Letter 38: Theodore Studite, Letter 38; Greek heading: Ἀρσενίῳ τέκνῳ.

How greatly I rejoiced once again upon reading your letter, most longed-for child, not so much at the door of meeting with the brethren that has been opened to you, desirable though that too is, as at the grace of God upon your tongue, by which you shut the unbridled mouths of those who take the side of heresy [hairesis]. May the Lord therefore add to you still further a word of knowledge and of wisdom, to refute thoroughly the champions of impiety, so that it may go very well with you to sing in concert with the divine David, "I opened my mouth and drew in the spirit, because I did not forget your commandments" [Ps. 118/119:131]. Against these commandments the adulterer-party [the supporters of the "adulterous union," moichozeuxia: the contested second marriage of the emperor Constantine VI, condoned by the priest Joseph] have raged, and they utter by their very deeds that saying of Scripture, "Depart from me; I do not wish to know your ways" [cf. Job 21:14]. For had they known them, they would not have transgressed the ordinances of the Lord; nor, having transgressed, would they have decreed their transgressions synodically as a "saving dispensation" [oikonomia: an exceptional accommodation made for the sake of pastoral expediency] for the Church of Christ, placing under anathema those who do not so admit them. And this impious doctrine is so great that it not only overturns the holy Gospel, the whole being overturned along with the part by the nature of the thing, but also abolishes the very dispensation of Christ; for heretical positions are contrary to one another. And that the adulterous union, decreed as a "saving dispensation," is contrary to the divine dispensation that aims at the abolition of sin, is surely plain to everyone. But indeed the adulterous synod is full also of other acts of impiety, which, should you chance to see the brother Euprepianus again, he would point out to you. Farewell, and be strong, child, on both sides, casting out by the might of faith, and of the fear of God and of love, those who strike invisibly. For since, when they assail from without through the heresies they stir up, they are beaten back by the orthodox mind, the crafty ones come on from within, contriving to plunder the treasure of the soul. From their hunt may we be delivered, lifting up our hands to God with the cooperation of the prayers of our common father and of all the pious, both I and you and all our brethren. The superior of [the monastery of] the Auletes ["the Flute-player"] pipes, but with notes unclear and not rhythmical to the Holy Spirit; and his saying that he looks to Rome is a refuge of weakness of argument and, for the present, of false apology. And his statement concerning Sabas and Theoktistos, the most reverent monks, this thing and that, and that Rome did such and such, is not true. For they [Sabas and his party] took their stand on the ground that the bishops returning from the iconoclast [eikonomachos, "image-fighting"] heresy should not be received back into their own ranks (and not all of them, but the eminent ones and the ringleaders of the heresy, according to the word of Saint Athanasius), which was not unreasonable. But since the synod then convened judged that all should be admitted, having the holy Fourth Synod [Chalcedon, 451] as a precedent, they came into agreement; for none of the necessary things was being transgressed. Concerning the Simoniacs [those guilty of simony, the purchase or sale of ordination], however, the matter was at that time passed over in silence, on the understanding that the head of the question would be examined after the synod. But when it was examined, Tarasios [patriarch of Constantinople, 784-806] is first drawn into [imposing] a penance of a year or even more (oh, the audacity of it!) together with certain monks, whose names I forbear to mention. A definition was issued by him, by way of expiation for the deposition that is unto the ages, that those who had been deposed by God through Peter the chief of the apostles should again be priests of Christ. Then, since Sabas and his party did not come into agreement on this point, but were even at variance with him, what does he do? He exchanges evil for good. He denies that he gave a penance, or that he admitted those who had ordained for money and those who had been so ordained; in saying this he is refuted by the woman then in power [the empress Irene], by whom indeed he was drawn into giving the unlawful penance. The day of the Theophany of Christ [the Epiphany] arrived; on that day those who had been put under penance came, having completed the penance and seeking release. He for his part deemed them unworthy, but the empress pressed for their reception. Again the president [Tarasios] exchanges the good for evil: he concelebrates with them on that very feast in full public view, not willingly, as he claimed, but willingly. For when, being able not to concelebrate with men deposed, he concelebrated, even if anyone should somehow say that he was unable, from this arose the dispute of Sabas and his party against him, from this the dissolution of the divine canons grew more widespread. But Rome did not accept these things (God forbid!), nor indeed the synod itself as ecumenical, but as local and as one that had set right its own particular fall, that of those here; for not even those who sat as representatives of the other patriarchs [were truly such]. This is false: the man of the Romans was sent here for another reason, not on account of the synod (which is why, they say, on returning he was deposed by the one who had sent him, even though they pleaded that he had been coerced); and the others, though from the East, were urged on and drawn by those here, not sent by the patriarchs, since they neither returned home then nor later, clearly on account of fear of the [Muslim] nation. And those here did this so that they might the more persuade the heretically minded people to be orthodox, on the pretext that an ecumenical synod had been assembled. But should you say, how is it that we did not take our stand at that time, and why did we accept ordination after the synod from the lord Tarasios, we make our defense both to you and to all: that the one thing we did as subjects, not knowing beforehand the things later made known to us; and the other, having seized upon a reasonable ground, namely the saying that Tarasios had neither given a penance nor, again, would, if he knew of such men, concelebrate with any of them, but would even depose them. And even if the truth was not so, on account of what was manifest, nevertheless we, reaching out for concord, were content with what was said, having judged this, to incline toward the more humane course of peace in a doubtful matter, as the Theologian [Gregory of Nazianzus] somewhere says; and at the same time, because he [Tarasios] had been received by the other churches on account of his orthodoxy and the manly and zealous conduct he had shown in its defense. These things I have made known to you, child, for the knowledge of what is fitting, and that Sabas and his party, if it was for this and not for any other irrational reasons that they were at variance with him, had and have reasonable ground. For just as we, under the pretext of his saying that he did not receive such men but would even depose them, came into agreement with the president, so they, holding the matter that was done manifestly as their warrant, lay claim, fittingly, to the divine canon. And there is no one who, on account of this point, is able to withstand them, if indeed they say that Tarasios received those who ordain for money "by dispensation"; nay, not even Peter and Paul, were they to stand by, [could withstand them]; for they themselves set forth the canon, and they themselves say, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than that which we preached, let him be anathema" [Gal. 1:8].

