The Right Faith in the Lives of the Saints: 5. St. Barsanuphius the Great

Romanian Philokalia Vol. 11: Sts. Barsanuphius and John

536. Question: If someone is suspected of being a heretic, but professes the right faith, should he be believed or not?

Answer: The Fathers required nothing more than the right confession of faith. Therefore, if someone truly blasphemes Christ with his mouth, living outside of Him, he must be avoided, and you should not approach him. But one must also look at his heart. For everyone who does not keep the commandments of Christ is a heretic. And if a man does not believe in his heart, his words are of no benefit to him. [1]

537. Question: If a certain Abba is found to be supporting a heresy, should a brother depart from him? [2]

Answer: If it is clearly proven that he supports a heresy, he must depart from him. If it is only a suspicion, he should not depart, nor initiate an investigation concerning him. For the hidden things are known only to God, while the manifest ones are known to men.

538. Question: If the Abba believes rightly, but there is an expectation that some heresy might arise in that place, and fear is born that the right faith may be violated, yet the Abba does not wish to relocate, and therefore the brother, knowing his own weakness, desires to depart to another place—does he do well or ill? [3]

Answer: Before it becomes evident that the heresy is being imposed by force, no one should depart, lest the word be fulfilled in him: “The wicked flee when no one pursues” (Proverbs 28:1). But if it becomes evident that it is being imposed, he must act with the counsel of spiritual Fathers, in the fear of God.

 

[1] He who holds faith in Christ merely as a theory and draws no conclusion from it for his life—thus having a faith devoid of spirituality and spiritual life—has a faith lacking its living, fruitful core, and is therefore also a heretic, according to Barsanuphius, compromising the faith more than serving and defending it.

[2] This refers to an elder whom a brother is serving.

[3] In the monasteries of Palestine at that time, Origenist disputes would arise, and sometimes in a particular monastery, Origenism would gain the majority.

 

Romanian source: https://theodosie.ro/2019/10/04/dreapta-credinta-in-vietile-sfintilor-5-sf-varsanufie-cel-mare/