DEPOSITION OF ARIUS

S. Alexander's Deposition of Arius and his copanions! and Enc"clical

#etter on the su$%ect.
Alexander! $ein& asse$led 'ith his $elo(ed $rethren! the
Pres$"ters and Deacons of Alexandria! and the )areotis! &reets the in
the #ord.
Althou&h "ou ha(e alread" su$scri$ed to the letter I addressed to
Arius and his fello's! exhortin& the to renounce his ipiet"! and to
su$it thesel(es to the sound *atholic Faith! and ha(e she'n "our
ri&ht+indedness and a&reeent in the doctrines of the *atholic *hurch,
"et forasuch as I ha(e 'ritten also to our fello'+inisters in e(er"
place concernin& Arius and his fello's! and especiall" since soe of
"ou! as the Pres$"ters *hafes and Pistus -./! and the Deacons Serapion!
Paraon! 0osius! and Irenaeus! ha(e %oined Arius and his fello's! and
$een content to suffer deposition 'ith the! I thou&ht it needful to
asse$le to&ether "ou! the *ler&" of the cit"! and to send for "ou the
*ler&" of the )areotis! in order that "ou a" learn 'hat I a no'
'ritin&! and a" testif" "our a&reeent thereto! and &i(e "our
concurrence in the deposition of Arius! Pistus! and their fello's. For
it is desira$le that "ou should $e ade ac1uainted 'ith 'hat I 'rite!
and that each of "ou should heartil" e$race it! as thou&h he had
'ritten it hiself.
A *op".
To his dearl" $elo(ed and ost honoured fello'+inisters of the
*atholic *hurch in e(er" place. Alexander sends health in the #ord.
I. As there is one $od" of the *atholic *hurch! and a coand is
&i(en us in the sacred Scriptures to preser(e the $ond of unit" and
peace! it is a&reea$le thereto. that 'e should 'rite and si&nif" to one
another 'hate(er is done $" each of us indi(iduall"2 so that 'hether
one e$er suffer or re%oice! 'e a" either suffer or re%oice 'ith one
another. No' there are &one forth in this diocese! at this tie!certain
la'less en! eneies of *hrist! teachin& an apostas"! 'hich one a"
%ustl" suspect and desi&nate as a forerunner of Antichrist. I 'as
desirous to pass such a atter $" 'ithout notice! in the hope that
perhaps the e(il 'ould spend itself aon& its supporters! and not
extend to other places to defile the ears of the siple. 3ut seein&
that Euse$ius! no' of Nicoedia! 'ho thin4s that the &o(ernent of the
*hurch rests 'ith hi! $ecause retri$ution has not coe upon hi for
his desertion of 3er"tus! 'hen he had cast an e"e of desire on the
*hurch of the Nicoedians! $e&ins to support these apostates! and has
ta4en upon hi to 'rite letters e(er" 'here in their $ehalf! if $" an"
eans he a" dra' in certain i&norant persons to this ost $ase and
antichristian heres"2 I a therefore constrained! 4no'in& 'hat is
'ritten in the la'! no lon&er to hold " peace! $ut to a4e it 4no'n to
"ou all2 that "ou a" understand 'ho the apostates are! and the ca(ils
-.5/ 'hich their heres" has adopted! and that! should Euse$ius 'rite to
"ou! "ou a" pa" no attention to hi! for he no' desires $" eans of
these en to exhi$it ane' his old ale(olence -../! 'hich has so lon&
$een concealed! pretendin& to 'rite in their fa(our!
65
'hile in truth it clearl" appears! that he does it to for'ard his o'n
interests.
