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Theodoret of Cyrus, The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret
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The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret.
The ECCLESIASTICAL HistorY of Theodoret.
Chapter I.— Origin of the Arian Heresy.
Chapter II.— List of the Principal Bishops
Chapter IV.— The Letter of Arius to Eusebius, Bishop of Nicomedia
Chapter V.— The Letter of Eusebius, Bishop of Nicomedia, to Paulinus, Bishop of Tyre .
Chapter VI.— General Council of Nicæa .
Chapter VII.— Confutation of Arianism deduced from the Writings of Eustathius and Athanasius .
Chapter XIII.— Extract from the Letter of Athanasius on the Death of Arius .
Chapter XIV.— Letter written by the Emperor Constantine respecting the building of Churches .
Chapter XVIII.— The Unlawful Translation of Eusebius, Bishop of Nicomedia .
Chapter XXII.— Conversion of the Indians .
Chapter XXIII.— Conversion of the Iberians .
Chapter XXV.— An account of the plot formed against the Holy Athanasius .
Chapter XXVI.— Another plot against Athanasius .
Chapter XXVII.— Epistle of the Emperor Constantine to the Council of Tyre .
Chapter XXVIII.— The Council of Tyre .
Chapter XXIX.— Consecration of the Church of Jerusalem.—Banishment of St. Athanasius .
Chapter XXX.— Will of the blessed Emperor Constantine .
Chapter XXXI.— Apology for Constantine .
Chapter XXXII.— The End of the Holy Emperor Constantine .
Chapter II.— Declension of the Emperor Constantius from the true Faith .
Chapter III.— Second Exile of St. Athanasius.—Ordination and Death of Gregorius .
Chapter IV.— Paulus, Bishop of Constantinople .
Chapter V.— The Heresy of Macedonius .
Chapter VI.— Council held at Sardica .
Chapter VIII.— Stephanus Deposed .
Chapter IX.— The Second Return of Saint Athanasius .
Chapter X.— Third exile and flight of Athanasius .
Chapter XI.— The evil and daring deeds done by Georgius in Alexandria.
Chapter XII.— Council of Milan .
Chapter XIII.— Conference between Liberius, Pope of Rome, and the Emperor Constantius .
Chapter XIV.— Concerning the Banishment and Return of the Holy Liberius .
Chapter XV.— Council of Ariminum .
Chapter XVIII.— The Letter of Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, concerning the same Council.
Chapter XX.— Concerning the innovations of Eudoxius, of Germanicia, and the zeal of Basilius .
Chapter XXI.— Of the Second Council of Nicæa .
Chapter XXII.— Of the Council held at Seleucia in Isauria .
Chapter XXIII.— Of what befell the orthodox bishops at Constantinople .
Chapter XXIV.— Synodical Epistle written against Aetius .
Chapter XXV.— Of the causes which separated the Eunomians from the Arians .
Chapter XXVII.— Of the Council of Antioch and what was done there against the holy Meletius .
Chapter XXVIII.— About Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata .
Chapter II.— Of the return of the bishops and the consecration of Paulinus .
Chapter IV.— Of the laws made by Julian against the Christians .
Chapter V.— Of the fourth exile and flight of the holy Athanasius .
Chapter VI.— Of Apollo and Daphne, and of the holy Babylas .
Chapter VII.— Of Theodorus the Confessor .
Chapter VIII.— Of the confiscation of the sacred treasures and taking away of the allowances .
Chapter IX.— Of what befell Julianus, the Emperor’s Uncle, and Felix .
Chapter X.— Of the Son of the Priest .
Chapter XI.— Of the Holy Martyrs Juventinus and Maximinus .
Chapter XII.— Of Valentinianus the great Emperor .
Chapter XIII.— Of other confessors .
Chapter XIV.— Of Artemius the Duke. Of Publia the Deaconess and her divine boldness .
Chapter XVI.— Of the expedition against the Persians .
Chapter XVII.— Of the boldness of speech of the decurion of Berœa .
Chapter XVIII.— Of the prediction of the pedagogue .
Chapter XIX.— Of the Prophecy of St. Julianus the monk .
Chapter XX.— Of the death of the Emperor Julian in Persia .
Chapter XXII.— Of the heads discovered in the palace at Antioch and the public rejoicings there .
Chapter II.— Of the return of Athanasius .
Chapter III.— Synodical letter to the Emperor Jovian concerning the Faith .
Chapter IV.— Of the restoration of allowances to the churches and of the Emperor’s death.
Chapter V.— Of the reign of Valentinianus, and how he associated Valens his brother with him.
Chapter VI.— Of the election of Ambrosius, the Bishop of Milan .
Chapter VIII.— Synodical Epistle of the Synod in Illyricum concerning the Faith .
Chapter IX.— Of the heresy of the Audiani .
Chapter X.— Of the heresy of the Messaliani .
Chapter XI.— In what manner Valens fell into heresy .
Chapter XII.— How Valens exiled the virtuous bishops .
Chapter XIII.— Of Eusebius, bishop of Samosata, and others .
Chapter XIV.— Of the holy Barses, and of the exile of the bishop of Edessa and his companions .
Chapter XVII.— Of the death of the great Athanasius and the election of Petrus .
Chapter XVIII.— On the overthrow of Petrus and the introduction of Lucius the Arian .
Chapter XX.— Of Mavia, Queen of the Saracens, and the ordination of Moses the monk.
