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Early Church Fathers

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › The Church › Early Church Fathers

The question

Do we accept all the teachings of the early church Fathers?

The answer

I think the term "Father" in Patrology should be fully understood first. In the Coptic Orthodox Church certain qualifications must be met in order to be called a "Church Father."

These qualifications include:
  1. Participation in the enrichment of the Christian Literature.(discourses, dialogues, letters, sermons, commentaries on Holy Books).


  2. Adherence to the doctrines and traditions of the church, while bringing the church teachings and doctrines under scrutiny. Although Tertullian and Origen, have contributed a lot of valuable literature to the Patristics, their somewhat unorthodox attitudes have robbed them of the title "Father" in the Coptic Church.


  3. Holiness of Life


  4. Antiquity
Please understand that the Coptic Church does not canonize the Fathers. This is not a Coptic practice.

I would like to encourage you to read "The Apostolic Fathers" written by Father Tadros Malaty. This subject needs an in-depth study in order to understand it.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Related questions

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 140 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.