So Many Years with the Problems of People
About this ebook series
The history of questions with me is lengthy. Since I have been ordained a Bishop on September 30,1962, over twenty-five years ago, I adopted a specific method in teaching and preaching: to give a chance for the audience to introduce their questions and have them answered before the beginning of the main lecture.
This way thousands of questions accumulated before me during the thousands of lectures that I have given, in the weekly spiritual meetings, on Friday evenings; the Bible study meetings on Tuesday (1968-1972); the theological lectures on Wednesday; my meetings with the priests; with the Sunday school teachers and their conferences; the meetings of college societies; general meetings in Alexandria, on Sunday; the lectures that were given in the theological seminary in Alexandria and Cairo; or the spiritual meetings during my visits to churches and dioceses.
Even before my monastic life, I used to answer the spiritual questions of the readers of the Sunday school magazine and the questions followed me everywhere, even in the monastery.
The questions varied some around biblical verses, some about theology, doctrines, ministry, spiritual life or social relationships and many other subjects... I excluded what was repetitious, personal, or what I answered with one sentence or a joke.
I chose what was fit from the questions for publication, so the people would not have to ask the same questions again and to have almost uniform answers to such questions.
Pope Shenouda III
This way thousands of questions accumulated before me during the thousands of lectures that I have given, in the weekly spiritual meetings, on Friday evenings; the Bible study meetings on Tuesday (1968-1972); the theological lectures on Wednesday; my meetings with the priests; with the Sunday school teachers and their conferences; the meetings of college societies; general meetings in Alexandria, on Sunday; the lectures that were given in the theological seminary in Alexandria and Cairo; or the spiritual meetings during my visits to churches and dioceses.
Even before my monastic life, I used to answer the spiritual questions of the readers of the Sunday school magazine and the questions followed me everywhere, even in the monastery.
The questions varied some around biblical verses, some about theology, doctrines, ministry, spiritual life or social relationships and many other subjects... I excluded what was repetitious, personal, or what I answered with one sentence or a joke.
I chose what was fit from the questions for publication, so the people would not have to ask the same questions again and to have almost uniform answers to such questions.
Pope Shenouda III
This Second Part includes theological and dogmatic questions that occupy the minds of the people. We tried to tackle them in an easy way as far as possible so that everyone may understand them. However, we still have enough theological and biblical questions for many books.
We hope that this collection will be beneficial and convey the message, especially among the youth, in the service and to the students of the religious institutes as well as to whoever wants to know the answers to these questions.
Pope Shenouda III
This third part concerns all kinds of spiritual questions, along with questions which circulate in society which require answering, such as a question about drinking wine, and another about organ transplants, and a third about how to solve problems, which I have answered in some detail. This part comprises some forty-four questions in the majority of which I have taken special care to give an answer that is to the point.
With the help of your prayers, I shall continue to publish what answers I can to those questions which I consider to be most common and most important.
May all be well for you and may the Lord be with you.
February 1990
Pope Shenouda III