Second Letter to the Monks

Athanasius, archbishop of Alexandria, to those who live alone. [a] Athanasius, to those who practice the solitary life and are settled in faith in God, most beloved brothers: greeting in the Lord. [b]

I thank the Lord, who has granted you to believe in him, so that you too may have eternal life with the saints. But there are certain people who hold with Arius and go about the monasteries for no other purpose than this: that under the pretense of visiting you, and of coming back from us, they may deceive the simple. And there are others who say they do not hold with Arius, yet compromise themselves and worship with his party. So, at the urging of some most sincere brothers, I have been compelled to write at once, so that, keeping faithfully and without guile the godly faith that God’s grace works in you, you may give the brothers no cause to stumble. For when anyone sees you, the faithful in Christ, associating and sharing communion with such people, or worshiping along with them, he will surely think it a matter of no importance and will fall into the mire of impiety. So that this does not happen, beloved, be pleased to shun those who hold the impiety of Arius, and also to avoid those who pretend not to hold with Arius but worship with the impious. We are especially bound to flee from communion with men whose opinions we detest. [c]

If, then, anyone comes to you and, as blessed John says, brings right doctrine with him, say to him, “Greetings,” and receive such a person as a brother. But if anyone claims to confess the right faith but is seen to share communion with those others, urge him to keep away from such communion. If he promises to do so, treat him as a brother; but if he persists in a contentious spirit, avoid him. I could make my letter much longer, adding from the divine Scriptures the outline of this teaching. But since you are wise men, and can anticipate those who write, and since, intent as you are on self-denial, you are fit rather to instruct others too, I have dictated a short letter, as from one loving friend to others. I do so in the confidence that, living as you do, you will keep a pure and sincere faith, and that those people, seeing that you do not join them in worship, will benefit from it, fearing to be counted among the impious and those who hold with them.