Mortalium Animos (On Religious Unity)

Pope Pius XI

To   our   Venerable   Brethren  the  Patriarchs,
Primates, Archbishops, Bishops, and  other  Local
Ordinaries   In  Peace  and  Communion  with  the
Apostolic See.

Venerable   Brethren,   Health   and    Apostolic
Benediction.


Never perhaps in the past have we seen, as we see
in these our own  times,  the  minds  of  men  so
occupied  by the desire both of strengthening and
of extending  to  the  common  welfare  of  human
society  that  fraternal relationship which binds
and  unites  us  together,   and   which   is   a
consequence  of our common origin and nature. For
since the nations do  not  yet  fully  enjoy  the
fruits  of  peace  - indeed rather do old and new
disagreements in various places break forth  into
sedition  and  civic  strife  -  and since on the
other  hand  many  disputes  which  concern   the
tranquillity  and prosperity of nations cannot be
settled without the active concurrence  and  help
of  those  who  rule the States and promote their
interests, it is easily understood, and the  more
so  because  none  now  dispute  the unity of the
human race, why  many  desire  that  the  various
nations,  inspired  by  this  universal  kinship,
should  daily  be  more  closely  united  one  to
another.

2. A similar object is aimed at by some, in those
matters which concern the New Law promulgated  by
Christ  our  Lord.  For  since  they  hold it for
certain that men destitute of all religious sense
are  very  rarely  to be found, they seem to have
founded on that belief a hope that  the  nations,
although  they differ among themselves in certain
religious matters, will without  much  difficulty
come  to  agree as brethren in professing certain
doctrines, which form as it were a  common  basis
of   the   spiritual   life.   For  which  reason
conventions,   meetings   and    addresses    are
frequently  arranged by these persons, at which a
large number of listeners  are  present,  and  at
which all without distinction are invited to join
in the discussion, both infidels of  every  kind,
and  Christians,  even  those  who have unhappily
fallen away from Christ or who with obstinacy and
pertinacity  deny  His divine nature and mission.
Certainly such attempts can nowise be approved by
Catholics,  founded  as  they  are  on that false
opinion which considers all religions to be  more
or  less good and praiseworthy, since they all in
different ways manifest and  signify  that  sense
which  is  inborn  in us all, and by which we are
led to God and to the obedient acknowledgment  of
His  rule.  Not  only  are  those  who  hold this
opinion  in  error  and  deceived,  but  also  in
distorting  the idea of true religion they reject
it,  and  little  by  little.   turn   aside   to
naturalism  and  atheism,  as  it is called; from
which it clearly follows that  one  who  supports
those  who  hold  these  theories  and attempt to
realize  them,  is  altogether   abandoning   the
divinely revealed religion.


3.  But  some  are  more  easily  deceived by the
outward appearance of good when there is question
of fostering unity among all Christians.

4. Is it not right, it is often repeated, indeed,
even consonant with duty, that all who invoke the
name   of   Christ  should  abstain  from  mutual
reproaches and at long last be united  in  mutual
charity?  Who  would  dare  to  say that he loved
Christ, unless he worked with all  his  might  to
carry  out  the  desires  of  Him,  Who asked His
Father that His disciples might be "one."[1]  And
did  not  the same Christ will that His disciples
should  be  marked  out  and  distinguished  from
others  by  this characteristic, namely that they
loved one another: "By this shall  all  men  know
that  you  are my disciples, if you have love one
for another"?[2] All Christians, they add, should
be  as  "one":  for  then they would be much more
powerful in driving out the pest  of  irreligion,
which  like  a  serpent  daily creeps further and
becomes more widely spread, and prepares  to  rob
the  Gospel  of  its  strength.  These things and
others  that  class  of  men  who  are  known  as
pan-Christians  continually  repeat  and amplify;
and these men, so far from being  quite  few  and
scattered, have increased to the dimensions of an
entire class, and have  grouped  themselves  into
widely   spread  societies,  most  of  which  are
directed  by  non-Catholics,  although  they  are
imbued  with  varying  doctrines  concerning  the
things of faith. This undertaking is so  actively
promoted  as in many places to win for itself the
adhesion of a number of  citizens,  and  it  even
takes  possession  of  the  minds  of  very  many
Catholics and  allures  them  with  the  hope  of
bringing about such a union as would be agreeable
to the desires of Holy  Mother  Church,  who  has
indeed  nothing  more at heart than to recall her
erring sons and to lead them back to  her  bosom.
But  in  reality beneath these enticing words and
blandishments lies hid a  most  grave  error,  by
which  the  foundations of the Catholic faith are
completely destroyed.


