The Opinions of the Eighty-Seven Bishops (Council of Carthage, 256)

Contents

1. 0At the council of Carthage in 256 Cyprian asks each bishop to give his opinion on baptizing heretics, insisting that no bishop may judge or coerce another.
2. 1Caecilius of Biltha holds that there is one baptism, in the church alone, and that heretics, who have neither true faith nor hope, cannot give it.
3. 2Primus of Misgirpa holds that since God, faith, and church are one, the one baptism exists only in the church.
4. 3Polycarp of Hadrumetum says that to approve heretical baptism empties the church's own.
5. 4Novatus of Thamugadi has baptized converts from heresy and schism, and received their clergy as laymen, following the Scriptures and an earlier council.
6. 5Nemesianus of Thubunae argues from many Scriptures that heretics must be born again of water and the Spirit in the one catholic church, since both sacraments, and not the laying on of hands alone, are needed.
7. 6Januarius of Lambaesis decrees on the authority of Scripture that all heretics be baptized.
8. 7Lucius of Castra Galbae argues that heretics, as salt that has lost its savor, lack the full baptismal confession and must be cleansed and baptized.
9. 8Crescens of Cirta judges that heretics must be exorcized and baptized, while lapsed members who had been baptized in the church are reconciled by the laying on of hands.
10. 9Nicomedes of Segermes holds that heretics must be baptized because no remission of sins is found outside the church.
11. 10Monnulus of Girba argues that since baptism is in the name of the Trinity and heretics have neither Father, Son, nor Spirit, they must be baptized in the church.
12. 11Secundinus of Cedias argues that heretics, being antichrists and Christ's enemies, cannot give saving baptism.
13. 12Felix of Bagai says that a heretic baptizing a heretic is the blind leading the blind into death.
14. 13Pollianus of Milevis votes to baptize heretics in the church.
15. 14Theogenes of Hippo Regius affirms the one baptism of the church.
16. 15Dativus of Vada will not hold communion with a heretic until he is baptized in the church.
17. 16Successus argues that heretics, who cannot give the Spirit because they lack it, cannot baptize either.
18. 17Fortunatus of Thuccabori holds that Christ built the church on Peter and gave the power to baptize to bishops, not heretics.
19. 18Sedatus of Thuburbo teaches that water sanctified in the church washes away sins, while heretical water heaps them up.
20. 19Privatianus of Sufetula asks how heresy, which is not from God, could have or give God's grace.
21. 20Privatus of Sufes says approving heretical baptism means communion with heretics.
22. 21Hortensianus of Lares claims the one baptism for the church alone, since Christ's adversaries cannot baptize in his name.
23. 22Cassius of Macomades holds that heretics must be baptized, while former church members who lapsed into heresy are restored by the laying on of hands.
24. 23Januarius of Vicus Caesaris says that truth cannot consent to error, and so the church baptizes all it has not already baptized.
25. 24Secundinus of Carpi argues that heretics, not being Christians, must become Christians by baptism and not merely by the laying on of hands.
26. 25Victoricus of Thabraca asks why heretics should be called heretics if they can give remission of sins.
27. 26Felix of Uthina asks all the bishops to confirm that heretics coming to the church must be baptized.
28. 27Quietus of Buruc applies the saying about washing after touching the dead to baptism by heretics.
29. 28Castus of Sicca says that preferring custom to truth is envy toward the brothers or ingratitude toward God.
30. 29Eucratius of Thenae holds that heretical baptism, which blasphemes the Trinity, must be rejected and heretics baptized in the church.
31. 30Libosus of Vaga says that Christ called himself the truth, not custom, so custom must yield to truth.
32. 31Leucius of Theveste judges that heretics who twist the Scriptures must be exorcized and baptized.
33. 32Eugenius of Ammaedara votes to baptize heretics.
34. 33Felix of Bamaccora holds that the church's fountain belongs to it alone, so that neither heretics nor schismatics can give or receive baptism.
35. 34Januarius of Muzula argues that one baptism cannot belong both to the church and to heresy.
36. 35Adelphius of Thasvalte denies that the church rebaptizes heretics: it baptizes them for the first time.
37. 36Demetrius of Leptis Minor says that those who accept heretical baptism make as many baptisms as there are heresies.
38. 37Vincentius of Thibaris holds that converts from heresy must first be exorcized with the laying on of hands and then baptized.
39. 38Marcus of Mactaris is surprised that some Catholics side with heretics against Christians.
40. 39Sattius of Sicilibba argues that if heretical baptism forgave sins, heretics would have no need of the church.
