East and West Divided

After this synod the Eastern and Western churches ceased to keep up the dealings that are usual among people of the same faith, and stopped holding communion with each other. The Christians of the West cut themselves off from everyone as far as Thrace, and those of the East as far as Illyria. This division of the churches was mixed, as might be expected, with disagreements and slanders. Although they had differed on doctrine before, the evil had not reached any great height, for they had still held communion together and were used to feeling as kin. [a]

The church throughout the whole West, in its entirety, governed itself by the doctrines of the fathers and kept clear of all contention and hairsplitting about doctrine. Auxentius, who had become bishop of Milan, and Valens and Ursacius, bishops in Pannonia, had tried to lead that part of the empire into the Arian doctrines; but their efforts were carefully forestalled by the head of the Roman see and the other priests, who cut out the seeds of so troublesome a heresy.

As for the Eastern church, although it had been torn by dissension since the time of the Council of Antioch, and had already openly departed from the Nicene form of belief, I think it is true that the opinion of the majority agreed in the same thought and confessed the Son to be of the substance of the Father. There were some, however, who loved wrangling and fought against the term “of one substance.” For those who had opposed the word from the beginning thought, as I infer, and as happens to most people, that it would be a disgrace to appear beaten. Others were at last convinced of the truth of the doctrines about God through the habit of frequent debate on these themes, and from then on held firmly to them. Others again, knowing that contentions ought not to arise, leaned toward whatever pleased each side, either through the influence of friendship or because they were swayed by the various causes that often lead people to embrace what they ought to reject, and to act without boldness in circumstances that call for thorough conviction. Many others, thinking it absurd to waste their time in quarrels about words, quietly adopted the views taught by the Council of Nicaea.

Paul, bishop of Constantinople, Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, the whole multitude of monks, Antony the Great, who was still alive, his disciples, and a great number of people in Egypt and in other places of the Roman territory firmly and openly upheld the doctrines of the Nicene council throughout the other regions of the East. Since I have been led to mention the monks, I will briefly speak of those who flourished during the reign of Constantius.