From: Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus
To: Renatus, Presbyter [a Roman papal legate who attended the "Robber Synod" of Ephesus]
Date: ~449 AD
Context: Theodoret thanks the papal legate Renatus for his courageous stand against the proceedings at Ephesus and appeals for Rome's intervention.
To Renatus the Presbyter,
We have heard of the warm and righteous zeal of your holiness -- the just and outspoken boldness you displayed in condemning the outrageous proceedings at Ephesus [the "Robber Synod" of 449 AD]. This is not known to us alone. The fame of your orthodoxy has spread everywhere, and people on all sides are celebrating your righteousness, your zeal, your courage, and your denunciation of the injustice done to me.
Your holiness took that stand after witnessing one act of violence. If you had seen the others that took place after your departure, you might have rivaled the fervor of the famous Phinehas [the Old Testament priest who acted with zeal against transgression, Numbers 25:7-8]. I was one of those condemned afterward. The imperial order had forbidden me to attend the council, and I was sentenced in my absence.
Twenty-six years I have been a bishop. I have labored beyond counting. I have fought hard for the truth. I have freed tens of thousands of heretics from their errors and brought them to the Savior. And now they have stripped me of my priesthood and are sending me into exile. For my old age, for my gray hairs -- earned in the service of truth -- they show no respect.
I beg your holiness, therefore, to persuade the most sacred and holy archbishop [Pope Leo] to summon me to your council. That holy see holds precedence over all the churches in the world, for many reasons -- but above all because it is free from every taint of heresy. No bishop of heterodox opinion has ever sat upon its throne. It has preserved the grace of the apostles undefiled.
Trusting in your justice, I will accept whatever decisions you make, and I ask only to be judged by my writings. I have authored more than thirty books -- against Arius and Eunomius, against Marcion, against Macedonius, against pagans and against Jews. I have interpreted the holy Scriptures, and anyone who wishes can easily verify that I have followed in the apostles' footsteps, proclaiming one Son, one Father, and one Holy Spirit; one Godhead of the Trinity, one sovereignty, one power, one eternity, one immutability, one impassibility, one will. The Godhead of the Lord Jesus Christ is perfect; the manhood He assumed for our salvation is perfect, and for our sake was delivered to death. I do not recognize one Son of Man and a different Son of God, but one and the same -- Son of God and God, begotten of God, and Son of Man through the form of a servant, of the seed of Abraham and David.
This is what I continue to teach, and this is exactly what I have found in the writings of the most holy lord archbishop Leo [the Tome of Leo]. I praise the Lord of all that I am in agreement with his apostolic doctrine.
Receive my appeal, I beg you, and do not overlook the injustice I am suffering. For this reason I have sent to your holiness the godly presbyters Hypatius and Abramius, chorepiscopi, and Alypius, head of our monks -- men of upright lives, able to give you a full account of my situation.
Letter 116
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the Presbyter Renatus.
We have heard of the warm and righteous zeal of your holiness, and the just and lawful boldness of speech which you employed in condemning the audacious proceedings at Ephesus. Nor is this known to us alone, but the fame of your orthodoxy has gone out into all lands, and all men are celebrating your righteousness, your zeal, your boldness, and your denunciation of my unfair treatment. And your holiness took this course after seeing one massacre. If you had seen the others which took place after your departure you would perhaps have emulated the fervour of the famous Phinehas. I am one of those who was subsequently condemned, being forbidden by the imperial order to attend the council, and sentenced in my absence.
