Letter 6

From: Ambrose and the bishops of Italy To: Emperor Theodosius Date: ~382 AD Context: A follow-up letter defending their earlier request for a council — the bishops explain their motives, report their condemnation of Apollinaris's followers, and insist they are upholding ancient tradition, not innovating. To the most blessed Emperor and most merciful prince Theodosius — Ambrose and the other bishops of Italy. The report of your faith, spread throughout the whole world, has stirred deep affection in our hearts. Because we desired this glory too for your reign — that you might be seen to have restored unity to both the Western and Eastern Churches — we judged it necessary to address your Clemency, both to appeal to you and to inform you of church affairs, most tranquil and faithful Emperor. It grieved us that the bonds of sacred communion between East and West had been broken. We will not dwell now on whose errors or whose faults caused this — lest we seem to be spinning idle tales. We do not regret having tried what, if left unattempted, would have been blameworthy. We were often reproached precisely for appearing to neglect fellowship with the East and to refuse their goodwill. We also judged it our duty to take action — not on behalf of Italy, which has long been at peace from the Arians and undisturbed by heretical interference; not, I say, for ourselves, since we do not seek what is ours but what belongs to all; not for Gaul or Africa, which enjoy the united fellowship of all their bishops — but so that the issues which have disrupted our communion from the Eastern quarter might be examined in council, and every cause of doubt removed. We were moved not only by the matters your Clemency saw fit to address, but also by certain people who are reportedly trying to introduce the novel teaching of Apollinaris [who denied that Christ had a full human mind] into the Church. Such persons needed to be confronted in person, convicted of their novel doctrine, and refuted in their error — so that they could neither hide behind the general banner of "the faith" nor retain the office and title of priest for teaching what contradicts the Church's doctrine. We made our request for a council not to insult anyone, nor to depart from the established practice of the fathers. When matters are examined with the parties present, truth prevails. When they are decided in absence, suspicion flourishes.

EPISTOLA XIV. THEODOSIO quod restituendae inter orientalem atque occidentalem Ecclesiam unitati operam dedisset, commendato, episcopi cur de ea re superiorem scripserint epistolam, exponunt: addunt curae etiam sibi fuisse ut fautores Apollinaris condemnarentur: postremo nec se Concilium petendo injuriam cuipiam intulisse, nec a majorum instituto usquam defecisse asserunt. Beatissimo imperatori, et clementissimo principi THEODOSIO, AMBROSIUS et caeteri episcopi Italiae. 1. Fidei tuae diffusa toto orbe cognitio intimum nostrae mentis demulsit affectum; eoque, ut haec quoque gloria tuo imperio crearetur, quod unitatem reddidisse Occidentalium juxta atque Orientalium Ecclesiis videreris, clementiam tuam obsecrandam pariter, ac super Ecclesiasticis negotiis instruendam nostris litteris aestimavimus, Imperator tranquillissime ac fidelissime. Dolori enim erat inter Orientales atque Occidentales interrupta sacrae communionis esse consortia. 2. Silemus jam quorum errore, quorumve delicto, ne serere fabulas et alloquia cassa videamur. Nec nos tentasse poenitet, quod intentatum caderet in culpam. Isto enim saepe arguebamur, quod posthabere Orientalium societatem, et refutare gratiam videremur. 818 3. Laborem quin etiam nobis indicendum putavimus, non pro Italia, quae jamdudum ab Arianis quieta atque secura est, nec ulla haereticorum perturbatione vexatur: non, inquam, pro nobis; quia non quaerimus quae nostra sunt, sed quae sunt omnium: non pro Gallia atque Africa, quae omnium sacerdotum concordi societate potiuntur; sed ut ea quae communionem nostram de Orientis parte turbaverunt, cognoscerentur in synodo, et omnis e medio scrupulus tolleretur. 4. Non solum enim de his de quibus clementia tua dignata est scribere, sed etiam de illis, qui dogma nescio quod, Apollinaris asseritur, in Ecclesiam conantur inducere, nos pleraque moverunt, quae partibus fuerant resecanda praesentibus; ut convictus in dogmate novo, et redargutus in errore, nequaquam sub generali fidei lateret nomine: sed illico, quod doctrinae magisterio non teneret, et officium deponeret, et vocabulum sacerdotis; nec fibrae aliquae posthac fallere cupientibus, et praestigiarum commenta remanerent. Nam qui convictus non fuerit praesentibus partibus, quod vere augusto principalique responso tua clementia definivit,referendam semper ansulam quaestionis arripiet. 5. Eo igitur obsecravimus sacerdotale concilium, ut nemini liceret mendacium in absentem componere, et in concilio discuteretur quid esset in vero. Itaque non cadit in eos intentionis vel facilitatis ulla suspicio, qui omnia praesentibus partibus observarunt. 6. Sane allegata texuimus, non definiendi, sed instruendi gratia: et qui judicium petivimus, non deferimus praejudicium. Neque ullum eorum aestimandum convicium fuit, cum rogarentur ad concilium sacerdotes, quorum frequenter praesentior absentia fuit, quando in commune consuluit. Neque enim vel nos aestimavimus esse convicium, cum unus Constantinopolitanae Ecclesiae presbyter, Paulus nomine, intra Achaiam synodum Orientalium juxta atque Occidentalium postulaverit. 7. Advertit clementia tua non fuisse irrationabile postulatum, quod etiam ab orientalibus est petitum. Sed quia Illyrici suspecta movetur, ideo maritima ac tutiora quaesita sunt. Neque plane nos tamquam ex forma aliquid innovavimus: sed sanctae memoriae Athanasii, qui quasi columen fidei fuit, et veteris sanctitatis patrum nostrorum in conciliis definita servantes, non evellimus terminos, quos posuerunt patres nostri; nec haereditariae communionis 819 jura violamus: sed debitam vestro imperio honorificentiam reservantes, studiosos nos pacis et quietis ostendimus.