7. No' those 'ho $ecae apostates are these! Arius! Achilles!
Aeithales! *arpones! another Arius! and Sarates! soetie Pres$"ters,
Eu8oius! #ucius! 9ulius! )enas! :elladius! and ;ains! soetie Deacons,
and 'ith the Secundus and Theonas! soetie called 3ishops. And the
no(elties the" ha(e in(ented and put forth contrar" to the Scriptures
are these follo'in& ,++;od 'as not al'a"s a Father -.7/! $ut there 'as
a tie 'hen ;od 'as not a Father. The <ord of ;od 'as not al'a"s! $ut
ori&inated fro thin&s that 'ere not2 for ;od that is! has ade hi
that 'as not! of that 'hich 'as not2 'herefore there 'as a tie 'hen :e
'as not2 for the Son is a creature and a 'or4. Neither is :e li4e in
essence to the Father2 neither is :e the true and natural <ord of the
Father2 neither is :e :is true <isdo 2 $ut :e is one of the thin&s
ade and created! and is called the <ord and <isdo $" an a$use of
ters! since :e :iself ori&inated $" the proper <ord of ;od! and $"
the <isdo that is in ;od! $" 'hich ;od has ade not onl" all other
thin&s $ut :i also. <herefore :e is $" nature su$%ect to chan&e and
(ariation as are all rational creatures And the <ord is forei&n fro
the essence -.=/ of the Father! and is alien and separated therefro.
And the Father cannot $e descri$ed $" the Son! for the <ord does not
4no' the Father perfectl" and accuratel"! neither can :e see :i
perfectl". )oreo(er! the Son 4no's not :is o'n essence as it reall" is2
for :e is ade for us! that ;od i&ht create us $" :i! as $" an
instruent2 and :e 'ould not ha(e existed! had not ;od 'ished to create
us. Accordin&l"! 'hen soe one as4ed the! 'hether the <ord of ;od can
possi$l" chan&e as the de(il chan&ed! the" 'ere not afraid to sa" that
:e can2 for $ein& soethin& ade and created! :is nature is su$%ect to
chan&e.
=. No' 'hen Arius and his fello's ade these assertions! and
shaelessl" a(o'ed the! 'e $ein& asse$led 'ith the 3ishops of E&"pt
and #i$"a! nearl" a hundred in nu$er! anatheati8ed $oth the and
their follo'ers. 3ut Euse$ius and his fello's aditted the to
counion! $ein& desirous to in&le falsehood 'ith the truth! and
ipiet" 'ith piet". 3ut the" 'ill not $e a$le to do so! for the truth
ust pre(ail2 neither is there an" >counion of li&ht 'ith dar4ness!>
nor an" >concord of *hrist 'ith 3elial -.?/.> For 'ho e(er heard such
assertions $efore -.@/A or 'ho that hears the no' is not astonished
and does not stop his ears lest the" should $e defiled 'ith such
lan&ua&eA <ho that has heard the 'ords of 9ohn! >In the $e&innin& 'as
the <ord -.B/!> 'ill not denounce the sa"in& of these en! that >there
'as a tie 'hen :e 'as not A> Or 'ho that has heard in the ;ospel! >the
Onl"+$e&otten Son!> and >$" :i 'ere all thin&s ade -.6/!> 'ill not
detest their declaration that :e is >one of the thin&s that 'ere ade.>
For ho' can :e $e one of those thin&s 'hich 'ere ade $" :iselfA or
ho' can :e $e the Onl"+$e&otten! 'hen! accordin& to the! :e is counted
as one aon& the rest! since :e is :iself a creature and a 'or4A And
ho' can :e $e >ade of thin&s that 'ere not!> 'hen the Father saith!
>)" heart hath uttered a &ood <ord!> and >Out of the 'o$ I ha(e
$e&otten Thee $efore the ornin& star -.C/A'' Or a&ain! ho' is
:e>unli4e in su$stance to the Father!> seein& :e is the perfect >ia&e>
and >$ri&htness -.D/> of the Father! and that :e saith! >:e that hath
seen )e hath seen the Father -75/ A> And if the Son is the ><ord> and
><isdo> of ;od! ho' 'as there >a tie 'hen :e 'as notA> It is the sae
as if the" should sa" that ;od 'as once 'ithout <ord and 'ithout <isdo
-7./. And ho' is :e >su$%ect to chan&e and (ariation!> <ho sa"s! $"
:iself! >I a in the Father! and the Father in )e -75/!> and >I and
the Father are One -75/2> and $" the Prophet! >3ehold )e! for I a! and
I chan&e not -77/ A> For althou&h one a" refer this expression to the
Father! "et it a" no' $e ore aptl" spo4en of the <ord! (i8.! that
thou&h :e has $een ade an! :e has not chan&ed2 $ut as the Apostle has
said! >9esus *hrist is the sae "esterda"! to+da"! and for e(er.> And
'ho can ha(e persuaded the to sa"! that :e 'as ade for us! 'hereas
Paul 'rites! >for <ho are all thin&s! and $" <ho are all thin&s
-7=/ A>
6.
