Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| Of Theodosius and Agapetus Bishops of Synada.
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
Chapter III.—Of
Theodosius and Agapetus Bishops of Synada.
A certain Theodosius was bishop
of Synada in Phrygia Pacata; he violently persecuted the heretics in
that province—and there was a great number of them—and
especially those of the Macedonian sect; he drove them out not only
from the city, but also out of the country. This course he pursued not
from any precedent in the orthodox church, nor from the desire of
propagating the true faith; but being enslaved by the love of filthy
lucre, he was impelled by the avaricious motive of amassing money, by
extorting it from the heretics. To this end he made all sorts of
attempts upon the Macedonians, putting arms into the hands of his
clergy; and employing innumerable stratagems against them; nor did he
refrain from delivering them up to
the secular tribunals.909
| 909On the limits of the secular power over
ecclesiastical dignitaries, and the cases in which the clergy were
amenable to the civil law as well as those in which they were not, see
Bingham, Christ. Antiq. V. 2.
|
But he especially annoyed their bishop whose name was Agapetus: and
finding the governors of the province were not invested with sufficient
authority to punish heretics according to his wish, he went to
Constantinople and petitioned for edicts of a more stringent nature
from the Prætorian prefect. While Theodosius was absent on this
business, Agapetus who, as I have said, presided over the Macedonian
sect, came to a wise and prudent conclusion. Communicating with his
clergy, he called all the people under his guidance together, and
persuaded them to embrace the ‘homoousian’ faith. On their
acquiescing in this proposition, he proceeded immediately to the church
attended not merely by his own adherents, but by the whole body of the
people. There having offered prayer, he took possession of the
episcopal chair in which Theodosius was accustomed to seat himself; and
preaching thenceforth the doctrine of consubstantiality, he reunited
the people, and made himself master of the churches in the diocese of
Synada. Soon after these transactions, Theodosius returned to Synada,
bringing with him extended powers from the prefect, and knowing nothing
of what had taken place, he proceeded to the church just as he was.
Being forthwith unanimously expelled, he again betook himself to
Constantinople; upon his arrival at that place he complained to
Atticus, the bishop, of the treatment he had met with, and the manner
in which he had been deprived of his bishopric. Atticus perceiving that
this movement had resulted advantageously to the church, consoled
Theodosius as well as he could; recommending him to embrace with a
contented mind a retired life, and thus sacrifice his own private
interests to the public good. He then wrote to Agapetus authorizing him
to retain the episcopate, and bidding him be under no apprehension of
being molested in consequence of Theodosius’ grievance.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
