Synodical Letter
Epistula synodalis
Synodal Letter of Amphilochius§1
1The synodal letter of Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium.
And before receiving your letters of love, the report had reached us of your firm faith, stretched out toward dangers and enduring through sufferings for Christ, your steadfast love toward God, and the certainty of the coming hope within you. Since we have now encountered your letters of piety, we truly saw the character of an apostolic church, the zeal of good shepherds, and a restless diligence becoming true Christians. Because you did not calculate the length of the road nor lead the journeys dividedly, but made inquiry in common through the letters, you have made us very hopeful that, having written in agreement, you will receive our replies in agreement; and the unity in your letters was like a prelude to a more perfect unity. And it was our prayer to receive the wonderful and most reverently named Bishop Basil, present at the synod and a participant, and even more so to have him as a precursor in the matters concerning you. Since a sickness of the body, exceeding the arrival, hindered him, it is a perfection of your love that you did not overlook the brevity of our letters. However, we do not find your holy church lacking or that voice lacking; rather, having his own writing on this matter, we have with us something agreeing with him through the letter. What then is the reply regarding the journey? The holy synod of the fathers of the Council of Nicaea.
Greek · §1
Epistula synodalis Ἀμφιλοχίου ἐπισκόπου Ἰκονίου ἐπιστολὴ συνοδική. Καὶ πρὶν κομίζεσθαι τὰ παρὰ τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν γράμματα, περιήγγειλεν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἡ φήμη καὶ τὸ τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν ἀκραιφνὲς καὶ πρὸς τοὺς κινδύνους παρατεταμένον καὶ πρὸς τὰ παθήματα τὰ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ καρτερικὸν καὶ τῆς εἰς θεὸν ἀγάπης καὶ τὸ τῆς μελλούσης ἐλπίδος ἐν ὑμῖν βέβαιον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ τοῖς γράμμασι τῆς εὐλαβείας ὑμῶν ἐντετυχήκαμεν, εἴδομεν ὄντως ἐκκλησίας ἀποστολικῆς χαρακτῆρα καὶ ποιμένων ἀγαθῶν ζῆλον καὶ σπουδὴν ἄοκνον ἀληθινοῖς χριστιανοῖς πρέπουσαν. Τὸ γὰρ μήτε τῆς ὁδοῦ μῆκος ὑπολογίσασθαι μήτε διεσπασμένως τὰς πεύσεις προσα γαγεῖν, ἀλλὰ κοινῇ διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων ποιήσασθαι τὴν ἐρώτη σιν, λίαν ἡμᾶς εὐέλπιδας πεποίηκεν ὅτι συμφώνως ἐπιστείλαντες συμφώνως καὶ τὰς ἀποκρίσεις παρ' ἡμῶν δέξασθε· καὶ οἷόν τι προοίμιον τῆς τελειοτέρας ὁμονοίας τὴν ἐν τοῖς γράμμασιν ὑμῶν ὁμόνοιαν ἐδεξάμεθα. Καὶ δι' εὐχῆς μὲν ἦν ἡμῖν καὶ τὸν θαυμασιώ τατον καὶ μετὰ πάσης αἰδοῦς ὀνομαζόμενον ἐπίσκοπον Βασί λειον καὶ παρόντα δέξασθαι τῇ συνόδῳ καὶ κοινωνόν, μᾶλλον δὲ ἔξαρχον τῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς πραγμάτων ἔχειν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐκεῖνον ἀρρωστία σώματος ὑπερβάλλουσα πρὸς τὴν ἄφιξιν διεκώλυ σεν, τελείας μέν ἐστιν ἀγάπης ὑμῶν μήτε τὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας βραχύτητος παριδεῖν γράμματα. Οὐ μέντοι τὴν ἁγίαν ὑμῶν ἐκκλησίαν ἄμοιρον καὶ τῆς ἐκείνου φωνῆς περιείδομεν· ἀλλ' ἔχοντες αὐτοῦ σύγγραμμα περὶ ταύτης ἰδικῶς αὐτῷ τῆς ὑποθέσεως πεπονημένον κἀκεῖνον διὰ τοῦ γράμματος ἔχομεν ἡμῖν συμφθεγγόμενον. Τίς οὖν ἡ πρὸς τὴν πεῦσιν ἀπόκρισις; Τὴν ἁγίαν σύνοδον τῶν πατέρων τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ σύνοδον
The Integrity of the Apostolic Faith§2
2Truly we recognize it to be catholic and apostolic, and the faith set forth by the fathers we likewise guard immovable, and I pray that it remains unblemished continually.
It became possible then for the fathers to explain more intensely and broadly concerning the glory of the Only-begotten, because then they had the opportunity to cut off the first seeds of the heresy of Arius, before the thorn could be fully uprooted. Since the matter concerning the Spirit was being kept silent, for this reason they added nothing more broadly; but for those reading wisely, the teachings concerning the Spirit in that faith are sufficient. Just as to believe in Father and Son, so they established to believe in the Spirit, neither introducing another nature into the divine and blessed Trinity, nor cutting off anything from the Trinity in the exposition of the faith.
