Conflict between ecclesiastic and secular marital law

On 08/06/2010, the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church that met at the Papal residence, under the chairmanship of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III and membership of 81 Metropolitans and Bishops and with the support of 9 of the fathers who did not attend, declares that the Coptic Church respects the law but does not accept provisions against the Bible, and against its religious freedom, guaranteed by the Constitution. It also declares that marriage with us is a sacred sacrament and a purely religious work, and not merely an administrative act and the Islamic Sharia [law] says: “Judge among them what they condemn.” Likewise, in all laws relating to personal status, the phrase “according to their Sharia [law]” was mentioned as stated in Law 463 of 55, and in the rulings of the Court of Cassation, the Supreme Constitutional Court, and in the misdemeanor court, which also stated that the patriarch is not a public official.

As for obliging the Church on religious matters against our law, that are against the Bible and the laws of the Church, it is a matter that our consciences cannot accept, and we can never implement it. The subject of the second marriage of the divorced is a purely religious issue governed by the Bible. See the signed text in As for obliging the Church on religious matters against our law, that are against the Bible and the laws of the Church, it is a matter that our consciences cannot accept, and we can never implement it. The subject of the second marriage of the divorced is a purely religious issue governed by the Bible. (See the signed text in Appendix no. 10)