Coptic Church & Ecumenical Movement - Saint Mina Coptic ...

PREFACE
Before His death on the cross, our Lord Jesus prayed to His Father for the unity of the Church,
“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in
Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:21).
“Make efforts for unity, there is nothing better than it is”, wrote St. Ignatius of Antioch to St.
Policarp of Smyrna. These are evangelical patristic calls, which never lose their topicality.
“The whole Christian world”, writes Pope Shenouda III, “is anxious to see the church unite.
Christian people – being fed up with divisions and dispersion – are pushing their church leaders
to do something about church unity and I am sure that the Holy Spirit is inspiring us”. These
empowering words from the Patriarch of Alexandria and one of the Presidents of the World
Council of Churches (1991-1998) and one of the Presidents of the Middle East Council of
Churches (1994+), reflects the deep commitment of the Coptic Church to the Ecumenical
movement.
As founding members of the World Council of Churches in 1948 and the All Africa Conference
of Churches in 1963 and the Middle East Council of Churches in 1974, the Church of Alexandria
has given careful attention to and has worked tirelessly for Christian unity.
Over the last five decades, clergy and laity from the Coptic Church have been instrumental in
capturing, developing and enhancing the ecumenical vision as articulated by Pope Shenouda.
This ecumenical vision is constructed upon unity of faith and not unity of jurisdiction. This has
manifested itself in theological dialogue at bilateral and unilateral levels; constructing bridges of
love and actively participating in ecumenical organisations at national, regional and international
levels. In all these endeavours, the Church fulfils the words of the Scriptures; “One Lord, one
faith, one baptism.” (Ephesians 4:5).
This book is far from exhaustive; rather it is an attempt to acquaint the reader with an outline of
the Coptic Orthodox Church contribution to the Ecumenical movement over the past five
decades. May the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, continue to guide our church’s comprehensive
efforts and bless the future work that lies ahead. Thus the visible unity of the one Holy
Universal and Apostolic Church can be fully achieved in Christ.
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MAGED ATTIA, B.A.LLB
Sydney, Australia,
Pentecost, June 2001