?. As to their $laspheous position that >the Son 4no's not the
Father perfectl"!> 'e ou&ht not to 'onder at it2 for ha(in& once set
thesel(es to fi&ht a&ainst *hrist! the" contradict e(en :is express
'ords! since :e sa"s! >As the Father 4no'eth )e! e(en so 4no' I the
Father -7?/.> No' if the Father 4no's the Son $ut in part! then it is
e(ident that the Son does not 4no' the Father perfectl"2 $ut if it is
not la'ful to sa" this! $ut the Father does 4no' the Son perfectl"!
then it is e(ident that as the Father 4no's :is o'n <ord! so also the
<ord 4no's :is o'n Father <hose <ord :e is.
@. 3" these ar&uents and references to the sacred Scriptures 'e
fre1uentl" o(erthre' the2 $ut the" chan&ed li4e chaeleons -7@/! and
a&ain shifted their &round! stri(in& to $rin& upon thesel(es that
sentence! >'hen the 'ic4ed falleth into the depth of e(ils! he
despiseth -7B/.'' There ha(e $een an" heresies $efore the! 'hich!
(enturin& further than the" ou&ht! ha(e fallen into foll" 2 $ut these
en $" endea(ourin& in all their ca(ils to o(erthro' the Di(init" of
the <ord! ha(e %ustified the other in coparison of thesel(es! as
approachin& nearer to Antichrist. <herefore the" ha(e $een
excounicated and anatheati8ed $" the *hurch. <e &rie(e for their
destruction! and especiall" $ecause! ha(in& once $een instructed in the
doctrines of the *hurch! the" ha(e no' sprun& a'a". Eet 'e are not
&reatl" surprised! for :"enaeus and Philetus -76/ did the sae! and
$efore the 9udas! 'ho follo'ed the Sa(iour! $ut after'ards $ecae a
traitor and an apostate. And concernin& these sae persons! 'e ha(e not
$een left 'ithout instruction2 for our #ord has fore'arned us2 >Ta4e
heed lest an" an decei(e "ou, for an" shall coe in )" nae! sa"in&!
I a *hrist! and the tie dra'eth near! and the" shall decei(e an", &o
"e not after the -7C/ 2> <hile Paul! 'ho 'as tau&ht these thin&s $"
our Sa(iour! 'rote that >in the latter ties soe shall depart fro the
sound faith! &i(in& heed to seducin& spirits and doctrines of de(ils!
'hich re%ect the truth -7D/.>
B. Since then our #ord and Sa(iour 9esus! *hrist has instructed us
$" :is o'n outh! and also hath si&nified to us $" the Apostle
concernin& such en! 'e accordin&l" $ein& personal 'itnesses of their
ipiet"! ha(e anatheati8ed! as 'e said! all such! and declared the to
$e alien fro the *atholic Faith and *hurch. And 'e ha(e ade this
4no'n to "our piet"! dearl" $elo(ed and ost honoured fello'+inisters!
in order that should an" of the ha(e the $oldness -=5/ to coe unto
"ou! "ou a" not recei(e the! nor copl" 'ith the desire of Euse$ius!
or an" other person 'ritin& in their $ehalf. For it $ecoes us 'ho are
*hristians to turn a'a" fro all 'ho spea4 or thin4 an" thin& a&ainst
*hrist! as $ein& eneies of ;od! and destro"ers -=./ of souls2 and not
e(en to >$id such ;od speed -=7/!> lest 'e $ecoe parta4ers of their
sins! as the $lessed 9ohn hath char&ed us. Salute the $rethren that are
'ith "ou. The" that are 'ith e salute "ou.