Ecclesiastical Economy is the study of Church administration. It is a vast discipline with many fields, and its roots trace back to the early establishment of the Christian Church and can be found in the Book of Acts, Saint Paul the Apostle’s epistles, and the catholic epistles. Ecclesiastical economy is an extremely important biblical and church term. The miracle of feeding the multitudes with five loaves and two fish suffices as an example; it is the only miracle mentioned in all four Gospels. We also read it in the Divine Liturgy of the fifth Sunday of any Coptic month, and we call it the Gospel of Blessing or the Gospel of Satisfaction. Additionally, we read and pray it in the Gospel of the ninth hour from the Agpeya.
Along the same lines, when we select a deacon to become a priest, he must be “one who rules his own house well” so that he can properly lead in the Church of God. Saint Paul the Apostle mentions in his epistle to the Romans a specific list of types of people working in God’s vast vineyard through various gifts: “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:6-8). The phrase “he who leads, with diligence” means the person who has the ability to use the available resources in the best way in his service, alongside those with whom he serves, without wasting time, effort, thought, or money.
Ecclesiastical economy is applied in many fields, such as the administration of a diocese, a single church, a monastery, the service system in all its sectors, a service building such as a school, a hospital, a clinic, or a vocational center, and in administration of guest houses for expatriates, the elderly, the disabled, addicts, special cases, etc.
In November 2012, after God chose my weakness to take the responsibility of serving the Church, a journalist asked, “What is the first thing you will do?” My answer was: “Organizing the house from within.” This response means organizing the administrations, both general and specialized, in the Coptic Orthodox Church because she is growing, expanding, and extending both inside and outside Egypt. The Spirit of God works through its fathers and servants in this growth and expansion.
Therefore, the first step was to prepare governing regulations. The Holy Synod established about ten studied policies, with the help of specialists in these fields, such as church board guidelines, choosing priests and their responsibilities guidelines, new bishop guidelines, monastery/convent administration guidelines, and others. These regulations have been in place for ten years, and they may need to be rewritten and reviewed.
Then, we began a long journey for ecclesiastical economy through the establishment of a specialized institute called the Coptic Institute for Church Administration & Development, also known as Copticad, in 2015. It is led by Professor Dr. Magdy Latif, with a team of lecturers and specialists in administration, leadership, and development. Over the past ten years, the Institute has put in a commendable effort in providing curricula, courses, and many programs in the fields of ecclesiastical economy, and it has published several specialized books. There was also a full opportunity to present and offer these programs at the November 2021 seminar of the Holy Synod, which was a very successful event, praised by all for the value of its content and the benefit of its discussions. Over these ten years, the institute and its professors have visited most of the dioceses in Egypt, and its activities have extended to some dioceses outside Egypt, such as the Archdiocese in the West Coast of the USA, and the Diocese of Sydney & Affiliated Regions in Australia. As the institute celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2025, it continues its mission of academic and administrative success, and some of its professors regularly write important articles for the Alkiraza Magazine.
Another step was taken through LOGOS Coptic Youth Forum, both in Egypt and abroad. These conferences aim to provide comprehensive and high-quality programs for the youth to enable them to become leaders and servants at a level befitting the service of the Church. This year, the fifth LOGOS Coptic Youth Forum will take place for the youth from our churches abroad. It is a successful and impactful experience connecting the youth to their Egyptian roots. This experience relies on quality rather than quantity, which is served through the churches and dioceses in youth meetings, conferences, and retreats throughout the year.
From these Logos forums, emerged what is called “Service Weeks,” where the youth from any of the gatherings cooperate to provide numerous services in many regions within churches and dioceses. Those would take on all expenses for the programs and everything necessary for the success of these services, which take place for both young and old, in various shelters for the service of refugees and vulnerable groups. Moreover, the Youth Forums Office was established at the patriarchate to oversee these activities so that they may be conducted with organization and successful administration.
Additionally, a new idea was born with the establishment of an office to coordinate between the youth abroad and the service needs in villages, churches, and dioceses within Egypt. This office was named the “HIGH Office” (which stands for Hands in God’s Hand), and the idea was conceived during the meeting of the Synodal Committee for Immigration Lands Affairs last year.
In the journey of ecclesiastical economy, a new step emerged with the preparation of the “LOGOS Leadership Program,” where a limited number of outstanding young men and women are selected from among hundreds of applicants for this intensive program. It is designed to prepare modern youth leaders capable of making an impact in youth ministries both theoretically and practically through innovative and creative projects that reveal the skills, talents, and abilities these young people possess. This takes place in both Cairo and the monastery, where the LOGOS Papal Center is located.
In a new and remarkable step in Alexandria, fifty young men and women were selected to enroll in the National Training Academy, where they underwent a comprehensive training program presented by a number of professors and specialists in a manner that greatly impressed the youth. After completing their training and graduating, they had the opportunity to establish the Alexandria Youth Council under the direct supervision of the general bishops of Alexandria and with coordination by Hegumen Fr. Abraam Emil, the Patriarchal Vicar. I attended the inauguration of this service with them on Friday, February 21, 2025, where they presented a strong and effective display of what they had studied and learned, equipping them to be youth leaders in their churches. We suffer from a shortage of well-prepared youth leaders who possess the talent and capabilities necessary to serve today’s youth successfully with both spiritual and contemporary advancement.
Thus, the long journey of ecclesiastical economy continues, which will undoubtedly contribute to optimizing Church service in all sectors and among the new generations. Here we are at the end of the first quarter of the twenty-first century—time is accelerating, everything is changing, and the house still requires more arrangement and order.
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