Letter 91: An exultant letter from Epiphanius in which he describes the success of his council (convened at the suggestion of Theophilus), sends Jerome a copy of its synodical letter. and urges him to go on with his work of translating into Latin documents bearing on the Origenistic controversy. Written in 400 A.D.

EpiphaniusJerome|c. 400 AD|Jerome|Human translated
christologymonasticism
Theological controversy; Church council; Travel & mobility

To his most dearly beloved lord, son, and brother, the presbyter Jerome — Epiphanius sends greeting in the Lord.

The circular letter addressed to all Catholic believers belongs especially to you; for you, with your burning zeal against every heresy, have been fighting the disciples of Origen and Apollinaris with particular intensity. Their poisoned roots and deeply embedded impiety, God Almighty has now dragged into the light, so that being unearthed in Alexandria they might wither throughout the world. Know, my beloved son: Amalek has been utterly destroyed, and the trophy of the cross has been raised on the hill of Rephidim (Exodus 17:8–14). Just as Israel prevailed when Moses held his hands high, so the Lord has strengthened His servant Theophilus to plant His standard against Origen on the very altar of the Church of Alexandria — fulfilling the word: "Write this as a memorial, for I will blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."

Rather than repeat myself and make this letter tedious, I am sending you the actual letter written to me, so that you may see for yourself what Theophilus has said and appreciate what a great blessing the Lord has granted to my final years: the vindication of principles I have always proclaimed, now confirmed by the testimony of so great a bishop.

I imagine that by now you yourself have published something on this matter — that, as I urged in my previous letter, you have written a treatise in Latin for your own readers. For I hear that certain shipwrecked souls (1 Timothy 1:19) have also made their way westward. Do not spare them. The truth does not need to be gentle with those who have made a career of deceiving the simple.

Please write to me and let me know what you have done. The final years of an old man's life are sweetened by the triumphs of his friends.

Human translationNew Advent (NPNF / ANF series)

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