NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works - Holy Bible Institute

Additional Notes on Some Points in St. Basil's Doctrinal and Ecclesiastical Position.IX.—Additional Notes on Some Points in St. Basil’s Doctrinal and EcclesiasticalPosition.It has been claimed with reason that the doctrinal standpoint of St. Basil is identicalwith that of the English Church, with the one exception of the veneration of relics and theinvocation of saints. 702In confirmation of this view, the following points may be noted:1. The Holy Eucharist. The remarkable passage on the spiritual manducation of theelements in Letter VIII. is commented on on p. 118. His custom as to frequent communionand his opinion as to the reserved sacrament are remarked on on p. 179.A significant passage is to be found in the Moralia, Rule XXI., that participation in theBody and Blood of Christ is necessary to eternal life. John vi. 54, is then quoted. That nobenefit is derived by him who comes to communion without consideration of the methodwhereby participation of the Body and Blood of Christ is given; and that he who receivesunworthily is condemned. On this John vi. 54 and 62, and 1 Cor. xiii. 27, are quoted. Bywhat method (ποί& 251· λόγῳ) we must eat the Body and drink the Blood of the Lord, inremembrance of the Lord’s obedience unto death, that they who live may no longer liveunto themselves, but to Him who died and rose again for them. In answer, the quotationsare Luke xxii. 29, 1 Cor. xi. 23, 2 Cor. v. 14, and 1 Cor. x. 16.2. Mariolatry. Even Letter CCCLX., which bears obvious marks of spuriousness, andof proceeding from a later age, does not go beyond a recognition of the Blessed Virgin asΘεοτόκος, in which the Catholic Church is agreed, and a general invocation of apostles,prophets, and martyrs, the Virgin not being set above these. The argument of Letter CCLXI.(p. 300) that “if the Godbearing flesh was not ordained to be assumed of the lump of Adam,what need was there of the Blessed Virgin?” seems quite inconsistent with the moderndoctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Of any cultus of the Virgin, St. Basil’s writingsshew no trace.3. Relations to the Roman Church.In order to say something under this head, Ceillier, the Benedictine, is driven to suchstraits as to quote the application of the term “Coryphæus” to Damasus in Letter CCXXXIX.Certainly St. Basil saw no reason to congratulate the Westerns on their “Coryphæus,” so faras intelligent interest in the East was involved. Fialon 703 sees the position more clearly, sofar as Basil is concerned, though he assumes the Councils to have given more authority tothe patriarch of the ancient capital than was in fact conceded. “Si Basile ne va pas, commela majorité du Concile de Constantinople, jusqu’à traiter l’Occident comne étranger; s’il nepretend pas que 1’empire appartienne à l’Orient, parce que l’Orient voit naitre le Soleil, et que702 cf. Dr. Travers Smith, St. Basil, p. 125.703 Etude Hist. p. 133.130