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

His Grace Bishop Yohannes of Gharbieh.
Dr. Maurice Tadros, Professor of New Testament, Coptic Theological College
Dr. George Bebawi, Professor of Patristics; General Secretary of the Association of
Theological Institutions in the Near East; secretary of the Coptic Orthodox delegation.
Mr. Amin Fakhry Abdelnour, lay leader in church, social, and civil institutions.
JOINT REPORT
Introduction
The Joint Commission between the Catholic Church and Coptic Orthodox Church
established by His Holiness Pope Paul VI and His Holiness Pope Shenouda III during
their meeting in Rome, May 1973, held its first plenary session in Cairo from March 26
to 30, 1974. According to the mandate given it, the commission is “to guide common
study in the fields of church tradition, patristics, liturgy, theology, history and practical
problems, so that by cooperation in common we may seek to resolve, in a spirit of mutual
respect, the differences existing between our Churches and be able to proclaim together
the Gospel in ways which correspond to the authentic message of the Lord and to the
needs and hopes of today’s world
During its meetings the Commission considered the progress made up to the present in
theological studies with a view to seeing if further steps could be taken regarding our
understanding of Christology and to determining points which need further clarification
and study. It was possible to move a step further in the presentation of the faith of our
churches at this time in Jesus Christ the Incarnate Son of God. Recommendations for
further theological studies to be undertaken by experts of both Churches, as well as
recommendations concerning the cooperation between the two Churches in the practical
field were agreed upon.
I. A Statement on Christology
1. With regard to the Christological understanding of both our Churches, and as a
further development of what was already stated by our church leaders in their
Common Declaration, the members of the Joint Commission are in agreement on the
following.
2. We confess that the union that took place in the Incarnation between the Godhead and
the Manhood of Our Lord is a mystery incomprehensible to any created mind,
ineffable, inexpressible, beyond description and too great for words.
3. We must humbly recognise the limitations of our minds to grasp the truth of it, nor
are we able to give adequate words in our human language to fully express it.
4. According to the truth of our salvation which is revealed to us through the Holy
Spirit in the Scriptures and the tradition of our common Fathers before the schism,
we together confess that one of the Holy Trinity, the Second Person, who is true God,
for the sake of the economy of our salvation, has assumed to Himself from the holy
Virgin Mary a real body possessing a rational soul. This ensouled flesh did not exist
before the union. The body remained body although glorified after the God befitting
81