Since recently the devil, attempting to shake the churches, cast upon some a doubt concerning the Spirit, it is necessary to run back to the fountain of the faith, from which also the fathers according to Nicaea, having sprung up, made the exposition of the faith. What then is the perfection of the faith for us? It is the tradition of the Lord, which after the resurrection from the dead he commanded to his holy disciples: Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).
Greek · §2
ὄντως καθολικὴν καὶ ἀποστολικὴν γνωρίζομεν, καὶ πίστιν τὴν ἐκτεθεῖσαν ὑπὸ τῶν πατέρων τηνικαῦτα φυλάττομεν ἀκίνητον καὶ πρὸς τὸ διηνεκὲς ἀσπάρακτον μένειν εὔχομαι. Γέγονε δὲ τότε τοῖς πατράσιν ἀναγ καιότερον πλατύτερον ἐξηγήσασθαι περὶ τῆς δόξης τοῦ μονογε νοῦς, ἐπειδὴ τότε νεωστὶ φυομένην τὴν αἵρεσιν τοῦ Ἀρείου διὰ σπουδῆς ἔσχον ἐκκόψαι τὰ πρῶτα αὐτῆς προαναιροῦντες σπέρ ματα, πρὶν τελέως ἐκτραχυνθῆναι τὴν ἄκανθαν. Σεσιγημένου δὲ τηνικαῦτα τοῦ κατὰ τὸ πνεῦμα ζητήματος διὰ τοῦτο πλατύτερον μὲν οὐδὲν προσέθεσαν· τοῖς μέντοι γε συνετῶς ἀναγινώσκουσιν αὐτάρκης καὶ ἡ περὶ τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ πίστει διδασκα λία. Ὥσπερ εἰς πατέρα καὶ υἱὸν πιστεύειν, οὕτω καὶ εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα πιστεύειν ἐδογμάτισαν, μήτε ἑτέραν τινὰ φύσιν ἐπεισάγοντες τῇ θείᾳ καὶ μακαρίᾳ τριάδι μήτε τι τῶν ἐκ τῆς τριάδος ἀποτέμνοντες εἰς τὴν τῆς πίστεως ἔκθεσιν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ πρόσφατον ὁ σατανᾶς διασαλεύειν τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐπιχειρῶν ἐνέβαλέ τισι περὶ τοῦ πνεύματος δισταγμόν, ἀναγκαῖον ἐπὶ τὴν πηγὴν ἀνατρέχειν τῆς πίστεως ἐξ ἧς καὶ οἱ κατὰ Νίκαιαν πατέρες ἀναρυσάμενοι τὴν ἔκθεσιν τῆς πίστεως ἐποίησαν. Τίς οὖν ἡμῶν ἡ τῆς πίστεως τελειότης; Ἡ τοῦ κυρίου παράδοσις ἣν μετὰ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ μαθηταῖς ἐνετείλατο προστάξας· Πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου
The Command to Baptize and Disciple§3
3of the Spirit. It is clear that we received the command not only for baptizing in this way, but also for discipling in this way, just as through this command the Sabellian disease of the three hypostases having been clearly handed down to us was excluded, and the mouths of the Anomoeans, the Arians, and the Pneumatomachi were sealed, making manifest both the persons and the three hypostases, while the nature and the divinity are confessed as one. It is therefore necessary for us to baptize in this way as we were taught, and to believe in this way as we were baptized, and to glorify in this way as we believed.
For, peering through much with the mind and turning everywhere to various thoughts, we are unable to conceive of anything between the creature and the creation; so that if we separate the Spirit from the divinity, it is necessary to count it among the creatures. But if we dare to say it is a creature, how is it possible to be mixed in the baptism? We revile polytheism in this same way as we revile atheism; and we proclaim neither three principles, nor three gods, nor three different natures, but knowing the Father as the beginning of all things, we do not set aside any of the three hypostases, and we bring forward the majesty of the divine Scriptures and the testimonies concerning each one. But since it escapes the measure of a letter to detail these things and your love...
