Letter 29: Severus presses the monks of Isaac to accept Stephen's episcopal election and threatens excommunication if they resist.

Through your prayers, the trial concerning the magnificent Antipater has passed away, and by mercy from above we have been delivered from it. The magistrates gave only one order: Antipater may not remove anything from the room where he put his baggage, since you are ready to give satisfaction on that point as well. Now I write about a matter that serves the common good, advances the right faith, and preserves the holy churches of God in the East. The people of Anasartha proposed several candidates by their psephismata [formal election votes] so that a bishop might be ordained for them. I have determined that we should ordain the religious father Stephen, adorned with character, faith, and every virtue. This is not to honor him; I know he shrinks from it. It is because the church needs a shepherd. I write this in love, but also with the authority Christ has given, though I am a sinner, to bind and loose. If you do not obey, you will be placed under excommunication, especially Stephen himself if he dares resist. I add this after completing the letter to show that necessity has forced me into a decisive course.

The trial concerning the affair of the magnificent Antipater has by your prayers passed away: and in accordance with the mercv o-ranted us from above we have been delivered from this: the mao^istrates havinof given this one order only, that the said Antipater shall not be permitted to remove anything from the room in which he put his baggage, since you are ready to give satisfaction - on this point also. But now I am writing 1 KaTacrrams. '-' TrXrjpocfiopta. to your love of God about a matter which is for the common benefit, and tends to the advancement of the right faith and the preservation and extension of the holy churches of God in the East. The men of the camp ^ of Anasartha- by x\\^\r psepkisniata proposed various persons in order that a bishop might be or- dained for them; and I for my part determined that we would ordain the religious father Stephen, who is adorned with character and with faith, and, if one may so say, with all excellencies of virtues, bishop for the p. 102. aforesaid camp ^: not because we wish to honour the man, for I know that he shrinks from this, having more regard for his own profit; but, just as I paid no atten- tion to this but complied with the judgments of God, in the same way I beg your holinesses also and him not to resist the grace of the Spirit which calls him. For the whole force of Christianity tends to this, that we should not have regard and respect to our own interests but to those of others.?^Ioreover, it is also utterly un- reasonable that, while we are displaying such contests on behalf of the orthodox faith, we should entrust the presidency of the holy churches to reprobate persons, men too who (which I pray may not happen), when tribulation or persecution has come, as the holy Gospel says,'^ are converted to impiety. Do your diligence therefore to obey this letter, and to send him whether he wishes or not: and be assuredlv convinced of this. ^ KOLO-Tpa. - Cf. Mansi vi. 1090; Wright, C.B.M. 756b. ^ Mt. xiii. 21. that, if another man, who is reprobate, be instituted owing to his delay, you will be responsible for the loss. Do not pass him over and wish to send me someone else from your holy cloister in his stead: for I will not consent even to look at anyone else. I have chosen the religious father Stephen as being one of those men- p- 103. tioned in the psephisma by those who came from the aforesaid camp ^: and for us to introduce someone else not included in the psephisma is impossible. I add also that neither have I myself confidence ' in anyone else. This much we have written out of love. But, althouoh we are a sinner, we have received, as vou also with one accord confess, authority from Christ, who is God over all, to bind and loose: wherefore I wish you to know that, if you do not obey the words written above, you will be placed under a ban of excommuni- cation; especially the devout Stephen himself, if he dare to resist this proposal. My reason for adding this after the completion of the letter is to show that it is from necessity that I come to adopt a decisive course of action