Ἡλίκον ἐχάρην καὶ τανῦν ἀναγνούς σου τὰ γράμματα, τέκνον ποθεινότατον, οὐ τοσοῦτον ἐν τῇ ἀνεῳχθείσῃ σοι μᾶλλον θύρᾳ τῆς πρὸς ἀδελφοὺς συντυχίας, εἰ καὶ αὐτὴ εὐκταία, ὅσον ἐπὶ τῇ τῆς γλώττης ἐν χάριτι θεοῦ, δι' ἧς κλείεις τὰ ἀπύλωτα στόματα τῶν αἱρετιζόντων. προσθείη σοι τοιγαροῦν ἔτι Κύριος λόγον γνώσεώς τε καὶ σοφίας διακατελέγχειν τοὺς τῆς ἀσεβείας προασπιστάς, ὡς ἂν ἕξει σοι εὖ μάλα τῷ θείῳ Δαυὶδ συμψάλλειν, τὸ στόμα μου ἤνοιξα καὶ εἵλκυσα πνεῦμα, ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου οὐκ ἐπελαθόμην. καθ' ὧν λυττήσαντες οἱ μοιχειανίζοντες ἐκεῖνό πως τὸ γραφικὸν αὐτοῖς ἔργοις φθέγγονται, ἀπόστα ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, ὁδούς σου εἰδέναι οὐ βούλομαι· εἰ γὰρ ᾔδεισαν, οὐκ ἂν παρέβησαν τὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐντάλματα, οὐκ ἂν παραβάντες οἰκονομίαν σωτήριον τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Χριστοῦ τὰς παραβάσεις συνοδικῶς ἐδογμάτιζον ὑπ' ἀναθέματι τῶν ταύτας μὴ οὕτω προσιεμένων. ὅπερ ἀσεβὲς δόγμα τοσοῦτόν ἐστιν, ὡς μὴ μόνον τὸ ἱερὸν εὐαγγέλιον ἀνατρέπειν, κατὰ τὸ ἐκ μέρους φύσιν ἔχειν τὸ ὅλον ἀνατρέπεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν Χριστοῦ οἰκονομίαν ἀναιρεῖν· αἰρετικὰ γὰρ ἀλλήλων τἀναντία. ὅτι δὲ ἐναντία ἡ μοιχοζευξία, δογματισθεῖσα σωτήριος οἰκονομία, τῇ θείᾳ καὶ ἐπ' ἀναιρέσει τῆς ἁμαρτίας οἰκονομίᾳ, παντί που δῆλον. ἀλλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἑτέρων ἀσεβημάτων ἐστὶν ἐπίμεστος ἡ μοιχοσύνοδος, ἅ, εἰ περιτύχοις πάλιν ἰδεῖν τὸν ἀδελφὸν Εὐπρεπιανόν, ὑποδείξειέ σοι. Ἔρρωσο καὶ εὐσθένει, τέκνον, ἀμφοτέρωθεν, τοὺς βάλλοντας ἀοράτως ἐκβάλλων κράτει πίστεως, φόβου τε θείου καὶ ἀγάπης. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἔξωθεν δι' ὧν ἐπεγείρουσιν αἱρέσεων προσβάλλοντες ἀποκρούονται ὑπὸ τοῦ ὀρθοδόξου φρονήματος, ἔνδοθεν ἐπέρχονται οἱ δόλιοι, συλῆσαι τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς θησαυρὸν τεχναζόμενοι. ὧν λυτρωθείημεν τῆς θήρας, χεῖρας πρὸς θεὸν αἴροντες συνεργίᾳ τῶν τοῦ κοινοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν προσευχῶν καὶ πάντων τῶν εὐσεβούντων, ἐγώ τε καὶ σὺ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν. Ὁ τοῦ Αὐλητοῦ καθηγούμενος αὐλεῖ, ἀλλὰ ἄσημα καὶ οὐ τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ Ἁγίῳ εὔρυθμα, καὶ τὸ λέγειν αὐτὸν ἀφορᾶν ἐν Ῥώμῃἀσθενείας λόγου καὶ πρὸς τὸ παρὸν ψευδαπολογίας καταφύγιον. καὶ τὸ φάναι αὐτὸν περὶ Σάβα τε καὶ Θεοκτίστου, τῶν εὐλαβεστάτων μοναχῶν, τοῦτο κἀκεῖνο καὶ ὡς ἡ Ῥώμη τὸ καὶ τό, οὐκ ἀληθές. οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἕνεκεν τοῦ μὴ προσδεχθῆναι τοὺς ἐκ τῆς εἰκονομαχικῆς αἱρέσεως ὑποστρέφοντας ἐπισκόπους εἰς τοὺς οἰκείους βαθμοὺς (καὶ οὐ πάντας, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐξόχους καὶ πρωτάρχους τῆς αἱρέσεως, κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ Ἁγίου Ἀθανασίου) ἐνίσταντο, ὅπερ οὐκ ἀπεικότως. ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ ἡ τηνικαῦτα σύνοδος κέκρικεν ὅλους εἰσδέξασθαι, ἔχουσα τὴν τετάρτην ἁγίαν σύνοδον παράδειγμα, συνῆλθον· οὐ γὰρ ἦν τῶν ἀναγκαίων τι παραβαινόμενον. Περὶ δὲ τῶν Σιμωνιανῶν, τηνικαῦτα μὲν παρεκαλύφθη, ὡς μετὰ τὴν σύνοδον ἐκζητηθησομένου τοῦ κεφαλαίου. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐζητήθη, ἕλκεται Ταράσιος τὸ πρῶτον μὲν εἰς ἐπιτίμιον ἐνιαυσιαῖον ἢ καὶ πλέον (ὢ τοῦ τολμήματος) σύν τισι μονασταῖς, ὧν ἀφίημι λέγειν τὰ ὀνόματα. ἐδόθη ὅρος ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ἐξιλεώσεως τῆς εἰς αἰῶνας καθαιρέσεως εἰς τὸ εἶναι τοὺς ὑπὸ θεοῦ διὰ Πέτρου τοῦ τῶν ἀποστόλων κορυφαίου καθῃρημένους πάλιν ἱερουργοὺς Χριστοῦ. εἶτα, ἐπεὶ οὐ συνῆλθον οἱ περὶ Σάβαν ἐν τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ διηνέχθησαν πρὸς αὐτόν, τί ποιεῖ; κακὸν καλῷ ἀπαλλάττει. ἀρνεῖται μὴ δεδωκέναι ἐπιτίμιον, μηδὲ προσίεσθαι τοὺς ἐν χρήμασι χειροτονήσαντάς τε καὶ χειροτονηθέντας· λέγων διελέγχεται ὑπὸ τῆς τηνικάδε κρατούσης, ἀφ' ἧς καὶ εἱλκύσθη δοῦναι τὸ ἄνομον ἐπιτίμιον. Παρῆν ἡ ἡμέρα τῶν Θεοφανίων Χριστοῦ, ἐληλύθασιν ἐν ταύτῃ οἱ ἐπιτιμιασθέντες, πεπληρωκότες τὸ ἐπιτίμιον καὶ λύσιν ἐπιζητοῦντες· ὁ μὲν ἀπηξίου, ἡ βασίλισσα κατηπείγετο τὴν εἰσδοχήν. πάλιν κακῷ τὸ καλὸν διαμείβει ὁ πρόεδρος· συλλειτουργεῖ αὐτοῖς τῇ αὐτῇ ἑορτῇ εἰς προῦπτον, οὐχ ἑκουσίως δῆθεν, ἀλλ' ἑκουσίως. ἐπὰν δυνάμενος μὴ συλλειτουργεῖν καθῃρημένοις συνελειτούργησε, κἂν ὁπωσοῦν φαίη τις ἀδυνατεῖν αὐτόν, ἐντεῦθεν ἡ πρὸς αὐτὸν διαφορὰ τῶν περὶ Σάβαν, ἐντεῦθεν ἐπεπόλασεν ἡ λύσις πλειόνως τῶν θείων κανόνων. ἡ δὲ Ῥώμη ταῦτα οὐ προσήκατο (μὴ γένοιτο), ἀλλ' οὐδὲ αὐτὴν τὴν σύνοδον ὡς οἰκουμενικήν, ἀλλ' ὡς τοπικὴν καὶ τὸ ἴδιον πτῶμα τῶν τῇδε ἀνορθώσασαν· οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ κεκαθικότες ἀντιπρόσωποι τῶν ἄλλων πατριαρχῶν. ψευδές· τοῦ μὲν Ῥωμαίων δι' ἄλλο, οὐ διὰ σύνοδον, παραπεμφθέντων ἐνταῦθα (διὸ καὶ καθῃρέθησαν, ὥς φασι, παλινοστήσαντες ὑπὸ τοῦ πεπομφότος, κἂν ἐπεκαλῶντο βεβιάσθαι), οἱ δ' ἄλλοι ἐκ μὲν ἀνατολῆς, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ τῶν ἐνταῦθα προτραπέντες καὶ ἑλχθέντες, οὐχ ὑπὸ τῶν πατριαρχῶν ἀποσταλέντες, ὅτι μηδὲ ἐνόστησαν ἢ ὕστερον, διὰ τὸ τοῦ ἔθνους δέος δῆλον ὅτι. τοῦτο δὲ ἐποίουν οἱ ἐνταῦθα, ἵνα τὸν αἱρετίζοντα λαὸν μᾶλλον πείσωσιν ὀρθοδοξεῖν ἐκ τοῦ οἰκουμενικὴν δῆθεν ἀθροισθῆναι σύνοδον. Εἰ δὲ φαίης, πῶς ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἐνιστάθημεν τηνικαῦτα καὶ διατί χειροτονίαν ἐδεξάμεθα μετὰ τὴν σύνοδον παρὰ τοῦ κυροῦ Ταρασίου, ἀπολογούμεθα καὶ σοὶ καὶ πᾶσιν ὅτι τὸ μὲν ἐν ὑπηκόοις ἐτελοῦμεν, μὴ τὰ ὕστερον γνωσθέντα ἡμῖν πρότερον εἰδότες, τὸ δέ, δραξάμενοι αἰτίαν εὔλογον, τὸ λέγειν Ταράσιον μήτε ἐπιτίμιον δεδωκέναι μηδ' αὖ, εἰ γνοῖεν, τῶν τοιούτων συνιερουργεῖν τινι, ἀλλὰ καὶ καθαίρειν. κἂν οὐχ οὕτως ἦν τὸ ἀληθές, διὰ τὸ προφανές, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἡμεῖς, ὀρεγόμενοι τὴν ὁμόνοιαν, ἠρκέσθημεν τοῖς λεγομένοις, τοῦτο κεκρικότες, ἐπὶ τὸ φιλανθρωπότερον τῆς εἰρήνης νεῦσαι ἐν τῷ ἀμφιβόλῳ πράγματι, καθώς φησί που ὁ Θεολόγος· καὶ ἅμα, ὅτι δεδεγμένος ἦν διὰ τὴν ὀρθοδοξίαν καὶ τὸ κατ' αὐτὴν ἀνδρεῖον καὶ σπουδαῖον γενέσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἐκκλησιῶν. Ταῦτά σοι ἐγνώρισα, τέκνον, εἰς εἴδησιν τῶν καθηκόντων καὶ ὅτι οἱ περὶ Σάβαν, εἰ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ οὐκ ἄλλοις τισὶν ἀλόγοις διεφέροντο πρὸς αὐτόν, εἶχον εὔλογον καὶ ἔχουσιν. ὡς γὰρ ὑπὸ παραπετάσματι ἡμεῖς τοῦ λέγειν μὴ δέχεσθαι τοὺς τοιούτους ἀλλὰ καὶ καθαίρειν συνήλθομεν τῷ προέδρῳ, οὕτως ἐκεῖνοι τὸ πραχθὲν ἐμφανῶς ἔχοντες δικαίωμα ἀντιποιοῦνται εἰκότως τοῦ θείου κανόνος. καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ χάριν τούτου τοῦ κεφαλαίου δυνάμενος ἀντιστῆναι αὐτοῖς, εἴ γε λέγοιεν ὅτι Ταράσιος οἰκονομικῶς ἐδέξατο τοὺς χρηματοχειροτονοῦντας, ἀλλὰ γὰρ οὐδ' ἂν Πέτρος καὶ Παῦλος ἐπιστῇ· αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἐξέθεντο τὸν κανόνα καὶ αὐτοί φασιν, ἀλλὰ κἂν ἡμεῖς ἢ ἄγγελος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ εὐαγγελίζηται ὑμῖν παρὸ εὐηγγελισάμεθα, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω.