Pastoral Counsels for Interacting with Those Confessing Heresy

Spiritual Guidance from St. Barsanuphius the Great (+540), St. John the Prophet (c. +543), and St. Anastasios of Sinai (after +700) to their disciples.

 

From Saints Barsanuphius ("Great Elder") and John ("Elder")

 

Letter 536

Question: “If someone is suspected of being a heretic, but confesses the correct faith, should one believe that person or not?”

Response: The fathers sought nothing else but the correct faith and a verbal confession. Therefore, if someone is truly found to be blaspheming Christ with the mouth and lives apart from Christ, then one should avoid and not approach such a person. For in terms of the heart, anyone who does not keep the commandments of Christ is a heretic; and if one does not believe in one’s heart, then that person’s words are of no benefit to him.

Letter 537

Question: “If someone’s abba is found to proclaim heresy, should that brother abandon him?”

Response: If it is determined accurately that the abba proclaims heresy, then the brother should indeed abandon him. If, however, there is only a suspicion about this, then the brother should neither abandon him nor examine what he believes. For what is concealed from people is revealed to God.

Letter 538

Question: “What happens if the abba has an orthodox belief, but some heresy is expected to move through that region and there is fear that the monks may be forced to violate the correct faith? If the abba does not wish to leave that place, but the brother, knowing his own weakness, wants to depart from that region for another, is this a good thing or not?”

Response: One should not leave before the heresy appears, which might force this departure. In this way, the words shall not be fulfilled: “The wicked flee when no one pursues.” If the heresy does indeed appear, then one should indeed flee, although always with the advice of spiritual fathers and with godly fear.

Letter 539

Question: “Then, what happens if there are no fathers in that region who are assuredly able to discern this matter? Should one perhaps leave for the time being on account of the danger of heresy, and depart to another region where there are people able to discern, whom one might ask about this matter?”

Response by John: Yes, one should do precisely that and then fulfill whatever they tell him.

Letter 603

The same brother, who asked these questions, had doubts within himself, thinking and saying: “So how is it that some of the fathers in our time accept these teachings, and yet we regard them as being good monks and pay attention to their advice?” And some days later, it happened that this brother also asked the Great Elder to pray for him. Then the Elder revealed to him, of his own accord, what the brother was actually thinking in his heart, so that the latter was surprised and astounded.

Since you said and thought: “Why is it that some of the fathers accept the Gnostic Chapters of Evagrius?”, it is true that certain brothers, who regard themselves as knowledgeable, accept these writings; but they have not asked God whether they are true. And God has left them to their own knowledge on this matter. Nevertheless, it is neither my role nor yours to pursue these matters; for our time is given us to examine our passions, as well as to weep and mourn for them.

Letter 694

Question: “If I am sitting in the company of certain fathers, and they are discussing the faith of one of them, that perhaps he is not thinking correctly, should I participate in the conversation as well or not? For my thought tells me that if I am silent, I am betraying the faith. And if they are having a simple conversation about doctrinal matters, should I say what I happen to know, or should I keep silent? Moreover, if I am asked [to say something], what should I do?” 

Response: Never take part in conversations about the faith; for God will not demand this of you, but only whether you believe correctly what you have received from the holy church at the time of your baptism, and whether you keep his commandments. So maintain these things, and you shall be saved.

Furthermore, it is not necessary to talk about doctrines; for this is beyond you. Instead, pray to God for all your sins, and let your intellect spend time on these matters. See, however, that you do not condemn within your heart those who do talk about doctrines; for you do not know whether they are speaking correctly or not; nor do you know how God will judge the matter. So, if you are asked, simply say: “These things are beyond me; forgive me, holy fathers.”

Letter 695

Question: “If the heretic happens to be arguing better than the orthodox brother during this discussion, is it then good perhaps for me to support the latter as much as I can, lest he be harmed in the orthodox faith by losing the debate?” 

Response: If you enter into any conversation, speaking publicly before God and people, then you are considered to be the one teaching. Moreover, if one teaches without having authority to do so, then one’s words are not in fact assured by God but remain fruitless. So, if there is no benefit in your speaking, why is it necessary for you to speak at all? If, however, you truly want to be of assistance, then speak within your heart to God, who knows our secrets and is able to accomplish far more than we could ask for. He will deal with those who are debating, in accordance with his will, while you will find humility through this.

This situation resembles someone who imprisons another person by force and without just reason. When a third person sees what has happened, although he cannot do or say anything in opposition, yet he may go secretly to a more powerful person, who will send for the first person’s release on his own authority. Meanwhile, the one who imprisoned that man is troubled because he does not actually know who reported it. The same also applies here. Let us approach God in the prayer of our hearts for our faith and for our brothers; then he who swore unto himself: “that he desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”170 and life will do with them according to his will.

Letter 696

Question: “Should I first ask to learn what they are discussing in order to be sure?” 

Response: Ask for nothing that God will not demand of you. Nor contribute any dangerous words. Instead, be satisfied, as I have already told you, with the confession of the correct faith, and do not meddle in anything else beyond this.

Letter 699

Question: “If someone asks me to anathematize Nestorius and the heretics with him, should I do this or not?” 

Response: The fact that Nestorius and those heretics who follow him are under anathema is clear. But you should never hasten to anathematize anyone at all. For one who regards himself as sinful should rather mourn over his sins, and do nothing else. Neither, however, should you judge those who anathematize someone; for one should always test oneself.

Letter 700

Question: “But if someone happens to think, as a result of this, that I believe the same as Nestorius, what should I tell him?” 

Response by John: Tell him: “Although it is clear that those people were worthy of their anathema, nevertheless I am more sinful than every other person, and I fear that, in judging anyone else, I may actually condemn myself. Indeed, even if I anathematize Satan himself but happen to be doing his works, then I am in fact anathematizing myself. For the Lord said: ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments.’ And the Apostle says: ‘Let anyone be accursed who has no love for the Lord.’ Therefore, one who does not keep his commandments does not love him; and whoever does not love him is under anathema. So, then, how can such a person [who is already under anathema] anathematize others?” Say these things in response; and if that person still persists in this, then for the sake of his conscience, anathematize the heretic.

Letter 701

Question: “If I am actually unaware of whether the one he is asking me to anathematize is truly a heretic, then what should I do?”

Response. Tell him: “Brother, I do not know what this person believes, about whom you are speaking to me. Therefore, to anathematize someone I do not know appears to me to resemble condemnation. I can, however, tell you this: Beyond the faith of the holy 318 Fathers, I know no other faith; and one who believes contrary to this casts oneself under anathema.”

Letter 733

Question: “I have a close friend, who has proved to be a heretic. Should I counsel him in the correct doctrine or not?” 

Response. Counsel him to know the correct faith. Do not, however, argue with him; nor seek to learn what he believes, in order that he may not instill in you his poison. Instead, if he wants to benefit entirely and to hear the truth about faith in God, take him to the holy fathers, who are able to provide benefit for him in Christ. In this way, he shall have your godly assistance without this bringing you any harm.

If, however, after the first and second exhortation, he refuses to accept correction, then in accordance with the Apostle, have nothing to do with him. For God does not want one to do more than one can, as the fathers say: “For if you see—it is said—someone drowning in a river, do not give him your hand lest he drag you with him and you die with him. Rather, give him your staff, and if you are able to drag him out, all is well and good; otherwise, you should let go of your staff and save yourself.”

Letter 734

One of the fathers had a friend in Christ, whom he thought to be a correct believer but who proved to be heretical in belief. So those who were his friends left him. Afterward, on hearing that he openly wanted to be separated from the church, they thought of going to make a prostration before him, lest he was doing so out of sorrow and lest the judgment be ascribed to them. They came to ask the Elder about this. 

Response by John: A passion is a passion; do not, therefore, pretend otherwise. For you are not showing repentance because you have sinned against him, but only lest he be separated from the church.

 

From Saint Anastasios of Sinai

 

Question 68

Question: If I am questioned about the faith by heretics, and I do not know how to explain dogma, what shall I do?

Answer: Not only for you, who do not know, but also for those who think they do know, it is a danger to talk about the faith. So say to the person questioning you, “I am an unlearned person, but if you really and truly seek to know the truth, go to the Church and there you will learn what is the right-minded religion.”

Question 69

Question: But is there not some method or other by which an uneducated person may confute the heretic?

Answer: 1. On this subject listen to a short discussion that took place not very long ago in Alexandria. Representatives had gathered from the followers of Severus and Gaïanos and Barsanouphios against somebody who was uneducated as far as public speaking was concerned, but wise in the Lord, a preacher of the faith of the catholic Church, and they were fighting against him.

2. He then put the following question: “If the Emperor owns certain treasuries and honoured dwellings where his essential secret business is despatched, to whom will he confide these places, to those who are faithful to him or to those who are unfaithful?” The others said to him, “It is quite obvious that the Emperor will confide such dwellings to those who are the most faithful of all his subjects.”

3. Then in reply the right-thinking person said to them, “Consequently learn that there is no faith on earth which is right-thinking except for that of the catholic Church, and for that reason God has confided to us all the holy and most essential of his dwellings, in which when He dwelt here He worked his mysteries, viz. Nazareth, Tabor, Bethlehem, the Jordan, Sion, Golgotha and [the church of] the Resurrection. And not only these, but there is also Sinai and, to sum up, for all the holy places of the New and the Old Testament it is we of the catholic Church who are in possession.

4. So that if we are in error in our beliefs, and you constitute the right-thinkers, God has not acted properly in confiding to us all his Holy Places. And if you say that we hold these places because of imperial force and tyranny, you can be convicted of lying. Behold how the barbarians now control the land of the Holy Places and God has not taken them away from us. But if, as is quite likely, you will want to say that once upon a time the Arians gained control of the Holy Places for a short while, consider that it is quite true that they snatched the Holy Places away by imperial force and tyranny, but they were not strong enough. At once God restored them once more to us the orthodox, and behold now for seven hundred years!” On hearing these things the heretics retired put to shame.

 

Sources:

Barsanuphius and John, Letters, Vols. 1 and 2, translated by John Chryssavgis, Washington, D.C., Catholic University Press, 2006.

Anastasios of Sinai, Questions and Answers, introduction, translation and notes by Joseph A. Munitiz, Turnhout, Belgium, Brepols Publishers, 2011.