5. Admonished, therefore, by the consciousness of
Our  Apostolic  office  that We should not permit
the flock of the Lord to be cheated by  dangerous
fallacies,  We  invoke,  Venerable Brethren, your
zeal in avoiding this evil; for We are  confident
that by the writings and words of each one of you
the people will  more  easily  get  to  know  and
understand  those  principles and arguments which
We  are  about  to  set  forth,  and  from  which
Catholics  will  learn  how they are to think and
act when there is question of those  undertakings
which  have  for their end the union in one body,
whatsoever  be  the  manner,  of  all  who   call
themselves Christians.


6.  We  were  created  by God, the Creator of the
universe, in order that we  might  know  Him  and
serve  Him;  our  Author  therefore has a perfect
right to our service.  God  might,  indeed,  have
prescribed  for man's government only the natural
law, which, in His creation, He imprinted on  his
soul,  and  have  regulated  the progress of that
same law  by  His  ordinary  providence;  but  He
preferred  rather  to  impose  precepts, which we
were to obey, and in the course of  time,  namely
from  the  beginnings of the human race until the
coming and preaching of Jesus Christ, He  Himself
taught  man  the duties which a rational creature
owes to its Creator: "God, who  at  sundry  times
and in divers manners, spoke in times past to the
fathers by the prophets, last of  all,  in  these
days,  hath  spoken  to  us  by his Son."[3] From
which it  follows  that  there  can  be  no  true
religion  other than that which is founded on the
revealed word of  God:  which  revelation,  begun
from  the  beginning  and continued under the Old
Law, Christ  Jesus  Himself  under  the  New  Law
perfected.  Now,  if  God  has  spoken (and it is
historically certain that He has  truly  spoken),
all  must  see  that  it is man's duty to believe
absolutely   God's   revelation   and   to   obey
implicitly His commands; that we might rightly do
both, for the glory of God and our own salvation,
the  Only-begotten  Son of God founded His Church
on earth. Further, We believe that those who call
themselves   Christians  can  do  no  other  than
believe that a Church, and that Church  one,  was
established  by  Christ;  but  if  it  is further
inquired of what nature according to the will  of
its  Author  it must be, then all do not agree. A
good number of them, for example, deny  that  the
Church of Christ must be visible and apparent, at
least to such a degree that  it  appears  as  one
body  of  faithful,  agreeing in one and the same
doctrine  under  one   teaching   authority   and
government; but, on the contrary, they understand
a  visible  Church  as  nothing   else   than   a
Federation,  composed  of  various communities of
Christians, even though they adhere to  different
doctrines,  which  may  even  be incompatible one
with another. Instead, Christ our Lord instituted
His  Church as a perfect society, external of its
nature  and  perceptible  to  the  senses,  which
should  carry  on  in  the future the work of the
salvation of the human race, under the leadership
of  one  head,[4]  with  an authority teaching by
word of mouth,[5] and  by  the  ministry  of  the
sacraments,  the founts of heavenly grace;[6] for
which  reason  He  attested  by  comparison   the
similarity  of  the  Church to a kingdom,[7] to a
house,[8] to a sheepfold,[9] and to a  flock.[10]
This   Church,   after   being   so   wonderfully
instituted, could not, on the removal by death of
its  Founder  and  of  the  Apostles who were the
pioneers   in   propagating   it,   be   entirely
extinguished and cease to be, for to it was given
the  commandment  to  lead   all   men,   without
distinction   of   time   or  place,  to  eternal
salvation:  "Going  therefore,   teach   ye   all
nations."[11]  In  the  continual carrying out of
this task,  will  any  element  of  strength  and
efficiency  be wanting to the Church, when Christ
Himself is perpetually present to  it,  according
to  His solemn promise: "Behold I am with you all
days, even to the consummation of the world?"[12]
It  follows  then  that  the Church of Christ not
only  exists  to-day  and  always,  but  is  also
exactly  the  same  as  it was in the time of the
Apostles,  unless  we  were  to  say,  which  God
forbid,  either  that  Christ  our Lord could not
effect His purpose, or  that  He  erred  when  He
asserted  that  the  gates  of  hell should never
prevail against it.[13]


