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Please explain exactly what it is that you have a problem with because I do not understand. Do you really think that Dr. Bebawi is a credible source for ANY information? Especially after he has been excommunicated from the Coptic Orthodox Church because of heretical teachings. At first he turned to the Russian Orthodox Church but he left them for the Anglican Church many years ago and I have the official document to prove it! Maybe you should try reading what His Eminence Metropolitan Bishoy has to say about Dr. Bebawi rather than read what Dr. Bebawi has to say about our Church! You should read these articles before making anymore false accusations: [[1]]

My question to you, dear brother in Christ: Have you read and listened ''yourself'' to what Pope Shenouda wrote and said concerning theosis? Did you, for example, listen to his recent weekly, Tuesday lectures in Arabic to Coptic seminarians in Cairo about the subject (delivered in 2007 and all published at copticpope.org)? Pope Shenouda said (and I am here translating what he said word-by-word) that 'even the word/term theosis is not acceptable, even when the claimed status of theosis is said to be reached through God's Grace'. Can you point us to any ''properly referenced'' excerpts from Pope Shenouda's writings or recorded lectures that we can access that mention what you are saying above about theoistheosis?! Have you also read any of his "opponents'" writings about theosis? Did they ever say that theosis makes us gods, in the sense that we become fully equivalent to God almighty?! I can assure you that Fr Matta El-Meskeen, for one, has never made such a claim in any of his writings or sermons. However, it has sadly become the Coptic Church's habit these days to fabricate and falsify (and hide) "evidence" against those she doesn't like (like a 'police state'). They even confiscated copies of an Arabic translation of 'On the Incarnation of the Word' (Athanasius) translated by the Very Rev Fr Markos Dawood, because it mentioned theosis in Chapter 54, Part 3, Pg. 159 - "God became man so that man could become god" (see details at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/39235 ), which contradicts what the Pope said that 'it is impossible that any of the Fathers could have ever mentioned theosis' (again, translating here what he said word-by-word) - "محال ان يكون احد الآباء نادى بذلك". And how could anyone (even if this is St Athanasius the Great) dare to contradict the Pope, who has now become infallible in the Coptic Church, chosen and installed by God and only speaking God's messages (so, in other words, if you are in disagreement with the Pope, you are automatically against God and will fall under God's wrath, as they say). If you can read Arabic, please refer to the following site for a detailed discussion of Pope Shenouda's position regarding theosis: http://au.geocities.com/coptic_truth01/theosis.htm

And theosis is just ONE, minor issue (compared to other issues) out of many other serious theological problems in the current Coptic Church teachings (not to mention the many financial and administrative issues, like selling 're-marriage permits' to divorced Copts who can afford to pay, and denying them to tens of thousands of similar cases who are poor, telling them that Christ said no divorce except for adultery - these same Bible verses have no effect when you are friend of a prominent bishop and can pay -- see the Arabic book entitle entitled 'طلاق الاقباط' [published by دار ميريت بالقاهرة in 2006 in Cairo] by the well-known Coptic journalist, Karima Kamal, which includes well-documented cases and statistics).

Style: We say 'is said to' because part of our policy is not to be involved in debates. It's not us (as OrthodoxWiki) who are accusing Pope Shenouda or Met. Bishoy; it's other parties involved in the conflict, hence the use of 'is said to' and 'would thus contardictcontradict'.

P.S. See this audio recording of Pope Shenouda III about theosisdated 15 Dec 1998: http://www.zeitun-eg.net/members_contrib/TheosisByPopeShenouda_Audio.wma