The Life of Repentance and Purity

by Pope Shenouda III

The Life of Repentance and Purity provides readers with a comprehensive overview of the practice of repentance and purity, essential aspects of Christian life. Pope Shenouda III draws on Scripture, the Church Fathers, his own experience of desert monasticism, and his experience as a shepherd to millions of Christians to provide a practical understanding of how to live a life of continually turning to God.

My advice to you, instead of saying, I promise you that I will repent, O Lord, say to the Lord: Restore me, and I will return (Jeremiah 31:18). Ask for repentance as a good gift from him, for he himself promised this, saying: I shall give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you (Ezekiel 36.26).

The Coptic Studies Series at St Vladimir s Seminary Press was conceived with a two-fold purpose: to increase the accessibility of the many treasures of Coptic Orthodox Christianity to a wider English-speaking audience; and to cross-pollinate the spiritual minds of Coptic Orthodox Christians and their Eastern Orthodox brethren with the knowledge of a common faith in the incarnate Word of God who is the true source of all wisdom and knowledge.

Genres: Spirituality, Christian, Religion, Christianity

322 pages, Paperback

Published February 19, 2016

About the author

H.H. Pope Shenouda III (Coptic: Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ Ⲁⲃⲃⲁ Ϣⲉⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲅ̅ Papa Abba Šenoude pimah šoumt , Arabic: بابا الإسكندرية شنودة الثالث‎ Bābā al-Iskandarīyah Shinūdah al-Thālith; born Nazeer Gayed Roufail نظير جيد روفائيل ) was the 117th Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of the See of St. Mark in the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria from his consecration on 14 November 1971 until death. Previously, as Father Antonios the Syrian, Pope Cyril VI appointed him to the bishopric of Christian Education and as Dean of the Coptic Orthodox Theological Seminary, and renamed him Shenouda in honour of the renowned scholar and writer in Coptic, Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite on 30 September 1962.

In 2000, Pope Shenouda III was awarded the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence by UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura.

Reviews

[Gage Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was well-worth it. Using it for essay prep but it had a lot for my heart as well.

[Monica Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read. Though some sections read a bit “heavy,” overall it’s an extremely humbling, insightful and practical book.

[Ted · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book takes a very hard line approach to repentance. No matter how much you repent, it is never enough, you have more sins than you want to admit, being sorry for sin is not enough - you must hate sin. If you think you have repented, you are guilty of the sin of pride. One is always at least one step away from true repentance.

[Kristie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very special book on repentance - a humbling and challenging read. One of Pope Shenouda's pieces of advice on remaining contrite is to read books that humble you and remind you that you have not yet reached purity. This is indeed one of those books.

[Biruk Abate]

Beautiful.

[Dan Brownie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very, very good. I wish I didn’t read it as an e-book and not in the train.

[Elio · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read!