Letter 59

From: Ambrose, Bishop of Milan To: Severus, Bishop of Naples Date: ~389 AD Context: A letter of recommendation and pastoral counsel to Severus of Naples, discussing the challenges of governing a major urban diocese and maintaining orthodox teaching in a diverse population. Ambrose to his brother Severus, Bishop of Naples — greetings in the Lord. I commend to your care the bearer of this letter, a member of our Milanese clergy whom I am sending on business that he will explain to you in person. Receive him with the hospitality I know you will show, and assist him as you are able. I also write to encourage you in the work of your see. Naples is a great city — ancient, populous, and cosmopolitan. The challenges of such a see are very different from those of a rural bishop. Your flock includes senators and slaves, the learned and the illiterate, recent converts and families that have been Christian for generations. Each group needs different pastoral care, and the bishop who treats them all the same fails them all equally. To the learned, you must be a teacher who does not condescend but who challenges. To the poor, you must be a protector and provider. To recent converts, you must be patient — remember that habits formed over a lifetime do not change in a season. To the old Christian families, you must be vigilant, because long familiarity with the faith sometimes breeds contempt for its demands. Above all, guard the doctrine. Naples, lying between Rome and the East, receives influences from both directions. Ensure that what is taught in your churches conforms to the Nicene Creed and to the decisions of the councils. Innovation in doctrine is not a sign of intellectual vitality — it is a symptom of spiritual disease. I hear good reports of your ministry, brother, and I am grateful for them. The Church of Naples has always been a pillar of orthodoxy, and under your leadership, I trust it will remain so. Farewell in Christ.

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