To Bishop Irenaeus, on the Coming Council and the Title Mother of God

There is nothing good in prospect for us, it seems. Far from calming down, the storm troubling the church seems to rise higher every day. The men summoning the council have arrived and delivered the letters of summons to several of the metropolitans, our own among them. I have sent Your Holiness a copy of the letter, to let you know how, as the poet puts it, “woe has been welded by woe.” We need only the Lord’s goodness to calm the storm. It is easy for him to calm it, but we are unworthy of the calm. Still, the grace of his patience is enough for us, so that perhaps by it we may get the better of our enemies. That is how the divine apostle has taught us to pray: “For he will with the temptation also make a way of escape, so that you may be able to bear it.” But I beg Your Godliness to stop the mouths of the critics, and make them understand that it is not for those who stand, as the saying goes, out of range, to mock men who are fighting in the ranks, giving blows and taking them. What does it matter what weapon a soldier uses to strike down his opponents? Even the great David did not use full armor when he killed the champion of the foreigners, and Samson killed thousands in one day with the jawbone of a donkey. No one grumbles at the victory, or accuses the victor of cowardice, because he wins it without brandishing a spear, or covering himself with a shield, or throwing darts, or shooting arrows. The defenders of true religion must be judged in the same way. We must not try to find language that stirs up strife, but rather arguments that plainly proclaim the truth and put to shame those who dare to oppose it. [a]

What does it matter whether we call the holy Virgin at once Mother of man and Mother of God, or call her the mother and the servant of her child, adding that she is the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ as man, but his servant as God? In this way we avoid the term that gives a pretext for slander, and express the same belief in another phrase. Besides this, it must also be kept in mind that the first of these titles is a common one, while the second belongs to the Virgin alone, and that it is over this that the whole controversy has arisen. Would to God it never had! Most of the old Fathers have given the Virgin the more honorable title, as Your Holiness has done yourself in two or three discourses. I have several of these in my own possession, which Your Godliness sent me, and in them you have not coupled the title Mother of man with Mother of God, but have explained its meaning in other words. But since you find fault with me for leaving the holy and blessed Fathers Diodorus and Theodore out of my list of authorities, I have thought it necessary to add a few words on this point. [e]

In the first place, my dear friend, I have left out many others who are both famous and distinguished. Second, you must keep in mind that the accused party is bound to produce witnesses beyond reproach, whose testimony even his accusers cannot challenge. If the defendant were to call into court authorities whom the prosecution itself accuses, even the judge would refuse to accept them. If I had left out these holy men while composing a tribute to the Fathers, I admit I would have done wrong, and would have shown myself ungrateful to my teachers. But if, when I am under accusation, I have made a defense and brought forward witnesses beyond reproach, why do men who refuse to look at any of these testimonies lay unreasonable blame on me? How much I revere these writers is shown well enough by the book I wrote on their behalf. In it I refuted the charges brought against them, without fearing either the influence of their accusers or the secret attack being made on me. These people who are so fond of foolish talk had better find some other excuse for their verbal tricks. My aim is not to make my words and deeds suit the pleasure of this man or that, but to build up the church of God and to please her Bridegroom and Lord. I call my conscience to witness that I am not acting as I do out of concern for material things, nor because I cling to my high office with all its cares, which I hesitate to call an unhappy one. I would have withdrawn of my own accord long ago, if I did not fear the judgment of God. And now, be sure of it, I am waiting for my fate. I think it is drawing near, for the plots against me point that way.