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

To Amphilochius, concerning the Canons.astical reasons and questions capable of mutual solution; by unlawful congregations gatheringsheld by disorderly presbyters or bishops or by uninstructed laymen. As, for instance, if aman be convicted of crime, and prohibited from discharging ministerial functions, and thenrefuses to submit to the canons, but arrogates to himself episcopal and ministerial rights,and persons leave the Catholic Church and join him, this is unlawful assembly. To disagreewith members of the Church about repentance, is schism. Instances of heresy are those ofthe Manichæans, of the Valentinians, of the Marcionites, and of these Pepuzenes; for withthem there comes in at once their disagreement concerning the actual faith in God. So itseemed good to the ancient authorities to reject the baptism of heretics altogether, but toadmit that of schismatics, 2619 on the ground that they still belonged to the Church.As to those who assembled in unlawful congregations, their decision was to join themagain to the Church, after they had been brought to a better state by proper repentance andrebuke, and so, in many cases, when men in orders 2620 had rebelled with the disorderly, to224propter episcopalem dissensionem ab ecclesiâ separetur; quod quidem in principio aliquâ ex parte intelligi queat.Cæterum nullum schisma non sibi aliquam confingit hæresim, ut recte ab ecclesia recessisse videatur.” To thesemay be added Aug. (Quæst. in Matt. xi. 2): “Solet autem etiam quæri schismatici quid ab hæreticis distent, ethoc inveniri quod schismaticos non fides diversa faciat sed communionis disrupta societas. Sed utrum inter zizanianumerandi sint dubitari potest, magis autem videntur spicis corruptis esse similiores, vel paleis aristarum fractis,vel scissis et de segete abruptis.”2619 τῶν ἀποσχισάντων, ὡς ἔτι ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὄντων. The Ben. note is “Quod autem addit Basilius, utadhuc ex Ecclesia exsistentium, non idcirco addit quod schismaticos in Ecclesiæ membris numeraret. Illius verbasi quis in deteriorem partem rapiat, facilis et expedita responsio, Nam sub finem hujus, canonis de Encratitis ipsis,id est, de hæreticis incarnationem et Dei singularitatem negantibus, ait sibi non jam integrum esse eos qui huicsectæ conjuncti sunt ab Ecclesia separare, quia duos eorum episcopos sine baptismo ac sine nova ordinatione receperat.Nemo autem suspicabitur Basilium ejusmodi hæreticos ab Ecclesia alienissimos non judicasse. Quarequidquid schismaticis tribuit, in sola baptismi societate positum est. Nam cum Cyprianus et Firmilianus schismaticoset hæreticos ita ab Ecclesia distractos crederent, ut nihil prosus ad eos ex fontibus Ecclesiæ perflueret; Basiliushuic sententiæ non assentitur, et in schismaticis quia fidem Ecclesiæ retinent, vestigium quoddam agnoscitnecessitudinis et societatis cum Ecclesia, ita ut valida sacramentorum administratio ab Ecclesia ad illos permanarepossit. Hinc sibi integrum negat detestandos hæreticos ab Ecclesia separare, quorum baptisma ratum habuerat.Idem docent duo præstantissimi unitatis defensores. Optatus et Augustinus. Quod enim scissum est, inquitOptatus lib. iii. n. 9, ex parte divisum est, non ex toto: cum constet merito, quia nobis et vobis ecclesiastica unaest conversatio, et si hominum litigant mentes, non litigant sacramenta. Vid. lib. iv. n. 2. Sic etiam Augustinuslib. i. De baptismo n. 3: Itaque isti (hæretici et schismatici) in quibusdam rebus nobiscum sunt: in quibus autemnobiscum non sunt, ut veniendo accipiant, vel redeundo recipiant, adhortamur. Vid. lib. iii. n. 26. Sic ex Basiliohæretici nobiscum sunt quoad baptisma.”2620 τους ἐν βαθμῷ. cf. note on p. 218.650