Letter to the Monks

1Our father among the saints Athanasius. To those practicing the monastic life, grounded in faith in God, beloved and most longed-for brothers in the Lord, greeting. I thank the Lord, who gave you faith in him, so that you too may have eternal life with the saints. But since there are some who hold the views of Arius and go around the monasteries for no other reason than to come to you and then return from us, deceiving the simple, and since there are others who insist they do not hold the views of Arius yet join them and pray together with them, I have necessarily been eager to write to you, urged on by some very sincere brothers. I write so that, keeping the true faith that God's grace works in you purely and without guile, you may never give the brothers any occasion for a stumbling block.

For whenever some see you, who are faithful in Christ, gathering with them and sharing communion, they will certainly suspect that such a thing makes no difference, and they will fall into the mire of impiety. So that this may not happen, beloved, resolve to shun those who openly hold the views of impiety, and keep yourselves from those who think they do not hold the views of Arius yet share communion with the impious. And especially those whose mindset we reject, it is fitting to flee from communion with them.

But if someone pretends to confess the true faith yet is seen sharing communion with them, urge that person to abstain from such habitual association. If he promises, treat him as a brother. But if he stubbornly persists, reject him. For by continuing in this way you will keep your faith pure, and those who see you will benefit, fearing lest they be reckoned as impious and as holding those views.