Letter 77: 1. I do not wonder to see the minds of believers disturbed by Satan, whom resist, continuing in the hope which rests on the promises of God, who cannot lie, who has not only condescended to promise in eternity rewards to us who believe and hope in Him, and who persevere in love unto the end, but has also foretold that in time offenses by which o...

Augustine to Felix and Hilarinus, greetings. I write with a heavy heart about what happened in our city. A man named Faventius, of respectable standing, discovered that his wife was conducting an affair with a cleric. The husband's rage — understandable, if not commendable — led to violence. And the affair itself has scandalized the community. I do not write to excuse anyone. The cleric sinned grievously — violating his vows, betraying the trust of the community, and wrecking a marriage. The husband responded with violence, which the law and the Gospel both forbid, however provoked he was. And the wife — well, the blame for adultery falls on those who committed it, not on the one who was wronged. But the reason I am writing to you is this: the affair is now public, and the manner in which we handle it will matter far more than the affair itself. If we cover it up, we become accomplices. If we punish vindictively, we become tyrants. If we handle it with both firmness and mercy — disciplining the guilty, protecting the innocent, and working for the restoration of all involved — we become what the Church is supposed to be. The cleric must be removed from his office. There is no question about this. A shepherd who preys on the flock is not a shepherd. But removal from office is not the same as expulsion from the community. If he repents — genuinely, not merely because he was caught — the door of mercy remains open. The husband needs to be counseled against further violence. His anger is human; his methods are not Christian. And the wife — she needs both correction and compassion, because the path that led her to this place rarely begins with a single wrong step. Handle this well, brothers. The world is watching. Farewell.

Letter 77 (A.D. 404) To Felix and Hilarinus, My Lords most Beloved, and Brethren Worthy of All Honour, Augustine Sends Greeting in the Lord. 1. I do not wonder to see the minds of believers disturbed by Satan, whom resist, continuing in the hope which rests on the promises of God, who cannot lie, who has not only condescended to promise in eternity rewards to us who believe and hope in Him, and who persevere in love unto the end, but has also foretold that in time offenses by which our faith must be tried and proved shall not be wanting; for He said, Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold; but He added immediately, and he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. Matthew 24:12-13 Why, therefore, should it seem strange that men bring calumnies against the servants of God, and being unable to turn them aside from an upright life, endeavour to blacken their reputation, seeing that they do not cease uttering blasphemies daily against God, the Lord of these servants, if they are displeased by anything in which the execution of His righteous and secret counsel is contrary to their desire? Wherefore I appeal to your wisdom, my lords most beloved, and brethren worthy of all honour, and exhort you to exercise your minds in the way which best becomes Christians, setting over against the empty calumnies and groundless suspicions of men the written word of God, which has foretold that these things should come, and has warned us to meet them with fortitude. 2. Let me therefore say in a few words to your Charity, that the presbyter Boniface has not been discovered by me to be guilty of any crime, and that I have never believed, and do not yet believe, any charge brought against him. How, then, could I order his name to be deleted from the roll of presbyters, when filled with alarm by that word of our Lord in the gospel: With what judgment ye judge you shall be judged? Matthew 7:2 For, seeing that the dispute which has arisen between him and Spes has by their consent been submitted to divine arbitration in a way which, if you desire it, can be made known to you, who am I, that I should presume to anticipate the divine award by deleting or passing over his name? As a bishop, I ought not rashly to suspect him; and as being only a man, I cannot decide infallibly concerning things which are hidden from me. Even in secular matters, when an appeal has been made to a higher authority, all procedure is halted while the case awaits the decision from which there is no appeal; because if anything were changed while the matter is depending on his arbitration, this would be an insult to the higher tribunal. And how great the distance between even the highest human authority and the divine! May the mercy of the Lord our God never forsake you, my lords most beloved, and brethren worthy of all honour.

EPISTOLA 77 Scripta inter a. 401 et 408. A. hortatur Felicem et Hilarium, ut ne perturbentur obortis in Ecclesia scandalis (n. 1). Declarat porro statuere non posse ut nomen Bonifacii, qui nullo apud se crimine deprehensus fuerit, de presbyterorum albo expungatur, maxime cum ipsius causam ad Dei iudicium transmiserit (n. 2). DOMINIS DILECTISSIMIS MERITOQUE HONORANDIS FRATRIBUS FELICI ET HILARINO, AUGUSTINUS, IN DOMINO SALUTEM. Quid de scandalis in Ecclesia obortis sentiendum. 1. Non miror satanam fidelium animos perturbantem: cui resistite, permanentes in spe promissorum Dei qui fallere non potest; qui non solum nobis in se credentibus, et sperantibus, et in eius caritate usque in finem perseverantibus polliceri praemia aeterna dignatus est, verum etiam temporalia scandala non defutura praedixit, quibus fidem nostram exerceri et probari oporteret: ait enim: Quoniam abundabit iniquitas, refrigescet caritas multorum; sed continuo subiecit: Qui autem perseveraverit usque in finem, hic salvus erit 1. Quid ergo mirum, si homines servis Dei detrahunt, et quia eorum vitam pervertere non possunt, famam decolorare conantur, cum ipsum Deum et Dominum eorum quotidie blasphemare non cessent, cum eis displicet quidquid contra eorum voluntatem iusto et occulto iudicio facit? Unde exhortor prudentiam vestram, domini dilectissimi meritoque honorandi fratres, ut Scripturam Dei, qui nobis haec omnia futura praenuntiavit, et adversus ea nos firmos esse debere praemonuit, contra hominum maledica vaniloquia suspicionesque temerarias corde christianissimo cogitetis. De Bonifacii causa. 2. Breviter itaque dico Caritati vestrae, Bonifacium presbyterum in nullo crimine apud me fuisse detectum, nequaquam me de illo tale aliquid credidisse vel credere. Quomodo ergo iuberem de numero presbyterorum nomen eius auferri, vehementer terrente Evangelio ubi Dominus ait: In quo iudicio iudicaveritis, iudicabimini 2? Cum enim causa quae inter illum et Spem exorta est, sub divino examine pendeat secundum placitum eorum, quod vobis si volueritis poterit recitari; quis ego sum, ut audeam Dei praevenire sententiam in delendo vel supprimendo eius nomine, de quo nec suspicari temere mali aliquid episcopus debui, nec dilucide iudicare homo de occultis hominum potui, cum in ipsis causis saecularibus, quando ad maiorem potestatem refertur arbitrium iudicandi, manentibus sicuti erant omnibus rebus, exspectetur illa sententia, unde iam non liceat provocari, ne superiori cognitori fiat iniuria, si eius pendente iudicio aliquid fuerit commutatum? Et utique multum interest inter divinam et humanam quamlibet excelsissimam potestatem. Domini Dei nostri misericordia numquam vos deserat, domini dilectissimi et honorandi fratres.