66 (48). To Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria
LETTERS
be nothing to hinder the truth from being swept away by enemies, and lost. Likewise, nothing will prevent our sharing the condemnation, unless, with all zeal and eagerness, in agreement with each other and in harmony with God, we show all possible care for the unity of the churches.
Therefore, I urge, cast out of your mind the thought that you stand in need of union with no one. For, it is not the spirit of one who walks in charity or fulfills the command of Christ to cut himself off from union with his brethrell. At the same time I wish that your plan of action would be to consider that the evil of war4 going on around is ever coming nearer to us, also, and if we, along with the others, share its abuse, we shall find no one sympathizing with us, because we have not in our time of peace offered to the wronged our contribution of sympathy.
66. To Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria!
I think that the present order or, rather, to speak more truly, disorder of the churches, grieves no one else so much as your Honor. Indeed, in comparing the present with the past you can observe how utterly different from the former the existing conditions have become. You can also infer that, if our affairs continue sinking to a lower level with the same speed, there will be nothing to hinder the churches from being changed completely in a short time to some other form.
Frequently, while alone, I have had this thought-if the perversion of the churches appears so piteous to us, what feeling about these matters must he have who has experienced the ancient tranquillity and unity in faith of the churches of the .. I.e., the persecutions of Valens.
1 This letter was written in 371.
SAINT BASIL
Lord?2 Yet, as the greater part of the distress falls upon your Excellency, so we think that fittingly the greater share of the anxiety for the churches will be borne by your Wisdom. 3 I have also known and realized for a long time from the moderate understanding which I have of the affairs that the one way of sustaining our churches is union with the Western bishops.
If they should be willing to show for the dioceses of our regions that zeal which they employed in the case of one or two of those in the West 4 who were discovered to be heretical, it would perhaps be of some advantage to our common interests, since our rulers are looking askance at the trustworthiness of the people, and the people everywhere are following their bishops5 without question.
Now, who is more able than your Intelligence to accomplish this? Who is keener in comprehending the needs?
Who is more practical in carrying out useful measures? Who is more sympathetic toward the affliction of his brethren?
Who is more revered in the whole West than you by virtue of your venerable white hair? Leave to men some memorial worthy of your manner of life, 0 most honorable Father.6
Adorn by this one work your numberless labors in behalf of religion. Send from the holy church subject to you to the bishops throughout the West some men strong in sound doctrine. Tell them of the calamities pressing upon us. Suggest some means of assistance. Become a Samuel to the 2 As St. Athanasius was about twenty·five years older than St. Basil. he could easily remember the peace in the Church before the outbreak of Arianism.
3 Phronesei-a title of address used by St. Basil for clergymen and laymen.
4 On the margin of the Codex Regius Secundus is found this scholion:
'Concerning the bishops at Rome, Auxentius and those with him.'
5 The Benedictine editors consider that Val ens is meant hy ton kratott1l. ton, and not the rulers hut the hishops by autois. It is ill this sense that the passage has been translated.
6 Timi6tate_a title of distinction generally applied by S1. Basil to bishops.
LETTERS
churches. Share in the sufferings of the people who are being oppressed by war. Offer up prayers for peace. Beg of God the favor that He send upon His churches some remembrance of peace. I know that letters are weak instruments for advising in matters of such importance. You, however, do not need exhortation from others-no more, certainly, than the noblest athletes need the acclamation of boys; nor are we speaking to one who does not understand, but we are urging on the effort of a man who is already busily concerned.
In regard to the other afTairs of the East you need, perhaps, the co-operation also of a greater number, and you must await the bishops from the West. Of course, the good condition of the Church at Antioch clearly depends upon your Reverence, who will restore some to order, silence others, and give back strength to the Church through unanimity.7 Without doubt, you yourself understand more clearly than anyone else that, like the wisest doctors, you should begin the treatment in the most vital parts. And what could be more vital for the churches throughout the world than the Church at Antioch?
If this Church should happen to return to unity, nothing would prevent it, as a sound head, from furnishing soundness to the whole body. And the infirmities of that city truly need your wisdom and evangelical sympathy. It is not only disunited by the heretics, but it is torn asunder by those who say that they are of the same mind with one another. Now,
7 St. Basil here refers to the schisms caused by the refusal of the Eusta. thian or Old Catholic party to recognize Meletius as bishop of the whole orthodox party. After the death of Eustathius, the Church at Antioch, the staunch support of orthodoxy, was rent with dissensions because of the election of several incompetent bishops. Then, Meletius was elected as a compromise candidate. He seems to have been neither entirely
Nicene nor Arian, but he was esteemed by such men as St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Basil, and even his adversary St. Epiphanius. Most of the churches of the West and Egypt supported Paulinus, ordained in the Old Catholic party, but the East supported Meletius. Cf. St. Ambrose, Letter \3, which also deals with this same general topiC.