7. And here it seems opportune to expound and  to
refute  a  certain  false  opinion, on which this
whole question, as well as that complex  movement
by  which  non-Catholics  seek to bring about the
union of  the  Christian  churches  depends.  For
authors who favor this view are accustomed, times
almost without number,  to  bring  forward  these
words  of  Christ:  "That they all may be one....
And   there   shall   be   one   fold   and   one
shepherd,"[14]  with  this signification however:
that Christ Jesus merely expressed a  desire  and
prayer,  which  still  lacks its fulfillment. For
they are of the opinion that the unity  of  faith
and  government,  which is a note of the one true
Church of Christ, has hardly up  to  the  present
time  existed,  and  does  not to-day exist. They
consider that this unity may  indeed  be  desired
and  that it may even be one day attained through
the instrumentality of wills directed to a common
end,  but  that meanwhile it can only be regarded
as mere  ideal.  They  add  that  the  Church  in
itself,   or  of  its  nature,  is  divided  into
sections; that is to say, that it is made  up  of
several  churches  or distinct communities, which
still  remain  separate,  and   although   having
certain   articles   of   doctrine   in   common,
nevertheless disagree concerning  the  remainder;
that  these  all  enjoy the same rights; and that
the Church was one and unique from, at the  most,
the  apostolic  age  until  the  first Ecumenical
Councils. Controversies therefore, they say,  and
longstanding  differences  of  opinion which keep
asunder till the present day the members  of  the
Christian family, must be entirely put aside, and
from the remaining doctrines  a  common  form  of
faith  drawn  up  and proposed for belief, and in
the profession of which all may not only know but
feel   that   they  are  brothers.  The  manifold
churches or communities, if united in  some  kind
of  universal  federation,  would  then  be  in a
position to oppose strongly and with success  the
progress of irreligion. This, Venerable Brethren,
is what is commonly said. There are some, indeed,
who  recognize  and affirm that Protestantism, as
they call it, has rejected, with a great lack  of
consideration, certain articles of faith and some
external ceremonies, which are, in fact, pleasing
and  useful,  and  which  the  Roman Church still
retains. They soon, however, go on  to  say  that
that  Church  also  has  erred, and corrupted the
original religion by  adding  and  proposing  for
belief certain doctrines which are not only alien
to the Gospel, but even repugnant  to  it.  Among
the   chief  of  these  they  number  that  which
concerns the primacy of jurisdiction,  which  was
granted to Peter and to his successors in the See
of Rome. Among them there indeed are some, though
few,  who grant to the Roman Pontiff a primacy of
honor or even a certain  jurisdiction  or  power,
but  this,  however,  they  consider not to arise
from the divine law but from the consent  of  the
faithful. Others again, even go so far as to wish
the Pontiff Himself to preside over their motley,
so   to  say,  assemblies.  But,  all  the  same,
although many  non-Catholics  may  be  found  who
loudly   preach  fraternal  communion  in  Christ
Jesus, yet you will find none at all to  whom  it
ever  occurs  to  submit to and obey the Vicar of
Jesus Christ either in His capacity as a  teacher
or as a governor. Meanwhile they affirm that they
would willingly treat with the  Church  of  Rome,
but  on  equal  terms,  that is as equals with an
equal: but even if they could so act. it does not
seem  open to doubt that any pact into which they
might enter would not compel them  to  turn  from
those  opinions  which  are  still the reason why
they err and stray from the one fold of Christ.

