He's a priest, i'm sure he has sufficiently reasonable discretion to be able to select and use a non-Orthodox author to meet an Orthodox end. If the Apostles and Fathers of the Church could consider certain pagan writers to make some of their points (and not all of them were doing so simply as an evangelistic tool) why can't we consider what some Protestants have to say?
First I have no problem with Coptic sermons at all. God bless the Coptic Orthodox Church for putting her voice to act on the Gospel word to preach to all the world. You will find much less form the rest of us in wide distribution unfortunately.
But this argument you are posing here should be reconsidered in my view.
I know what you intend.
But
purely there is only one source for the Holy Church and that is that which is of the Holy Church. If we allow each other to be so liberal in sighting the writtings of people who are the enemies of the Holy Orthodox Church than we are opening up a new and unfounded chapter. Where will the line be drawn?
I do not say enemy as to mean a dangerous element. I have heard and read some pretty 'Orthodox' things from protestants and others. I say it to mean that the Holy teachings of the fathers are challenged or ignored by these people. The teachings of the fathers are the soul of Holy Orthodox Church.
Paul may have had to use various examples and writings that were developed by those who at his time were outside the true faith and thus had NO real authority for basis in preaching even if the knowledge these writers offered had some incidence of 'pureness'. But Paul's' world was not one wrought with those who believed that they are the 'church' verses those who ARE the Church which is the case today. Paul preached to gentiles who knew not the true God. Different case altogether.
So writers of so-called 'christian' thought or commentary or any other commentary that by some stroke of natural inclination and thought purport an idea that is vastly relevant to truth as the Holy fathers would teach it is really only 'incidental' and not necessarily connected to the
whole truth of the teachings of the Holy Church which comes to us unchanged from our fathers.
The lack of this vital connection is the downfall of such and the trap that is set for us and our fall from the WHOLE truth.
Again; I have no issue with Coptic sermons. I love anything I have heard to date.
I have downloaded dozens of sermons on varying topics. I find some a little contemporary in style. Not my call to say anything contrary here since the effort and intention is clear in my mind.
I do pray that we not loose sight of the fact that we must check ourselves with how and what we use to project Gods word. This includes how we act and live.
To criticise the Coptic Church for being or having protestant leanings in their preaching methods means that we could also criticise any other Orthodox community who does not for example follow strict adherence to eastern traditions or keep up with too much modern architecture for the church buildings, or no longer have the women cover the head in Liturgy or, have men and women standing together in liturgy, or use Icon styles common to secular art and other practices like eater egg hunts and halloween parties et cetera an so on. The list is as big as we want to make it.
I do not mean to offend anyone. I used 'Easter egg hunt' as an example because I have experienced so many non-christians that persue this activity. They love it. You ask them do you worship Jesus Christ? You get every kind of answer except...YES! You here..."This is a kids holiday for me".
Sad...
I am sure that there are people who some how keep Christs' Resurrection as the centre focus of such activities; the sad fact is that the practice today overwhelmingly is marred in secularism; shrouded in the Peter Cotton, and the Easter Bunny culture. The Lord warned us to "not to cast our pearls among swines". The obvious point is that the swine cannot know nor care to know about the precious nature of the pearls and will simply destroy them. Our faith as Christians carry this way. We must be careful (with diligent) to not share with others the precious gift we have received if the gift is not appreciated as we appreciate it. They make our holy traditions as past times and distractions from the truth leaving little hope of demonstrating anything to others that Christ is Risen for the saving of the world.
All these and more we must all check and defend not just how preaching is done.
If we fall from these holy virtues which has been held from the earliest time than we are slowly loosing the 'key' to our fathers understanding of the faith of The Holy Orthodox Church; which is One, Holy and Apostolic in Christ.
