Friday, March 11, 2022

Cyril of Alexandria, Letter to Eulogius (c. 433-435) vs. the Genetic Fallacy

  

A memorandum from the most holy Bishop Cyril to Eulogius, priest of Alexandria, residing in Constantinople.

 

Certain people have been attacking the exposition of faith which the Orientals have made, asking why did the [bishop] of Alexandria support and even praise it since they spoke about two natures? Those who think like Nestorius are saying that even Alexandria must now think as they do, and in this way they are drawing over those who do not know the truth of the matter. It is necessary to reply to such critics that we must not feel obliged to flee from and contradict every single thing that the heretics might say. For there are many things which they confess which we do too. For example, when the Arians say that the father is the Lord and Maker of all, we surely do not flee from such an admission on that account? It is the same in the case of Nestorius, even if he does speak of two natures to signify the difference between the flesh and God the Word. For the nature of the Word is one thing, and that of the flesh quite another. But Nestorius does not confess the union along with us. We unite these realities and confess that the self-same is one Christ, One Son, and One Lord, and we confess moreover there is one incarnate nature of the Son; . . . (John McGuckin, Saint Cyril of Alexandria and the Christological controversy Crestwood, N.Y.: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2004], 349, emphasis in bold added)