Letter 135

From: Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus To: Romulus, Bishop [identity uncertain] Date: ~451 AD Context: Theodoret rebukes a bishop who kept silent out of cowardice during the crisis, using the story of Ahab to warn that misplaced mercy toward heresy is dangerous. To Bishop Romulus, You have reminded me of the ancient story -- how the king of Syria, knowing the merciful reputation of the kings of Israel, assumed the posture of a suppliant and did not fail to obtain his petition [1 Kings 20:31-34]. But remember, my lord, the divine wrath that followed: God delivered Ahab to utter destruction for showing mercy in the wrong place, and pronounced His sentence through the prophet: "Your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people" [1 Kings 20:42]. We are commanded to temper mercy with justice, because not every kind of mercy is pleasing to the God of all. The present crisis especially demands prudent counsel, for we are contending on behalf of the divine doctrines in which we place our hope of salvation. And here we see the vast differences between people. Some are genuinely infected with the common impiety. Others advance first one doctrine, then its opposite, shifting without principle. Some who know the truth conceal it in the secret chambers of their hearts while publicly preaching heresy with everyone else. Still others, filled with private malice, have seized on the controversy as an excuse to wage war against the truth and heap every kind of mischief on its defenders. Then there are those who embrace the truth of apostolic teaching but are too afraid of the dominant party to proclaim it. They weep over our misfortunes but nevertheless side with the very people who set the mighty waves rolling. It is in this last category that I place your reverence. I believe you are sound in doctrine and that you still have affection for me, and that you go along with the times for no other reason than cowardice. This is why, although I am not writing to any of the others, I write to your holiness and welcome your reply. I see where you stand, and to some extent I pardon your timidity. But the loving Lord has now removed all grounds for cowardice. He has exposed the fraudulent heresy and revealed the plain truth of the Gospels. I have heard that the man who shares your holiness's roof, when he learned that anathemas had been published in the great cities, stopped imitating the crooked walk of crabs and, after debating doctrines in a certain assembly, began walking in the straight road at last. We must never tailor our words to the season. We must always preserve the unbending rule of truth.

Letter 135 Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99... To Bishop Romulus. You have reminded me of the ancient story, and remarked how the King of the Syrians, bethinking him of the loving kindness of the kings of Israel, assumed the form of a suppliant and failed not to obtain his petition. Remember therefore, sir, the divine wrath. God delivered Ahab to utter destruction for using mercy, and delivered his sentence through the mouth of the prophet, saying Your life shall go for his life and your people for his people. We are thus commanded to temper mercy with justice, since not every kind of mercy is pleasing to the God of all. The present state of affairs specially requires prudent council; for we are contending on behalf of the divine doctrines, wherein we have the hope of our salvation. But herein, too, may be seen the great difference between man and man. Some men are verily infected with the common impiety; while others, without distinction, advance at one time one doctrine, and at another its opposite. Some who know the truth conceal it in the secret chambers of their soul, while they preach impiety with the rest; others again who are filled with envy have made their private ill-will an occasion of waging war against the truth, and wreak all kinds of mischief against the prophets of the truth. Again, there are who embrace the truth of the apostolic doctrines, and yet because they are afraid of the power of the dominant party are too cowed to proclaim it, and though they lament at the abundance of our misfortunes, nevertheless side with them that set the mighty surge a-rolling. It is in this last category that we place your reverence. We have believed you to be sound in the divine doctrines, and think that you keep your affection for me, and are borne along with the time for no other reason than your cowardice. Under these circumstances though I am not writing to any of the rest, I write to your holiness, and receive your reply. I see your drift and to some extent I pardon your pusillanimity. But the loving Lord has now removed all occasions of cowardice, by exhibiting the new-fangled impiety, and showing the plain truth of the gospels. I, even though my mouths were as many as my hairs, cannot praise as I ought the loving-kindness of the Lord for compelling my strongest opponents openly to preach what has been preached by me. For I have heard that he who shares your holiness's roof, when he heard that anathemas had been published in the great cities, ceased to imitate the crooked gait of crabs, and, after disputing in a certain assembly about doctrines, walked in the straight road. Never must we suit our words to the season, but ever preserve the unbending rule of truth.