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Questions & Answers

Ethiopian Church

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › The Church › Ethiopian Church

The question

Is it true that the Ethiopian church endorses more books in their Old and New Testament than the Coptic Church? If so, how can we be in communion with a church that uses books that our church has rejected as not canonical or inspired?

The answer

Our Coptic Church is in communion with the Ethiopian church because it believes in the same dogmas. It is true that the Ethiopian Church adopted some extra books and added them to the Holy Bible as canonical. Our Coptic Orthodox Church does not accept these books as inspired by God, but the church accepts some of them as authentic writings and teachings of the early fathers.

The Book 'The Shepherd of Hermas' is actually taught as Early Church Writings in the Patrology courses, in the Coptic School of Theology.

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 155 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.