Letter 82: Although I have replied already to your Grace by the hand of the Constantinopolitan clergy, yet on receiving your clemency's mercy through the illustrious prefect of the city, my son Tatian, I found still greater cause for congratulation, because I have learned your strong eagerness for the Church's peace. And this holy desire as in fairness it...

To Marcian Augustus [Emperor Marcian, who ruled the Eastern Roman Empire 450-457 and convened the Council of Chalcedon]. I. After congratulating the Emperor on his noble conduct, he discourages further open-ended debates about the Faith. Although I have already replied to your Grace through the Constantinopolitan clergy, upon receiving your clemency's communication through the illustrious city prefect, my son Tatian, I found even greater cause for congratulation. I have learned of your strong eagerness for the Church's peace. This holy desire rightly secures for your empire the same prosperity you seek for religion. For when the Spirit of God establishes harmony among Christian rulers, a twofold confidence spreads throughout the world: the growth of love and faith makes their military power unconquerable in every direction, because with God won over by one united confession of faith, both the falsity of heretics and the hostility of barbarians are simultaneously overcome, most glorious Emperor. With the hope of heavenly aid strengthened by the Emperor's friendship, I venture with all the greater confidence to appeal to your Grace on behalf of the mystery of human salvation: do not allow anyone, through empty and presumptuous cleverness, to treat as uncertain what must be believed as settled. Although we may not depart from the teaching of the Gospels and Apostles by a single word, nor hold any opinion on the Divine Scriptures different from what the blessed Apostles and our Fathers learned and taught, even now in these latter days, ignorant and blasphemous inquiries are being raised — the same ones the Holy Spirit long ago crushed through the disciples of the Truth, as soon as the devil first stirred them up in hearts suited to his purposes. II. The only questions remaining are which of those who strayed shall be restored, and on what terms. But it is completely counterproductive that through the foolishness of a few we should be dragged back into hazardous speculations and the warfare of pointless disputes — as if the debate needed to be reopened over whether Eutyches held blasphemous views, or whether Dioscorus [Patriarch of Alexandria who presided over the violent Robber Council of Ephesus in 449] gave a wrong judgment. Dioscorus, in condemning Flavian of holy memory, struck his own death blow and dragged simpler folk down with him. Now that many, as we have learned, have sought the path of repentance and beg forgiveness for their reckless mistakes, what we need to determine is not the content of the Faith — but whose petitions we shall accept, and on what terms. The deeply religious concern that you graciously show regarding the calling of a Synod [the Council of Chalcedon, 451] shall have fully and promptly laid before it everything I judge relevant to the needs of the case, through the delegates who will, God willing, reach your Grace with all speed. Dated April 23 in the consulship of the illustrious Adelfius (451).

To Marcian Augustus. I. After congratulating the Emperor on his noble conduct, he deprecates random inquiries into the tenets of the Faith. Although I have replied already to your Grace by the hand of the Constantinopolitan clergy, yet on receiving your clemency's mercy through the illustrious prefect of the city, my son Tatian, I found still greater cause for congratulation, because I have learned your strong eagerness for the Church's peace. And this holy desire as in fairness it deserves, secures for your empire the same happy condition as you seek for religion. For when the Spirit of God establishes harmony among Christian princes, a twofold confidence is produced throughout the world, because the progress of love and faith makes the power of their arms in both directions unconquerable, so that God being propitiated by one confession, the falseness of heretics and the enmity of barbarians are simultaneously overthrown, most glorious Emperor. The hope, therefore, of heavenly aid being increased through the Emperor's friendship, I venture with the greater confidence to appeal to your Grace on behalf of the mystery of man's salvation, not to allow any one in vain and presumptuous craftiness to inquire what must be held, as if it were uncertain. And although we may not in a single word dissent from the teaching of the Gospels and Apostles, nor entertain any opinion on the Divine Scriptures different to what the blessed Apostles and our Fathers learned and taught, now in these latter days unlearned and blasphemous inquiries are set on foot, which of old the Holy Spirit crushed by the disciples of the Truth, so soon as the devil aroused them in hearts which were suited to his purpose. II. The points to be settled are only which of the lapsed shall be restored, and on what terms. But it is most inopportune that through the foolishness of a few we should be brought once more into hazardous opinions, and to the warfare of carnal disputes, as if the wrangle was to be revived, and we had to settle whether Eutyches held blasphemous views, and whether Dioscorus gave wrong judgment, who in condemning Flavian of holy memory struck his own death-blow, and involved the simpler folk in the same destruction. And now that many, as we have ascertained, have betaken themselves to the means of amendment, and entreat forgiveness for their weak hastiness, we have to determine not the character of the Faith, but whose prayers we shall receive, and on what terms. And hence that most religious anxiety which you deign to feel for the proclamation of a Synod, shall have fully and timely put before it all that I judge pertinent to the needs of the case, by means of the deputies who will with all speed, if God permit, reach your Grace. Dated the 23rd of April in the consulship of the illustrious Adelfius (451). About this page Source. Translated by Charles Lett Feltoe. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3604082.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.