 and 2 Paralipomenon) may not be divided exactly as is, for exple, the English, King James Bible is.
(The Finnish and German translations may differ) Some Psalm versions may be offset from others. All Christianity=s commandments differ in form and number from the Torah. Quote problems arise from these reasons..
Moses was said to be 120 years when he died. On line Jewish sites provide cogent information, as to dates. These must be translated to Western time. The Habiru are in the 5000s series in numbering of their years.
If the reader is Catholic, Lutheran, or Anglican/Episcopalian, an 18th century tome on St.Joseph (Jesus' foster dad) helps meditation on "facts" in his life. The Life of St. Joseph, 101 Foundation 908.689.8792. (If you stem not from those background disciplines, we wouldn't recommend it).
Traditions: Jesus in Africa, if you really want a mental-prayer-meditation workout (you have to keep your bible and Catechisms handy to discern the Spirit:
Jesus in Africa traditions, for those really wanting a mental-prayer-meditation workout (you have to keep your bible and Catechisms handy to discern the Spirit:
We reference th five volume, metaphysical set, Poem of the Man-God, translations, Editions Paulines Sherbrooke, Canada 819.569.5535. These can be found in larger Catholic bookstores; See also the four volume, (metaphysical set) Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations (Four Volumes : Anna Emmerich, translation from the German, Tan Books and Publishers Rockford Illinois). But if not of those faith disciplines, would not recommend the previous two(However, if familiar with Joseph Campbell=s works on story telling, legend, or any cultural anthropology course, then would be alright).
Moses in AfricaBsee the bible Books, Deuteronomy and Leviticus. Moses marrying Black, check Numbers (his sister Myri became jealous, I believe, and was stricken with leprosy). Ethiopian official and Philip, SeeActs 8, around vs. 26).
God loves Ethiopia, and always has: One quote-- "Do you Israelites think you are more important to me than the Ethiopians ?" asks the LORD. "I brought you out of Khemet-Egypt, but have I not done as much for other nations, too? I brought the Philistines from Crete and led the Arameans out of Kir. Am 9:7
See the Ethiopian, Coptic sites mentioned in these pages. View in keyword Zeitun, Khemet-Egypt, an area just outside old Cairo, where Joseph, Mary, and Jesus lived in Khemet...You'll know it when you see it. Then reference: MT 2:15 and they stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: "I called my Son out of Khemet-Egypt."
and again Hosea 11:1"When Israel was a child, I loved him as a son, and I called my son out of Khemet-Egypt@.
There were more Bishops in Africa in the Early Church than in the rest of the world combined, until the Vandal invasions of 400s.
Everything (for us)started going down hill for us. We never recovered from the Fifth Century pograms. Yet I smile at origins that began in Europe. (This writer is part English, so he has permissions of heredity). Respect, but smile.
Hamitic and Semitic Black Origins
A perception: investigate the variations of "Hamitic" and "Semitic" as a sub culture.(You'll find why blacks can't be, in my opinion, anti-semitic. We are semitic derivative, or they are a hamitic derivative).
Further, we now embrace the European "one drop rule", recently officially abrogated, used for so long to keep us subjugated, "One drop of black blood, makes you black".
In community organizing, it's called 'hitting them over the head with their own rulebook'.
Backgrounder for the Early African Theologians
Tertullian and Origen on the Trinity:
AThis power and disposition of the Divine Intelligence is set forth also in the Scripture under the ne of sofia, Wisdom; for what can be better entitled to the ne of Wisdom than the Reason or the Word of God? Listen therefore to Wisdom herself, constituted in the character of the Second Person (Tertullian, Against Praxeas 6).
Tertullian goes on to quote Proverbs 8, the most frequently cited text in which wisdom is personified as a separate person from the Creator:
"The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.
Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth; before he had made earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.
When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master workman; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always" (Proverbs 8:22-).
Although the Arians seized upon the word "created" in verse 22 as evidence that the Logos was a creature, and hence had a beginning, orthodox exegesis of the passage took "created" to mean begotten from eternity).
The Son came from the Father but was preexistent, as the remaining verses show stressing the existence of wisdom before anything that was created.
Justin interpreted this passage to mean that the one begotten was "another in number" than the one who begets, and Tertullian asserted this distinction between the Logos and the Father based on the se passage.
Origen used this scripture to argue against Sabellianism, in which the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not distinct persons but merely different modes of God.5 Behind all the christological polemics centering on this little verse was the shared assumption that the figure of wisdom in the wisdom books was, in fact, the Logos.
