On the Unity of the Catholic Church · §22 · Cyprian of Carthage

The fall of some does not destroy the steadfast

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Cyprian is addressing the faithful about confessors who have fallen away, arguing that the defection of some does not undermine the holiness of those who remain in the Church.

For the Lord also chose Judas among the apostles, and yet Judas afterward betrayed the Lord. But the firmness and faith of the apostles did not fall for that reason, because the traitor Judas withdrew from their company. So here too the holiness and dignity of confessors was not immediately diminished, because the faith of some was broken. The blessed apostle speaks in his letter, saying: "What then if some of them fell away from faith? Does their unfaithfulness nullify the faithfulness of God? Far from it. For God is true, but every man is a liar" (Romans 3:3-4). The greater and better part of the confessors stands firm in the strength of their faith and in the truth of the Lord's law and discipline, and those who remember that they obtained grace in the Church by God's favor do not depart from the Church's peace. By this very thing they obtain greater praise for their faith, because they have been separated from the faithlessness of those who were joined with them in the fellowship of confession, and have withdrawn from the contagion of the crime. Truly enlightened by the light of the gospel, radiant with the pure and bright light of the Lord, they are as praiseworthy in preserving the peace of Christ as they were victorious in the contest with the devil.

Latin

Nam et ludam inter apostolos Dominus elegit, et tamen Dominum ludas postmodum tradidit. non tamen idcirco apostolorum firmitas et fides cecidit, quia proditor ludas ab eorum societate defecit. sic et hic non statim confessorum sanctitas et dignitas conminuta est, quia quorundam fides fracta est. beatus apostolus loquitur in epistula sua dicens: quid enim si exciderunt a fide quidam illorum, numquid infidelitas illorum fidem Dei euacuauit? absit: est enim Deus uerax, omnis autem homo mendax. stat confessorum pars maior et melior in fidei suae robore et in legis ac disciplinae dominicae ueritate, nec ab ecclesiae pace discedunt qui se in ecclesia gratiam consecutos de Dei dignatione meminerunt, adque hoc ipso ampliorem consecuntur fidei suae laudem, quod ab eorum perfidia segregati qui iuncti confessionis consortio fuerunt a contagio criminis recesserunt: uero inluminati euangelii lumine, pura et candida Domini luce radiati tam sunt in conseruanda Christi pace laudabiles quam fuerunt in diaboli congressione uictores.

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.