8. This being so, it is clear that the  Apostolic
See  cannot  on  any  terms  take  part  in their
assemblies, nor is it anyway lawful for Catholics
either   to   support   or   to   work  for  such
enterprises; for if  they  do  so  they  will  be
giving countenance to a false Christianity, quite
alien to the  one  Church  of  Christ.  Shall  We
suffer,  what  would  indeed  be  iniquitous, the
truth, and a truth divinely revealed, to be  made
a  subject  for  compromise?  For  here  there is
question  of  defending  revealed  truth.   Jesus
Christ  sent His Apostles into the whole world in
order that they might permeate all  nations  with
the  Gospel  faith, and, lest they should err, He
willed beforehand that they should be  taught  by
the Holy Ghost:[15] has then this doctrine of the
Apostles completely vanished away,  or  sometimes
been  obscured,  in  the  Church, whose ruler and
defense is God Himself? If our  Redeemer  plainly
said  that  His  Gospel  was to continue not only
during the times of the Apostles, but  also  till
future  ages,  is  it possible that the object of
faith should in the process  of  time  become  so
obscure and uncertain, that it would be necessary
to-day  to  tolerate  opinions  which  are   even
incompatible one with another? If this were true,
we should have to confess that the coming of  the
Holy  Ghost  on  the  Apostles, and the perpetual
indwelling of the same Spirit in the Church,  and
the  very preaching of Jesus Christ, have several
centuries ago, lost all their efficacy  and  use,
to  affirm  which  would  be  blasphemy.  But the
Only-begotten Son of God, when He  commanded  His
representatives to teach all nations, obliged all
men to give credence to whatever was  made  known
to  them  by  "witnesses preordained by God,"[16]
and  also  confirmed  His   command   with   this
sanction:  "He  that  believeth  and  is baptized
shall be saved; but he that believeth  not  shall
be  condemned."[17] These two commands of Christ,
which must be  fulfilled,  the  one,  namely,  to
teach,  and  the other to believe, cannot even be
understood, unless the Church proposes a complete
and  easily  understood  teaching,  and is immune
when it thus teaches from all danger  of  erring.
In  this  matter,  those also turn aside from the
right path, who think that the deposit  of  truth
such  laborious  trouble,  and  with such lengthy
study and discussion, that  a  man's  life  would
hardly suffice to find and take possession of it;
as if the most merciful God  had  spoken  through
the  prophets and His Only-begotten Son merely in
order that a few, and those  stricken  in  years,
should  learn  what He had revealed through them,
and not that He might  inculcate  a  doctrine  of
faith  and  morals, by which man should be guided
through the whole course of his moral life.


