THEOSISGregory the Great
The rulers fell silent, covering their mouths in astonishment. Their voices were stilled, their tongues trapped as if bound. Job 29:9-10. Who else in this realm can truly engage with those in power, if not the architects of falsehood? Concerning them, the Psalmist expresses, “Discord is poured out upon princes, and they have led them away into impassable places, where there are no paths” (Psalms 106:40). These individuals, unafraid to misinterpret God's providence, are likely leading their followers not along the path of Christ but into inaccessible terrain. Strife surrounds them, for their declarations contradict one another. Arius perceived three Persons within the Divine Essence, proposing the existence of three gods.
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In opposition, Sabellius maintained belief in one God while claiming there is a single Person. The Holy Church, steadfast in her teachings, upholds the truth: she proclaims one God while affirming the existence of Three Persons against Sabellius, and conversely asserts one God while affirming the Three Persons against Arius. Likewise, Mani condemned marriage as he misread sacred Revelation as endorsing innocence. In contrast, Jovinian, acknowledging marriage’s acceptance, scorned the honor of virginity’s purity. Thus, heretics consistently contradict one another with their misguided views, their internal animosity reflecting their sinfulness and their erroneous beliefs standing in opposition. Meanwhile, the Holy Church navigates through these disputes along the narrow path, cherishing the supreme good while honoring the lesser, maintaining a distinction without denigrating either. Presently, the leaders of these heretical groups, recognizing the authority of the Holy Church, fall silent, as if putting their finger to their lips; they are restrained not by reasoned discourse but by the weight of authority. Their silence indicates those who sought to lead others astray now hesitate to voice their errors, daunted by both authority and reason. Their tongues stick to their throats, for though they do not dare to speak their inaccuracies openly, they harbor deceitful thoughts that conflict with the true faith within themselves. In times when the Church faces impending tribulations, she reflects with sorrow, saying, “Princes have ceased to speak, and put their finger on their mouths. The rulers are silent, and their tongues are stuck to their throats.” It is as if she expressed in simpler terms: when I had the opportunity to proclaim the truth publicly, those not aligned with it were filled with fear. Yet, amidst adversity, the gift of speech is given to false teachers one by one. This is echoed by Jeremiah, who foresaw, “Even the sea monsters bare their teats and let their calves suckle” (Lamentations 4:3). Whom else does he refer to as ‘beasts,’ if not the heretics, who may possess human appearances but harbor the hearts of treacherous creatures fueled by wickedness? These individuals ‘bare their teats’ as they openly spread their false teachings. They ‘let their cubs suckle,’ as the souls of the young are led astray, nourished in their ungodliness through deceptive instruction.