In his last weekly sermon, Coptic Pope Shenouda III was asked why he has consistently refused to appoint a successor, given that the biblical prophet Moses chose Joshua to succeed him.
"It was God that chose Joshua," the pope responded, "[Prophet Mohamed’s companion] Omar bin el-Khattab refused to be held responsible for appointing a successor that may not have turned out to be the right choice."
The pope also talked about conscience. "God created conscience before man," he said. "Conscience is superior to law because it can reveal thoughts and intentions, whereas the law requires proof."
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
