Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States
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I have some questions about the Church’s canon law and unclean animals. What is the canon law of the Coptic Orthodox Church regarding this matter? What is the relation between clean and unclean animals in the Old Testament with Christ in the New Testament? Why do we not apply this Old 
Testament law anymore? Why can we eat anything?

With regard to the consumption of animals, the Coptic Orthodox Church does not have any religious restrictions specific to animals that were identified as "unclean" in the Old Testament. This new understanding was adopted in the early Church when the Lord Himself purposed to help St. Peter understand and establish the new canon of the Church (Acts 10). Unclean animals were considered to be impure species because of some sort of defect. Some biblical scholars speculate that that the impure breeds were also a threat to public health. St. Peter first had to reconcile the differences between Jewish and Gentile customs. He needed to erase his former prejudices against the Gentiles that were not beholden to the same standards as the Jews. Therefore, the Lord showed him a vision that would delete his predisposition. He was told to rise, kill, and eat, and furthermore to not call anything common that Christ has cleansed. The same expectation of circumcision imposed on the Gentiles who wished to convert would have eventually turned them away. Thus, former laws such as these were unproductive in the indoctrination of the early Church. St. Peter was concerned about keeping his former Jewish traditions, but this would have prevented him from evangelism and reaching out to potential believers who were seeking salvation. Without bigotry, but rather with great humility, he needed to be able to go to the Gentiles and to eat the food that they would set before him, without any bias about their former religions. At last, St. Peter connected the meaning of his dreams and what his purpose was for his visit to Cornelius. (see Acts 10).

“Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:34-35).
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