41. 40Victor of Gorduba says that admitting heretics without baptism fails to cleanse them and defiles Christians.
42. 41Aurelius of Utica argues from Paul that communion with unbaptized heretics shares in their sins.
43. 42Iambus of Germaniciana says that approving heretical baptism means disapproving the church's own.
44. 43Lucianus of Rucuma argues that as God divided light from darkness, the church can have nothing in common with heretics.
45. 44Pelagianus of Luperciana argues from Elijah's challenge that heresy is not the church and cannot have its baptism.
46. 45Iader of Midili votes to admit no heretic without the church's baptism.
47. 46Felix of Marazana says the one baptism belongs to the catholic church alone.
48. 47Paul of Obba argues from Romans that where God is not, as among heretics, true baptism cannot be.
49. 48Pomponius of Dionysiana says that heretics lack the power to bind and loose, and so cannot forgive sins in baptism.
50. 49Venantius of Thinisa compares the bishops to a friend entrusted with a traveling husband's wife: sharing baptism with heretics betrays Christ's bride.
51. 50Ahymmus of Ausuaga says that allowing heretics to baptize makes two baptisms.
52. 51Saturninus of Victoriana asks why Christ and John would call heretics adversaries and antichrists if they could baptize.
53. 52Saturninus of Thucca says that even pagans confess the Creator whom Marcion blasphemes, yet some approve Marcion's baptism.
54. 53Marcellus of Zama says that not baptizing a heretic means communion with a sinner.
55. 54Irenaeus of Ululi says that accepting heretical baptism makes heresy greater than the church.
56. 55Donatus of Cibaliana says that whoever claims baptism among heretics must first prove the church is there.
57. 56Zosimus of Tharassa urges that error yield to truth, as Peter yielded to Paul.
58. 57Julian of Telepte says heresy can give baptism only if it comes from heaven.
59. 58Faustus of Timida Regia says that defending heretical baptism makes heretics Christians and the church heretical.
60. 59Geminius of Furni holds to the earlier decree to baptize heretics.
61. 60Rogatianus of Nova asks how the synagogue of Satan could have Christ's baptism.
62. 61Therapius of Bulla calls anyone who concedes baptism to heretics a Judas to Christ's bride.
63. 62Lucius of Membressa argues that God does not hear a sinner, and so not a heretic who baptizes.
64. 63Felix of Buslacenae says reason and truth must prevail over custom.
65. 64Saturninus of Avitinae says heretics, being antichrists, cannot give Christ's grace.
66. 65Quintus of Aggya says heretics, having nothing, can give nothing.
67. 66Julian of Marcelliana compares baptism to the servant who cannot serve two masters.
68. 67Tenax of Horrea Caeliae asks how baptism can exist where God, Christ, and the church are absent.
69. 68Victor of Assuras says that where there is no church there can be no baptism.
70. 69Donatulus of Capsa has always held that converted heretics must be baptized.
71. 70Verulus of Rusicade says heretics cannot give what they lack, and schismatics have lost what they had.
72. 71Pudentianus of Cuicul, a new bishop, follows his elders in judging that heretics must be baptized.
73. 72Peter of Hippo Diarrhytus judges that those baptized in heresy or schism must be baptized in the church.
74. 73Lucius of Ausafa holds that whatever heretics have done must be annulled and their converts baptized.
75. 74Felix of Gurgites judges that those unlawfully baptized by heretics must receive baptism where it is lawfully given.
76. 75Pusillus of Lamasba says saving baptism exists only in the catholic church.
77. 76Salvianus of Gazaufala says heretics come to the church to receive what they lack.
78. 77Honoratus of Thucca says that because Christ is the truth, truth must be followed rather than custom.
79. 78Victor of Octavu, a new bishop, votes with his seniors to baptize heretics.
80. 79Clarus of Mascula argues that the bishops succeed to the apostles' power to baptize, which heretics do not have.
81. 80Secundianus of Thambeae warns that heretics admitted without baptism would blame the bishops at the judgment.
82. 81Aurelius of Chullabi argues from 2 John that heretics, who may not even be greeted, cannot be admitted to communion without baptism.
83. 82Litteus of Gemellae says that heretics, as blind guides, cannot give the enlightenment of baptism.
84. 83Natalis of Oea votes for himself and for the absent bishops of Sabratha and Leptis Magna that heretics must be baptized.
85. 86Junius of Neapolis holds to the earlier decision to baptize heretics.
86. 87Cyprian, voting last, refers to his letter to Jubaianus: heretics must receive the church's one baptism, becoming friends and Christians instead of adversaries and antichrists.