.... Tertullian reasons that since all judgment has been given to the Son (John 5:22), "all" necessarily means without regard for time. Judgment in the Old Testament therefore was also the work of the Son:
It is the Son, therefore, who has been from the beginning administering judgment, throwing down the haughty tower, and dividing the tongues, punishing the whole world the violence of waters, raining upon Sodom and Gomorrah fire and brimstone, as the Lord from the Lord.
For He it was at all times who ce down to hold converse with men, from Ad on to the patriarchs and the prophets, in vision, in dre, in mirror, in dark saying (Against Praxeas 16).
Tertullian calls these manifestations "rehearsals" for the coming of Jesus. It is not that God needed to rehearse how to communicate with man.
Rather, mankind needed to be prepared for the Incarnation, "that we might the more readily believe that the Son of God had come down into the world, if we knew that in times past also something similar had been done" (Against Praxeas 16).
Tertullian mentions God speaking with Adam in the garden, God instructing Noah to build the ark, and the fourth man in the fiery furnace as other instances of the Second Person manifesting Himself.
There exist one way to God. His Way."Love God, with your whole heart, your whole mind, your whole strength. Love your neighbor as yourself!"
But everyone does not know Jesus as we do. So if one lives the commandments, loves God with their whole heart, whole soul, whole mind, whole spirit, and their neighbors as themselves...that person travels a parallel lane back to God. Our scriptures indicate the way of right living is written on the hearts of (wo) men.
Reference the Scriptures where the returning Apostles complained, "There are some folks casting out devils in your name!" (That is, living Christianity without formally being one). Jesus admonished that they be left alone.
So one can accept Our Lord, without knowing His name. So if one acts like a Christian, one is... even if called by faith tradition, a Juvubian. Jesus himself said He who is not for us, is against us. Yet another Scripture questions, "Who can separate us from the love of Christ, not...distress..."
We read an apocryphal, text that said when our Jewish brethren pray, they actually pray to Yeshua, even though they don't know it.
Lastly, does the reader actually believe Our Lord would create all these souls and that God has made no provision for them? ...Some have never known Christ (but know in their hearts to love their neighbor as themselves..and worship God).
One example we give is that of the Roman Centurion. Required to offer sacrifice to their Gods-- Jupiter, Apollo, and Aphrodite, these officers were otherwise stripped of rank, and executed if they did not. Yet upon the Roman officer's request, Jesus healed his child.
(p)
And as Jesus was about to journey to the Roman's home, the Centurion said words to the effect, "No master, you do not have to. I have charge of many men. If I say go, they do, If I say come they do. SPEAK THE WORD, and the child will be healed."
Jesus commented he had not previously seen such faith. The child was healed forthwith.
If he lived a good life, do you not think God made provision for him at his death?
Lastly, Paul speaking in a stadium said, "I see you have a statue to the unknown God" (That statue was to the ALMIGHTY).Paul proceeded to discourse on the One True God.
Scriptures report Jesus saying that He, "[H]as other sheep, not of that flock/pen!" (See John 10:16).
"I MUST BRING THEM ALSO. They will listen to my voice." (Again, it "is written on the hearts"?)
And "I am the gate (right living of men, living Christlike). "Whoever enters through me, will be saved". (John 10:9 living the example of Christ)
When He goes on ahead of them, His sheep follow him because they know HIS VOICE --THAT STILL , SMALL VOICE INSIDE OF US-CONSCIENCE???? JOHN 10:4,
See also, AI am the Good Shepherd, I know my sheep, and my sheep know me!@
We mere mortals are not God. Only He will make the determination of who is saved and who is not. Didn't Jesus pay the price for all?
Sheep don't know the shepherd's name. Think about it!
Having said all that, one must follow the faith tradition/path chosen or laid out for them. In Jesus' name do so!
But strive not to project Western rubrics--mores, and folkways-- for example, on the ancientTasadaytribe in the Philippine Jungle; nor upon the Hindu in India, or the Buddhists in Japan...OTHER SHEEP OF CHRIST JESUS?
Research Aids
Note: These sites teach our involvement in the church since its inception. But until we add the requisite tables and frames, the following subjects may be accessed by using the Edit button(usually top of the screen, second from the left), then selecting the find option in the appearing top window (or Find and replace button); write in the subject as appearing on this and following linked pages, or use the search this site function in the above, left column.
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Black Catholics, and the Ancient African Church!
PRAYER AND PROMISES PREFACE