Letter 80

From: Ambrose, Bishop of Milan To: Bellicius Date: ~387 AD Context: A letter of encouragement to a man named Bellicius who was considering conversion to Christianity, addressing his philosophical hesitations and his fear of social consequences. Ambrose to Bellicius — greetings. I understand your hesitation. The step you are considering is not a small one, and I would be a poor pastor if I pretended otherwise. You will lose friends — some of them. The circle of educated, cultivated men in which you move does not look kindly on conversion. They will call you credulous, or weak, or — worst of all in their vocabulary — unfashionable. You know this already, because you have heard them say it about others. You will gain something greater: the truth. I do not say this lightly, and I am not asking you to take it on faith alone. Examine the evidence. The philosophers you admire — Plato, Plotinus, Cicero — all pointed beyond themselves toward a truth they could not fully grasp. Christianity is not the rejection of philosophy; it is its fulfillment. What Plato glimpsed in shadows, Christ revealed in the flesh. You worry about the intellectual credibility of the faith. Look at the converts: Victorinus, one of the greatest philosophical minds of our century. Ambrose — if I may speak of myself — a former provincial governor and Roman senator [Ambrose held the rank of consularis before his election as bishop]. Augustine of Hippo, the most brilliant intellect of the current generation [Augustine's conversion in Milan in 386 was already making waves by the time Ambrose wrote this]. These are not weak men or credulous men. They are men who followed reason as far as reason could go, and then accepted the hand of grace that reached down where reason could not. Come and see (John 1:46). Attend the catechetical instruction. Ask every question you have. No honest question will be refused. And when you are ready — not before — the waters of baptism will receive you. I will be waiting. Take your time, but do not take too long. Life is shorter than philosophy admits. Farewell.

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