On the Unity of the Catholic Church · §19 · Cyprian of Carthage

The greater guilt of schismatics compared with the lapsed

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Cyprian is contrasting those who have lapsed under persecution but repent with those who deliberately break Church unity by introducing false teachings.

Those who despise God's tradition and seek after foreign doctrines, introducing teachings of human institution, are clearly imitating and following these men. The Lord rebukes and reproaches them in his Gospel, saying: "You reject the commandment of God, so that you may establish your own tradition" (Mark 7:9). This crime is worse than the one the lapsed seem to have committed—yet they, having been placed in repentance for their sin, entreat God with full satisfactions. In the one case the Church is sought and asked for; in the other the Church is fought against. In the one case there could have been necessity; in the other the will is held fast in wickedness. The one who lapsed harmed only himself, but the one who has tried to create heresy or schism has deceived many by dragging them along with him. In the one case there is the loss of a single soul; in the other there is danger for many. Certainly the one who lapsed both understands and laments and mourns that he has sinned, but the other, swelling in his sin and pleasing himself in his very offenses, separates children from their mother, entices sheep away from the shepherd, and disturbs the sacred signs of God. And while the lapsed person has sinned once, the other sins daily. Finally, the lapsed person who afterward obtains martyrdom can receive the promises of the kingdom; but if the heretic is killed outside the Church, he cannot arrive at the rewards of the Church.

Latin

Quos imitantur scilicet adque sectantur qui Dei traditione contempta alienas doctrinas adpetunt et magisteria humanae institutionis inducunt: quos increpat Dominus et obiurgat in euangelio suo dicens: reicitis mandatum Dei, ut traditionem uestram statuatis. peius hoc crimen est quam quod admisisse lapsi uidentur, qui tamen in paenitentia criminis constitute Deum plenis satisfactionibus deprecantur. hic ecclesia quaeritur et rogatur, illic ecclesiae repugnatur: hic potest necessitas fuisse, illic uoluntas tenetur in scelere: hic qui lapsus est sibi tantum nocuit, illic qui haeresin uel schisma facere conatus est multos secum trahendo decepit: hic animae unius est damnum, illic periculum plurimorum. certe peccasse se hic et intellegit et lamentatur et plangit, ille tumens in peccato suo et in ipsis sibi delictis placens a matre filios segregat, oues a pastore sollicitat, Dei sacramenta disturbat. et cum lapsus semel peccauerit, ille cottidie peccat. postremo lapsus martyrium postmodum consecutus potest regni promissa percipere: ille si extra ecclesiam fuerit occisus, ad ecclesiae non potest praemia peruenire.

About this text

Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, writes in 251 against the Novatian schism: the Church Christ founded is one and cannot be divided.

Cyprian of Carthage (c. 200–258) wrote this treatise as bishop of Carthage, addressing the faithful brethren and especially the bishops who preside in the Church. He composed it in 251 to warn Christians against schism and heresy, which he regarded as a subtler and more dangerous attack by the devil than open persecution, and to defend the unity of the Church against those who had broken away from it.

The immediate occasion was the schism of Novatian, which had been stirred up in part by Novatus and other presbyters of Cyprian's own church. Cyprian wrote to keep the Carthaginians from following the breakaway movement. He argues that the Church is one and indivisible, founded by Christ upon Peter as the single source of its unity, and that this unity is preserved through the one episcopate. Schismatics and heretics, even if they claim the name of Christian and suffer death, are cut off from the Church and cannot be saved.

A reader will meet Peter, the apostle upon whom Christ founded the Church, and Paul and John, whose letters and Gospel are quoted on unity, love, and those who went out from the Church. Old Testament figures such as Korah, Dathan, Abiram, Uzziah, Aaron, Ahijah, Rahab, Solomon, and Judas appear as examples of rebellion, division, or prefigurations of the Church. The Lord, Paul, John, the Holy Spirit, Ahijah the prophet, and Scripture all speak in the treatise.

New English from the Latin base text; no published English used as wording.

Printed text used

Translated from CSEL 3.1 (1868) (Latin)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.