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

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

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

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The Breach with Gregory of Nazianzus.With Anthimus peace was ultimately established. <strong>Basil</strong> vehemently desired it. 200 Eusebiusof Samosata again intervened. 201 Nazianzus remained for a time subject to Cæsarea,but was eventually recognized as subject to the Metropolitan of Tyana. 202The relations, however, between the two metropolitans remained for some time strained.When in Armenia in 372, <strong>Basil</strong> arranged some differences between the bishops of that district,<strong>and</strong> dissipated a cloud of calumny hanging over Cyril, an Armenian bishop. 203 He alsoacceded to a request on the part of the Church of Satala that he would nominate a bishopfor that see, <strong>and</strong> accordingly appointed Pœmenius, a relation of his own. 204 Later on acertain Faustus, on the strength of a recommendation from a pope with whom he wasresiding, applied to <strong>Basil</strong> for consecration to the see, hitherto occupied by Cyril. With thisrequest <strong>Basil</strong> declined to comply, <strong>and</strong> required as a necessary preliminary the authorisationof the Armenian bishops, specially of Theodotus of Nicopolis. Faustus then betook himselfto Anthimus, <strong>and</strong> succeeded in obtaining uncanonical consecration from him. This wasnaturally a serious cause of disagreement. 205 However, by 375, a better feeling seems tohave existed between the rivals. <strong>Basil</strong> is able at that date to speak of Anthimus as in completeagreement with him. 206xxviiau contraire, semble prendre à la lettre ce qu’il a lu dans Plutarque et dans Xénophon de l’amitié antique.” E.Fialon, Et. Hist. In other words, Gregory’s idea of friendship was to sacrifice one’s self: <strong>Basil</strong>’s to sacrifice one’sfriend. This is an interesting vindication of <strong>Basil</strong>, but the cause of God was hardly identical with the humiliationof Anthimus.200 Ep. xcvii.201 Ep. xcviii.202 Greg. Naz., Ep. clii.203 Ep. xcix.204 Epp. cii., ciii.205 Epp. cxx., cxxi., cxxii.206 Ep. ccx.40

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