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 XXVII.—Epistle of the Emperor Constantine to the Council of Tyre200 The Council of Tyre met a.d. 335, on the date, vide Bp. Lightfoot in Dict. Christ. Biog. iii. 316, note. “The scenes at the Council of Tyre form the most picturesque and the most shameful chapter in the Arian controversy.” Id..
“Constantinus Augustus to the holy council assembled in Tyre.
“In the general prosperity which distinguishes the present time, it seems right that the Catholic Church should likewise be exempt from trouble, and that the servants of Christ should be freed from every reproach.
“But certain individuals instigated by the mad desire of contention, not to say leading a life unworthy of their profession, are endeavoring to throw all into disorder. This appears to me to be the greatest of all possible calamities. I beseech you, therefore, in post haste, as the phrase goes, to assemble together, without any delay, in formal synod; so that you may support those who require your assistance, heal the brethren who are in danger, restore unanimity to the divided members, and rectify the disorders of the Church while time permits; and thus restore to those great provinces the harmony which, alas! the arrogance of a few men has destroyed. I believe every one would admit that you could not perform anything so pleasing in the sight of God, so surpassing all my prayers as well as your own, or so conducive to your own reputation, as to restore peace.
“Do not ye therefore delay, but when you have come together with all that sincerity and fidelity which our Saviour demands of all His servants, almost in words that we can hear, endeavour with redoubled eagerness to put a fitting end to these dissensions.
“Nothing shall be omitted on my part to further the interests of our religion. I have done all that you recommended in your letters. I have sent to those bishops whom you specified, directing them to repair to the council for the purpose of deliberating with you upon ecclesiastical matters. I have also sent Dionysius201 Athanasius (Apol. cont. Ar. VI. §72) describes him as acting with gross partiality., a man of consular rank, to counsel those who are to sit in synod with you, and to be himself an eye witness of your proceedings, and particularly of the order and regularity that is maintained. If any one should dare on the present occasion also to disobey our command, and refuse to come to the council, which, however, I do not anticipate, an officer will be despatched immediately to send him into banishment by imperial order, that he may learn not to oppose the decrees enacted by the emperor for the support of truth.
“All that now devolves upon your holinesses is to decide with unanimous judgment, without partiality or prejudice, in accordance with the ecclesiastical and apostolical rule, and to devise suitable remedies for the offences which may have resulted from error; in order that the Church may be freed from all reproach, that my anxiety may be diminished, that peace may be restored to those now at variance, and that your renown may be increased. May God preserve you, beloved brethren.”
The bishops accordingly repaired to the council of Tyre. Amongst them were those who were accused of holding heterodox doctrines; of whom Asclepas, bishop of Gaza, was one. The admirable Athanasius also attended. I shall first dwell on the tragedy of the accusation, and shall then relate the proceedings of this celebrated tribunal.