Six and twenty years have I been a bishop; innumerable labours have I undergone; I have struggled hard for the truth; I have freed tens of thousands of heretics from their errors and brought them to the Saviour; and now they have stripped me of my priesthood; they are exiling me from the city. For my old age, for my hairs grown gray in the truth, they have no respect. Wherefore, I beseech your sanctity, persuade the very sacred and holy archbishop to bid me hasten to your council. For that holy see has precedence over all churches in the world, for many reasons; and above all for this, that it is free from all taint of heresy, and that no bishop of heterodox opinion has ever sat upon its throne, but it has kept the grace of the apostles undefiled. Confident in your justice I shall accept your decisions, whatever they may be, and shall claim to be judged by my writings. More than thirty books have I written against Arius and Eunomius, against Marcion, against Macedonius, against the heathen and against Jews; I have interpreted the holy Scriptures, and any one who likes may easily learn that I have followed in the steps of the apostles, proclaiming the one Son, one Father, and one Holy Ghost; one Godhead of the Trinity, one sovereignty, one power, eternity, immutability, impassibility, one will; that the Godhead of the Lord Jesus Christ was perfect, perfect the manhood taken for our salvation and for our sakes delivered unto death. I do not know one Son of man and another Son of God, but one and the same, Son of God and God begotten of God, and Son of man, through the form of the servant, of the seed of Abraham and David. These and like doctrines I continue to teach; these also I have found in the writings of the most holy and sacred lord archbishop Leo, and I praise the Lord of all that I agree with his apostolic doctrines. Receive, I beseech you, my supplication, and do not overlook the wrongs under which I suffer. On this account I have sent to your holiness the godly presbyters Hypatius and Abramius, chorepiscopi, and Alypius exarch of our monks, adorned as they are by good lives, and able by word of mouth to give you exact information as to the affairs of my insignificant self.
◆
From:Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus
To:Renatus, Presbyter [a Roman papal legate who attended the "Robber Synod" of Ephesus]
Date:~449 AD
Context:Theodoret thanks the papal legate Renatus for his courageous stand against the proceedings at Ephesus and appeals for Rome's intervention.
To Renatus the Presbyter,
We have heard of the warm and righteous zeal of your holiness -- the just and outspoken boldness you displayed in condemning the outrageous proceedings at Ephesus [the "Robber Synod" of 449 AD]. This is not known to us alone. The fame of your orthodoxy has spread everywhere, and people on all sides are celebrating your righteousness, your zeal, your courage, and your denunciation of the injustice done to me.
Your holiness took that stand after witnessing one act of violence. If you had seen the others that took place after your departure, you might have rivaled the fervor of the famous Phinehas [the Old Testament priest who acted with zeal against transgression, Numbers 25:7-8]. I was one of those condemned afterward. The imperial order had forbidden me to attend the council, and I was sentenced in my absence.
Twenty-six years I have been a bishop. I have labored beyond counting. I have fought hard for the truth. I have freed tens of thousands of heretics from their errors and brought them to the Savior. And now they have stripped me of my priesthood and are sending me into exile. For my old age, for my gray hairs -- earned in the service of truth -- they show no respect.
I beg your holiness, therefore, to persuade the most sacred and holy archbishop [Pope Leo] to summon me to your council. That holy see holds precedence over all the churches in the world, for many reasons -- but above all because it is free from every taint of heresy. No bishop of heterodox opinion has ever sat upon its throne. It has preserved the grace of the apostles undefiled.
Trusting in your justice, I will accept whatever decisions you make, and I ask only to be judged by my writings. I have authored more than thirty books -- against Arius and Eunomius, against Marcion, against Macedonius, against pagans and against Jews. I have interpreted the holy Scriptures, and anyone who wishes can easily verify that I have followed in the apostles' footsteps, proclaiming one Son, one Father, and one Holy Spirit; one Godhead of the Trinity, one sovereignty, one power, one eternity, one immutability, one impassibility, one will. The Godhead of the Lord Jesus Christ is perfect; the manhood He assumed for our salvation is perfect, and for our sake was delivered to death. I do not recognize one Son of Man and a different Son of God, but one and the same -- Son of God and God, begotten of God, and Son of Man through the form of a servant, of the seed of Abraham and David.
This is what I continue to teach, and this is exactly what I have found in the writings of the most holy lord archbishop Leo [the Tome of Leo]. I praise the Lord of all that I am in agreement with his apostolic doctrine.
Receive my appeal, I beg you, and do not overlook the injustice I am suffering. For this reason I have sent to your holiness the godly presbyters Hypatius and Abramius, chorepiscopi, and Alypius, head of our monks -- men of upright lives, able to give you a full account of my situation.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.