Greek · §3
πνεύματος. ∆ῆλον ὅτι τὴν ἐντολὴν ἐδεξάμεθα οὐ μόνον εἰς τὸ βαπτίζειν οὕτως, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὸ μαθητεύειν οὕτως, ὡς διὰ ταύτης τῆς ἐντολῆς καὶ τὴν Σαβελλίου νόσον ἀποκλεισθῆναι τῶν τριῶν ὑποστάσεων καθαρῶς ἡμῖν παραδοθεισῶν, καὶ τῶν Ἀνο μοίων καὶ τῶν Ἀρειανῶν καὶ τῶν Πνευματομάχων ἐμφραγῆναι τὰ στόματα τῶν μὲν προσώπων καὶ τῶν ὑποστάσεων τριῶν δηλου μένων, τῆς δὲ φύσεως καὶ τῆς θεότητος μιᾶς ὁμολογηθείσης. Ἀνάγκη τοίνυν οὕτως ἡμᾶς βαπτίζειν ὡς ἐδιδάχθημεν, καὶ οὕτω πιστεύειν ὡς ἐβαπτίσθημεν, καὶ οὕτω δοξάζειν ὡς ἐπιστεύσαμεν. Πολλὰ γὰρ τῇ διανοίᾳ περισκοποῦντες καὶ πανταχοῦ στραφέντες τοῖς λογισμοῖς οὐδὲν ἐπινοῆσαι δυνάμεθα μεταξὺ τοῦ κτιστοῦ καὶ τῆς κτίσεως, ὥστε εἰ τῆς θεότητος τὸ πνεῦμα χωρίζομεν, ἀνάγκη μετὰ τῶν κτισμάτων αὐτὸ καταριθμεῖν. Εἰ δὲ κτίσμα τολμήσοιμεν εἰπεῖν, πῶς δυνατὸν ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι μιχθῆναι; Τὴν πολυθεΐαν οὕτως ὡς καὶ τὴν ἀθεΐαν κακίζομεν· καὶ οὔτε τρεῖς ἀρχὰς οὔτε τρεῖς θεοὺς οὔτε τρεῖς διαφόρους καταγγέλλομεν φύσεις, ἀλλὰ ἀρχὴν τῶν ὅλων τὸν πατέρα γινώσκοντες οὔτε τινὰ τῶν τριῶν ὑποστάσεων ἀθετοῦμεν καὶ τὸ σεμνὸν τῶν θείων γραφῶν καὶ τὰς ἐφ' ἕκαστον μαρτυρίας προσάγοντες. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ καὶ μέτρον ἐπιστολῆς ἐκφεύγει τὸ περὶ τούτων λεπτολογεῖν καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην
Final Exhortation to Unity§4
4We thought it sufficient to have completed the main part of our exposition and to add the rest from home—for, as you say, Didymus will provide a wise starting point and an even wiser one—and we believe these things have been written without delay. It is enough to add a brief exhortation.
For we urge you to remain sons of peace, so that you may fulfill the apostolic command, being of one mind and having shared in the sufferings for Christ. Do not give the evil one an opportunity to divide those who are well-joined, nor make yourselves more easy prey to the wolves by confirming their wishes through schism. For I have learned how many labors you have endured for the sake of orthodoxy. Therefore, having overcome the threats and the pressures from the opponents, do not give any occasion for division, lest hatred, if it should find a place, should creep in shortly and lay great precipices before you.
But also in the doxologies, the Spirit must be co-doxologized with the Father and the Son, and know this: that those who sin by the unforgivable sin through blasphemy against the Spirit (Matt 12:31), they in vain turn away from fellowship with the Arians. For with them they shall be condemned. But we wish for you to have kept the body of the church without strife, to live peacefully in the remaining time of this present age, and to stand gloriously before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5:10) on the day of judgment.
Greek · §4
ἐπιστεύσαμεν ἀρκεσθή σεσθαι τῷ κεφαλαίῳ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐκθέσεως καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ προσθήσειν οἴκοθεν–∆ίδου γάρ, φησί, σοφῷ ἀφορμὴν καὶ σοφώτε ρος ἔσται–, καὶ ταῦτα ἀποχρώντως γεγραφέναι νομίζομεν. Οἷς ἀρκεῖ βραχεῖαν προσθεῖναι παράκλησιν. Παρακαλοῦμεν γὰρ μένειν ὑμᾶς υἱοὺς εἰρήνης, ἵνα πληρώσητε τὴν ἀποστολικὴν ἐντολήν, σύμψυχοι τὸ ἓν φρονοῦντες καὶ τῶν παθημάτων τῶν ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ κεκοινωνηκότες. Μὴ δῶτε τῷ πονηρῷ διαζεῦξαι τὰ καλῶς συνημμένα μήτε τοῖς λύκοις ἑαυτοὺς εὐαλωτοτέρους ποιήσητε τῇ διχοστασίᾳ τὰς ἐκείνων βεβαιοῦντες εὐχάς. Ἐμάθο μεν γὰρ ὅσους ἄθλους ὑπὲρ τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας ὑπέστητε. Τὰς οὖν ἀπειλὰς καὶ τὰς ἀνάγκας τὰς παρὰ τῶν ὑπεναντίων νικήσαντες μηδένα δῶτε διαστάσει καιρόν, μήποτε κατὰ βραχὺ παρεισρυό μενον μῖσος, ἐὰν σχῇ τόπον, μεγάλους ὑμῖν κρημνοὺς ὑποθήσῃ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ταῖς δοξολογίαις τὸ πνεῦμα πατρὶ καὶ υἱῷ χρὴ συνδοξάζειν καὶ εἰδέναι τοῦτο, ὅτι οἱ τὴν ἀσυγχώρητον ἁμαρτίαν διὰ τῆς εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα βλασφημίας ἐξαμαρτάνοντες εἰκῆ παραι τοῦνται τὴν πρὸς τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς κοινωνίαν. Μετὰ γὰρ ἐκείνων κατακριθήσονται. Εὐχόμεθα δὲ ὑμᾶς ἄτμητον τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀφιλονείκως φυλάξαντας, εἰρηνικῶς μὲν ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι τὸν λειπόμενον διάγειν χρόνον, ἐνδόξως δὲ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως παραστῆναι τῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ βήματι.