Faith Q&A › Catechism › 5. The Church: House of Salvation

Is it fitting for the shepherd to compliment the people at the expense of their salvation?

The answer

Origen absolutely opposes this principle. He says, “Can I throw the pearls’ of the word of God to your deaf and averted ears?”¹⁰⁷⁹ Again he says, “Perhaps I seem rather harsh to you, but I cannot ‘whitewash’ a falling ‘wall.’?”¹⁰⁸⁰

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty

Notes

¹⁰⁷⁹ Origen, Homilies on Genesis 10:1 (FOTC 71:158).

¹⁰⁸⁰ Origen, Homilies on Genesis 10:1 (FOTC 71:158).

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty, Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Volume 1, Books 1–3. 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.