Chapter XXII.— How Flavianus and Diodorus gathered the church of the orthodox in Antioch .
Chapter XXIII.— Of the holy monk Aphraates .
Chapter XXIV.— Of the holy monk Julianus .
Chapter XXV.— Of what other monks were distinguished at this period .
Chapter XXVI.— Of Didymus of Alexandria and Ephraim the Syrian .
Chapter XXVII.— Of what bishops were at this time distinguished in Asia and Pontus.
Chapter XXIX.— Of the piety of Count Terentius .
Chapter XXX.— Of the bold utterance of Trajanus the general .
Chapter XXXI.— Of Isaac the monk of Constantinople and Bretanio the Scythian Bishop.
Chapter XXXIII.— How the Goths became tainted by the Arian error .
Chapter II.— Of the return of the bishops .
Chapter IV.— Of Eusebius Bishop of Samosata .
Chapter V.— Of the campaign of Theodosius .
Chapter VI.— Of the reign of Theodosius and of his dream .
Chapter VII.— Of famous leaders of the Arian faction.
Chapter VIII.— The council assembled at Constantinople .
Chapter IX.— Synodical letter from the council at Constantinople .
Chapter X.— Synodical letter of Damasus bishop of Rome against Apollinarius and Timotheus.
Chapter XII.— Of the death of Gratianus and the sovereignty of Maximus
Chapter XIII.— Of Justina, the wife of Valentinianus, and of her plot against Ambrosius.
Chapter XIV.— Of the information given by Maximus the tyrant to Valentinianus .
Chapter XV.— Of the Letter written by the Emperor Theodosius concerning the same .
Chapter XVI.— Of Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium .
Chapter XVIII.— Of the Empress Placilla .
Chapter XIX.— Of the sedition of Antioch .
Chapter XX.— Of the destruction of the temples all over the Empire.
Chapter XXI.— Of Marcellus, bishop of Apamea, and the idols’ temples destroyed by him.
Chapter XXV.— Of the death of the Emperor Theodosius .
Chapter XXVI.— Of Honorius the emperor and Telemachus the monk .
Chapter XXVII.— Of the piety of the emperor Arcadius and the ordination of John Chrysostom.
Chapter XXVIII.— Of John’s boldness for God .
Chapter XXIX.— Of the idol temples which were destroyed by John in Phœnicia .
Chapter XXX.— Of the church of the Goths .
Chapter XXXI.— Of his care for the Scythians and his zeal against the Marcionists
Chapter XXXII.— Of the demand made by Gainas and of John Chrysostom’s reply .
Chapter XXXIII.— Of the ambassage of Chrysostom to Gainas .
Chapter XXXIV.— Of the events which happened on account of Chrysostom .
Chapter XXXV.— Of Alexander, bishop of Antioch .
Chapter XXXVII.— Of Theodotus bishop of Antioch .
Chapter XXXVIII.— Of the persecutions in Persia and of them that were martyred there.
Chapter XII.—Confutation of the blasphemies of the Arians of our time, from the writings of Eusebius, Bishop of Cæsarea.
Eusebius clearly testifies that the aforesaid term “consubstantial” is not a new one, nor the invention of the fathers assembled at the council; but that, from the very first139 ἄνωθεν. Cf. St. Luke i. 3. Plat. Phil. 44 D. &c. it has been handed down from father to son. He states that all those then assembled unanimously received the creed then published; and he again bears testimony to the same fact in another work, in which he highly extols the conduct of the great Constantine. He writes as follows140 Euseb. Vit. Constant. lib. iii. c. 13.:—
“The emperor having delivered this discourse in Latin, it was translated into Greek by an interpreter, and then he gave liberty of speech to the leaders of the council. Some at once began to bring forward complaints against their neighbours, while others had recourse to recriminations and reproaches. Each party had much to urge, and at the beginning the debate waxed very violent. The emperor patiently and attentively listened to all that was advanced, and gave full attention to what was urged by each party in turn. He calmly endeavoured to reconcile the conflicting parties; addressing them mildly in Greek, of which language he was not ignorant, in a sweet and gentle manner. Some he convinced by argument, others he put to the blush; he commended those who had spoken well, and excited all to unanimity; until, at length, he reduced them all to oneness of mind and opinion on all the disputed points, so that they all agreed to hold the same faith, and to celebrate the festival of Salvation upon the same day. What had been decided was committed to writing, and was signed by all the bishops.”
Soon after the author thus continues the narrative:—
“When matters had been thus arranged, the emperor gave them permission to return to their own dioceses. They returned with great joy, and have ever since continued to be of the one opinion, agreed upon in the presence of the emperor, and, though once widely separated, now united together, as it were, in one body. Constantine, rejoicing in the success of his efforts, made known these happy results by letter to those who were at a distance. He ordered large sums of money to be liberally distributed both among the inhabitants of the country and of the cities, in order that the twentieth anniversary of his reign might be celebrated with public festivities.”
Although the Arians impiously gainsay the statements of the other fathers, yet they ought to believe what has been written by this father, whom they have been accustomed to admire. They ought, therefore, to receive his testimony to the unanimity with which the confession of faith was signed by all. But, since they impugn the opinions of their own leaders, they ought to become acquainted with the most foul and terrible manner of the death of Arius and with all their powers to flee from the impious doctrine of which he was the parent. As it is likely that the mode of his death is not known by all, I shall here relate it.