Letter 90: Theophilus writes to Epiphanius to convoke a council in Cyprus for the condemnation of Origenism and asks him to transmit to Constantinople by a trustworthy messenger a copy of its decrees together with the synodical letter of Theophilus himself. His anxiety about this last point is caused by the news that certain of the excommunicated monks hav...

Theophilus to his dear lord, brother, and fellow bishop Epiphanius — greetings. The Lord said to His prophet: "See, I have this day set you over nations and kingdoms, to uproot and pull down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant" (Jeremiah 1:10). In every generation He grants this same grace to His Church, so that the Body of Christ may be kept whole and the poison of heretical opinion driven from it. We are witnessing precisely this today. The Church of Christ — spotless, without wrinkle or blemish (Ephesians 5:27) — has cut down with the sword of the gospel the Origenist serpents who had been slithering out of their dens, and has delivered the flourishing community of Nitrian monks from their deadly infection. I have summarized what I have done, as briefly as time permitted, in the circular letter I addressed to all. But since Your Excellency has fought battles of this kind before me and with greater experience, your duty now is to strengthen those still in the field and to gather the bishops of your entire island to this purpose. A synodical letter should be sent — to me, to the bishop of Constantinople, and to whomever else you think appropriate — so that by universal agreement Origen himself may be expressly condemned, along with the abominable heresy he fathered. I have also learned that certain slanderers of the true faith — Ammonius, Eusebius, and Euthymius by name — have set sail for Constantinople to present their grievances to the bishop there. I urge you, therefore, to appoint a trustworthy messenger to carry a copy of your synodical decrees to Constantinople without delay, so that the bishop there may know what the East has decided, and may not be deceived into receiving men whom the whole Church has rightly expelled.

From Theophilus to Epiphanius Theophilus writes to Epiphanius to convoke a council in Cyprus for the condemnation of Origenism and asks him to transmit to Constantinople by a trustworthy messenger a copy of its decrees together with the synodical letter of Theophilus himself. His anxiety about this last point is caused by the news that certain of the excommunicated monks have set sail for Constantinople to lay their case before the bishop, John Chrysostom. The date of the letter is 400 A.D. Theophilus to his well-beloved lord, brother, and fellow bishop Epiphanius. The Lord has said to his prophet See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy and...to build and to plant. Jeremiah 1:10 In every age he bestows the same grace upon his church, that His Body Ephesians 1:23 may be preserved intact and that the poison of heretical opinions may nowhere prevail over it. And now also do we see the words fulfilled. For the church of Christ not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing Ephesians 5:27 has with the sword of the gospel cut down the Origenist serpents crawling out of their caves, and has delivered from their deadly contagion the fruitful host of the monks of Nitria. I have compressed a short account of my proceedings (it was all that time would allow) into the general letter which I have addressed indiscriminately to all. As your excellency has often fought in contests of the kind before me, it is your present duty to strengthen the hands of those who are in the field and to gather together to this end the bishops of your entire island. A synodical letter should be sent to myself and the bishop of Constantinople and to any others whom you think fit; that by universal consent Origen himself may be expressly condemned and also the infamous heresy of which he was the author. I have learned that certain calumniators of the true faith, named Ammonius, Eusebius, and Euthymius, filled with a fresh access of enthusiasm in behalf of the heresy, have taken ship for Constantinople, to ensnare with their deceits as many new converts as they can and to confer anew with the old companions of their impiety. Let it be your care, therefore, to set forth the course of the matter to all the bishops throughout Isauria and Pamphylia and the rest of the neighbouring provinces: moreover, if you think fit, you can add my letter, so that all of us gathered together in one spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ may deliver these men unto Satan for the destruction of the impiety which possesses them. 1 Corinthians 5:4-5 And to ensure the speedy arrival of my dispatches at Constantinople, send a diligent messenger, one of the clergy (as I send fathers from the monasteries of Nitria with others also of the monks, learned men and continent) that when they arrive they may be able themselves to relate what has been done. Above all I beg of you to offer up earnest prayers to the Lord that we may be able in this contest also to gain the victory; for no small joy has filled the hearts of the people both in Alexandria and throughout all Egypt, because a few men have been expelled from the Church that the body of it might be kept pure. Salute the brothers who are with you. The people with us salute you in the Lord. About this page Source. Translated by W.H. Fremantle, G. Lewis and W.G. Martley. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 6. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1893.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3001090.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.