Letter 1047: Gregory to Virgilius, Bishop of Arelate, and Theodorus, Bishop of Massilia, in Gaul. Though the opportunity of a suitable time and suitable persons has failed me so far for writing to your Fraternity and duly returning your salutation, the result has been that I can now at one and the same time acquit myself of what is due to love and fraternal ...

Book I, Letter 47 To Virgilius, Bishop of Arles, and Theodorus, Bishop of Marseilles [two major bishops in Gaul/southern France]. Gregory to Virgilius, Bishop of Arles, and Theodorus, Bishop of Marseilles, in Gaul. Though I have not had a suitable opportunity until now to write to Your Fraternity and properly return your greetings, I can now both repay the debt of fraternal love and address a complaint that has reached us about how the souls of the misguided are being saved. Many Jews living in this region and traveling regularly on business to the area of Marseilles have informed us that a number of Jews settled there have been brought to the baptismal font more by force than by preaching. I consider the intention praiseworthy and acknowledge it comes from love of our Lord. But I fear that unless this effort is properly grounded in Holy Scripture, it will either produce no lasting result or -- God forbid -- cause the very souls we wish to save to be lost instead. When someone is brought to baptism not by the persuasion of preaching but by coercion, he returns to his former beliefs and dies worse off for having been reborn. Let Your Fraternity therefore stir up such people through frequent preaching, so that the appeal of their teacher makes them want to change their old life. That way, our purpose is rightly accomplished, and the convert's mind does not return to its former ways. Address them with teaching that may burn away the thorns of error and illuminate what is dark through preaching. Your Fraternity may earn a reward through frequent instruction, and lead them, as far as God grants, to the new birth of a transformed life.

Book I, Letter 47 To Virgilius, Bishop of Arelate (Arles) and Theodorus, Bishop of Massilia (Marseilles). Gregory to Virgilius, Bishop of Arelate, and Theodorus, Bishop of Massilia, in Gaul. Though the opportunity of a suitable time and suitable persons has failed me so far for writing to your Fraternity and duly returning your salutation, the result has been that I can now at one and the same time acquit myself of what is due to love and fraternal relationship, and also touch on the complaint of certain persons which has reached us, with respect to the way in which the souls of the erring should be saved. Very many, though indeed of the Jewish religion, resident in this province, and from time to time travelling for various matters of business to the regions of Massilia, have apprized us, that many of the Jews settled in those parts have been brought to the font of baptism more by force than by preaching. Now, I consider the intention in such cases to be worthy of praise, and allow that it proceeds from the love of our Lord. But I fear lest this same intention, unless adequate enforcement from Holy Scripture accompany it, should either have no profitable result, or even (which God forbid) the loss of the souls which we wish to save should further ensue. For, when any one is brought to the font of baptism, not by the sweetness of preaching, but by compulsion, he returns to his former superstition, and dies the worse from having been born again. Let, therefore, your Fraternity stir up such men by frequent preaching, to the end that through the sweetness of their teacher they may desire the more to change their old life. For so our purpose is rightly accomplished, and the mind of the convert returns not again to his former vomit. Wherefore discourse must be addressed to them, such as may burn up the thorns of error in them, and illuminate what is dark in them by preaching, so that your Fraternity may through your frequent admonition receive a reward for them, and lead them, so far as God may grant it, to the regeneration of a new life. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360201047.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.