SSCN Voumes 1-10, 1994-2004

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

-Book on the Unity (Kitab al-Tawhid) -Book on the Union (Kitab al-Itahad) -Book of the Splendid, a refutation of the Jews (Kitab al-Baher) -Book of the Exposition and Detailed Account, a refutation of the Nestorians (Kitab al-Sharh wa al-Tafsil) -Book Concerning Religion, written for the Wazir Cosmas ibn Menas (Kitab fi al-Din) -Book on the Arrangement of the Pearl (Kitab Nazm al-Gawhr) -Book on the Synods (Kitab al-Magallis) -Book on the Curing of sadness and the Healing of Afflictions (Kitab Tib al-Ghamm wa Shefaa al-Huzn) -Book on the Councils (Kitab al-Magamaa) -Book of the Commentary on the Faith (Kitab Tafsir al-Amana) -Book of the Announcement, a refutation of the Jews (Kitab al-Tabligh) -Book of Refutation of Sai‘d ibn Batriq (Kitab al- Radd ‘la Sai‘d ibn Batriq) -Book on the Signification of the Children of the Faithful and the Impious, and on How the Two Souls Rise (Kitab Fi ma‘na Atfal al-Mu‘mainin wa al-Kuffar wa Keifa Taqoum al-Nafsain) -Book of the Elucidation, namely, the Lamp of the Soul (Kitab al-Istidah wa howa Misbah al- Nafs) -Book of the Biographies (Kitab al-Sayar) -Book of the Discernment (Kitab al-Istibsar) -Book on the order of the Priesthood, Twelve Chapters on the Rites of the Church (Kitab Tartib al-Kahanout, Al-Athana‘shar Tuqous al- Bai‘ah) -Book on the differences of the Sects (Kitab Ikhtilaf al-Feriq) -Book on the Judgments (Kitab al-Ahkam) -Book on the exposition of the Union (Kitab Idah al-Itahad) The second list of Severus’ works is given by the famous writer, from the later period of the thirteen century, ibn Kabar. He mentions twenty-six books. A comparison of the two lists shows that some of the books were probably known by more than one

title. In his Geschichte der Christlichen Arabishen Litratures , Dr. Georg Graf gives a list with a brief summary of each of the extant manuscripts of Severus’ works. Comparing this list with the two mentioned above discloses that some works are lost, and out of the existing works, many are still unedited. Severus - a Defender of the Faith: Severus occupies an important place as a defender of his church’s faith and teachings against other religions as well as against other sects of Christianity. This he did, not only by writing his apologies but also in confrontations with Christians of different confessions and with Moslems and Jews. It is known that he was chosen by the Patriarch Abraham the Syrian (971-74 AD.) to attend and participate in audiences held by the Fatimid Caliph al-Mu‘izz. There, he discussed some dogmatic questions with an intelligent Jew named Moses, who was a friend of the Jewish vizer ibn Killis. On other numerous occasions, Severus, under the orders of the Caliph al-Mu‘izz, discussed some religious questions with the knowledgeable Moslems. Severus also defended his convictions against the Nestorians, in particular, Elias (Iliya) ‘Ali b. ‘Ubayd bishop of Damascus. In 955, ibn al-Muqaffa‘ completed his book of al-Majami’ (the book of the Councils) in which he gives a defense of the doctrine of the Coptic Church in refutation to the writings of the Melekite Sai‘d ibn al-Batriq. This work which is the second best known of Severus’ writings, has been edited and translated into French by P. Chelbi.

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter It is also known that in a lost work of Severus, in a chapter about God’s attributes, he refuted the opinion of the Jews and the Mu‘tazelite Moslems concerning their materialistic interpretation of God the Word.

Severus’ theological views were even known outside of Egypt. Graf cites a commentary by the Nestorian bishop of Nisibus Iliya b. Shina (975- 1045 AD) on the ideas of Cyril, Severus ibn al-

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