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Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty · Catechism · 1125

Faith Q&A › Catechism › 1. The Creation of the Spiritual World

Do angels have free will?

The answer

Angels are spiritual beings and have authority and free will; whether to stay as they are and grow in goodness and virtue, or to become evil.652 According to St. Basil the Great, it is possible for the angels to deviate towards evil because the heavenly hosts are not holy by nature. Holiness is outside their nature which they can acquire by their hard work and watchfulness. Their perfection is a result of the work of the Holy Spirit within them and their correct usage of their free will.

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty

Notes

652 See St. John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 2.3 (NPNF II/9:B19; PG 94:868).

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty, Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Volumes 1 and 2, Books 1–7. First English Edition, 2023. Published by St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Sporting, Alexandria, and Queen St. Mary & Prince Tadros Coptic Orthodox Church, South Brunswick, NJ. Copyright © 2023. Translation and Editing: Youth of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, Arabian Gulf, and Egypt.