The funeral service of Prof. Maurice Tawadros, Professor and Head of the Bible Section of the Seminary college, Professor of Biblical Theology at the Institute of Coptic Studies was held on Sunday August 5, 2018, at the Church of St. Mark Cleopatra, Heliopolis, in the presence of Their Eminences Anba Abram, Bishop of Fayoum, Anba Basanti, Bishop of Helwan and Maasara , Anba Ermia, General Bishop and head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center, Anba Agathon, Bishop of Maghaghah and Adwa, Anba Makarios, Bishop of Minya and Anba Maximus, Bishop of El-Salam and Herafein, in addition to a large group of priests and Coptic congregation.
HG Anba Ermia, General Bishop and head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center, conveyed in his sermon condolence of HH Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the see of St. Mark to all his loved ones and family members, describing the late as a “Great Scholar” who taught many of the church leaders in various positions, His grace also conveyed condolences of HG Anba Bishoy, Metropolitan of Damietta, Kafr El-Sheikh and Abbot of St. Demiana Monastery in Belqas desert, HG Anba Sarabamon, Bishop and Abbot of St. Bishoy monastery and HG Anba Moussa, Bishop of Youth.
Bequest of Prof. Maurice Tawadros
Eng. Soliman Fayez delivered bequest of Prof. Maurice Tawadros at the funeral
The last message of Dr. Maurice Tawadros he delivered at Coptic Doctrine Convention, September 2017, which is the last bequest f or all his lovers and lovers of the Church everywhere .. He said:
“The Church is no longer one (in education) but it has become factions. Everyone teaches and says what he wants. So before talking about unity with other churches, we need internal unity!
He did not create in the Church those who are like Athanasius and Cyril. Do not tell me that so and so said, or father so and so said… Who says that we replace the great scholars of the Church and our great fathers, who gave us accurate teachings and were exiled and stood before Arius and Nestorius with any one? Unfortunately, we are replacing our great fathers and great teachers with some people who have received a certificate from here or there.
We live in this situation now. The Church is no longer one but has turned into factions.. Each faction has an opinion. Each faction has a teacher.
We do not need to formulate our dogma!!! The one who believes that the Coptic Church needs to define its doctrine is in error. The same is in error who believes we need to form a committee to teach us doctrine. Does the Coptic Church have no doctrine?! Does the Coptic Church have no dogma to this point? Will we begin now define the faith of the Church? And yet people come to us and tell us views we have not heard for the past 2000 years!
I am troubled. And I see many youth troubled. When I see in the heart of the seminary that the student hears from the professor one teaching and hears from another professor completely different teachings. One confirms to him the existence of the inheritance of original sin. The other makes fun of the existence of original sin, saying that this so and so great person said this or that .. Who is this great person? Who is this who distorts the doctrine?
We live in a farce. What will we teach after that? We know what is fueling the disputes. We know what is fueling the difference in understanding of doctrine. This way we kill our doctrine! What is the position of the student in the seminary when he hears this? What will that student do? Will he go to the right or left? Where will he go? He will lose everything. I am afraid that he may end up losing his faith. Believe me .This is the seed of atheism. Even if it is not announced as such.
His Holiness Pope Tawdros in the last issue of the seminary magazine spoke in his article about the Coptic Orthodox Church…about its sound doctrine .. about its true faith .. He said very nice words .. “We are an Orthodox Church, and we are not Chalcedonians” These words attracted me . The Pope in his speech explained that our faith has boundaries. He said, “We belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church, which has a history, and has maintained faith through all ages. As for our relationship with churches in the whole world, I can keep what suits me, but within the framework of Orthodox doctrine.”
Therefore, it is not correct in the seminary for a student to hear one teaching and then hear the opposite .. What the Church is currently living is fatal .. There may not be a time where we find those who are living among the sheep!
They say what do you think that father Matthew the Poor says so and so, and George Bibawi says so and so. What is this? Will these teach us ?! !! .. We want the teachings of Athanasius and Cyril!
I have one final word. Anyone who boasts of their knowledge of the Greek language, let me tell you that anyone can learn the Greek language in one year! Give me fifty people and I will teach them the Greek language.
In our dispute with the Greek Church, the dispute is no longer about the nature of Christ. This was in the past. The Greek Church now is very far from the ancient Greek Church, and far from the Orthodox teachings of the ancient Greek Church. What we hear from their teachings now is no longer the teaching of the Fathers. Liberalism has entered the Church more than it has entered into society. Liberalism has entered the Greek Church. I will remind you of a simple example. I have Greek books and gave them to our students. They are very different than the modern Greek books. What was taught in the old books is completely different from what is taught now. It is not the language of the fathers, but a modern translation.
We are in danger .. I am not comfortable ..I decided to withdraw from all work in the church and dedicated myself to organize a group in order to teach them the Greek language, through which they can subject themselves to the mind of the fathers, so that no one can mislead them.”
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Sermon of HG Anba Ermia in the funeral service of Prof. Maurice Tawadros, disciple of St. Archdeacon, Habib Girgis
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Sermon of HG Anba Agathon in the funeral service of Prof. Maurice Tawadros, disciple of St. Archdeacon, Habib Girgis
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Sermon of HH Pope Tawadros II by HG Anba Maximus in the funeral service of Prof. Maurice Tawadros
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Bequest of Prof. Maurice Tawadros, by Soliman Fayez at the funeral service at St. Mark Church
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Sermon of Fr. Sergius in the funeral service of Prof. Maurice Tawadros, disciple of St. Archdeacon, Habib Girgis
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