Letter 32: He acknowledges their zeal and refers them to the Tome To his well-beloved sons Faustus, Martinus, and the rest of the archimandrites, Leo the bishop. As on behalf of the faith which Eutyches has tried to disturb, I was sending legates de latere to assist the defense of the Truth, I thought it fitting that I should address a letter to you also,...

He acknowledges their zeal and refers them to the Tome. To his beloved sons Faustus, Martinus, and the rest of the archimandrites [heads of monasteries] — Leo the bishop. Since I was already sending representatives on behalf of the Faith that Eutyches [a monk in Constantinople who taught that Christ had only one nature after the incarnation] has tried to disturb, to assist in the defense of the Truth, I thought it fitting to address a letter to you as well, beloved. I know for certain that you are so zealous for the cause of true religion that you cannot calmly listen to such blasphemous and profane claims. For the Apostle's command lives in your hearts: "If anyone has preached to you a gospel other than the one you received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:9). We also rule that the teaching of the said Eutyches is to be rejected — teaching which, as we have learned from examining the official records, has been deservedly condemned. If its foolish proponent persists in his stubbornness, he will share the fate of those whose error he has followed. For anyone who says that Christ did not have a human nature — that is, our nature — is rightly excluded from Christ's Church. But if, through the mercy of God's Spirit, he comes to his senses and acknowledges his wicked error, fully condemning what Catholics reject, we do not wish him to be denied mercy. The Lord's Church should suffer no loss, for the repentant can always be readmitted — it is only error that must be shut out. On the mystery of our great faith, through which the Incarnation of the Word of God brings us justification and redemption: what we believe, drawn from the tradition of the Fathers, is now sufficiently explained in the letter I have sent to our brother Bishop Flavian [Leo's "Tome" — his landmark doctrinal letter defining that Christ has two complete natures, divine and human, united in one person]. Through this declaration from your chief pastor, you may know what, according to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, we desire to be established in the hearts of all the faithful. Dated June 13, in the consulship of the illustrious Asturius and Protogenes (449).

He acknowledges their zeal and refers them to the Tome To his well-beloved sons Faustus, Martinus, and the rest of the archimandrites, Leo the bishop. As on behalf of the faith which Eutyches has tried to disturb, I was sending legates de latere to assist the defense of the Truth, I thought it fitting that I should address a letter to you also, beloved: whom I know for certain to be so zealous in the cause of religion that you can by no means listen calmly to such blasphemous and profane utterances: for the Apostle's command lingers in your hearts, in which it is said, If any man has preached unto you any gospel other than that which he received, let him be anathema Galatians 1:9 . And we also decide that the opinion of the said Eutyches is to be rejected, which, as we have learned from perusing the proceedings, has been deservedly condemned: so that, if its foolish maintainer will abide by his perverseness, he may have fellowship with those whose error he has followed. For one who says that Christ had not a human, that is our, nature, is deservedly put out of Christ's Church. But, if he be corrected through the pity of God's Spirit and acknowledge his wicked error, so as to condemn unreservedly what Catholics reject, we wish him not to be denied mercy, that the Lord's Church may suffer no loss: for the repentant can always be readmitted, it is only error that must be shut out. Upon the mystery of great godliness , whereby through the Incarnation of the Word of God comes our justification and redemption, what is our opinion, drawn from the tradition of the fathers, is now sufficiently explained according to my judgment in the letter which I have sent to our brother Flavian the bishop : so that through the declaration of your chief you may know what, according to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, we desire to be fixed in the hearts of all the faithful. Dated 13th June, in the consulship of the illustrious Asturius and Protogenes (449). About this page Source. Translated by Charles Lett Feltoe. 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/3604032.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.