9. These pan-Christians who turn their  minds  to
uniting  the churches seem, indeed, to pursue the
noblest of ideas in promoting charity  among  all
Christians:  nevertheless how does it happen that
this charity  tends  to  injure  faith?  Everyone
knows that John himself, the Apostle of love, who
seems to reveal in his Gospel the secrets of  the
Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus, and who never ceased to
impress on the memories of his followers the  new
commandment   "Love   one   another,"  altogether
forbade any intercourse with those who  professed
a  mutilated  and  corrupt  version  of  Christ's
teaching: "If any man come to you and  bring  not
this doctrine, receive him not into the house nor
say to him: God speed you."[18] For which reason,
since  charity is based on a complete and sincere
faith, the disciples of  Christ  must  be  united
principally  by  the  bond of one faith. Who then
can conceive a Christian Federation, the  members
of which retain each his own opinions and private
judgment,  even  in  matters  which  concern  the
object of faith, even though they be repugnant to
the opinions of the rest? And in what manner,  We
ask, can men who follow contrary opinions, belong
to one and the same Federation of  the  faithful?
For example, those who affirm, and those who deny
that sacred Tradition is a true fount  of  divine
Revelation; those who hold that an ecclesiastical
hierarchy,  made  up  of  bishops,  priests   and
ministers,  has  been  divinely  constituted, and
those who assert that  it  has  been  brought  in
little   by   little   in   accordance  with  the
conditions of the time; those  who  adore  Christ
really present in the Most Holy Eucharist through
that marvelous conversion of the bread and  wine,
which is called transubstantiation, and those who
affirm that Christ is present only by faith or by
the  signification  and  virtue of the Sacrament;
those who in the Eucharist recognize  the  nature
both of a sacrament and of a sacrifice, and those
who say that it is nothing more than the memorial
or  commemoration of the Lord's Supper; those who
believe it to be good and  useful  to  invoke  by
prayer   the   Saints   reigning   with   Christ,
especially  Mary  the  Mother  of  God,  and   to
venerate  their  images,  and those who urge that
such a veneration is not to be made use  of,  for
it  is contrary to the honor due to Jesus Christ,
"the one mediator of God  and  men."[19]  How  so
great  a  variety  of  opinions  can make the way
clear to effect the unity of the Church  We  know
not;  that unity can only arise from one teaching
authority, one law of belief  and  one  faith  of
Christians.  But  We do know that from this it is
an easy  step  to  the  neglect  of  religion  or
indifferentism and to modernism, as they call it.
Those, who  are  unhappily  infected  with  these
errors,  hold that dogmatic truth is not absolute
but relative, that is, it agrees with the varying
necessities  of  time  and  place  and  with  the
varying tendencies of the mind, since it  is  not
contained in immutable revelation, but is capable
of being  accommodated  to  human  life.  Besides
this,  in  connection  with  things which must be
believed,  it  is  nowise  licit  to   use   that
distinction which some have seen fit to introduce
between  those  articles  of  faith   which   are
fundamental  and those which are not fundamental,
as they say, as if the former are to be  accepted
by  all, while the latter may be left to the free
assent of  the  faithful:  for  the  supernatural
virtue  of  faith  has a formal cause, namely the
authority of God revealing, and this  is  patient
of  no  such  distinction.  For this reason it is
that all who  are  truly  Christ's  believe,  for
example,  the  Conception  of  the  Mother of God
without stain of original sin with the same faith
as   they  believe  the  mystery  of  the  August
Trinity, and the Incarnation of our Lord just  as
they  do the infallible teaching authority of the
Roman Pontiff, according to the sense in which it
was  defined  by  the  Ecumenical  Council of the
Vatican. Are these truths not equally certain, or
not  equally  to  be believed, because the Church
has solemnly sanctioned and defined them, some in
one  age and some in another, even in those times
immediately before our own? Has not God  revealed
them  all?  For  the  teaching  authority  of the
Church,  which   in   the   divine   wisdom   was
constituted  on  earth  in  order  that  revealed
doctrines might remain intact for ever, and  that
they  might  be brought with ease and security to
the  knowledge  of  men,  and  which   is   daily
exercised  through  the  Roman  Pontiff  and  the
Bishops who are in communion with him,  has  also
the  office  of  defining,  when it sees fit, any
truth with solemn  rites  and  decrees,  whenever
this  is necessary either to oppose the errors or
the attacks of heretics, or more clearly  and  in
greater detail to stamp the minds of the faithful
with the articles of sacred doctrine  which  have
been   explained.   But   in   the  use  of  this
extraordinary   teaching   authority   no   newly
invented  matter  is  brought in, nor is anything
new added to the number of those truths which are
at  least  implicitly contained in the deposit of
Revelation, divinely handed down to  the  Church:
only those which are made clear which perhaps may
still seem obscure to some, or  that  which  some
have  previously called into question is declared
to be of faith.

10. So, Venerable Brethren, it is clear why  this
Apostolic  See  has never allowed its subjects to
take part in the assemblies of non-Catholics: for
the  union  of Christians can only be promoted by
promoting the return to the one  true  Church  of
Christ of those who are separated from it, for in
the past they have unhappily left it. To the  one
true  Church  of Christ, we say, which is visible
to all, and which is to remain, according to  the
will  of  its  Author,  exactly  the  same  as He
instituted it. During the lapse of centuries, the
mystical   Spouse   of   Christ  has  never  been
contaminated, nor can she ever in the  future  be
contaminated,  as  Cyprian  bears  witness:  "The
Bride of Christ  cannot  be  made  false  to  her
Spouse:  she  is  incorrupt and modest. She knows
but one dwelling, she guards the sanctity of  the
nuptial  chamber  chastely and modestly."[20] The
same  holy  Martyr  with  good  reason   marveled
exceedingly  that anyone could believe that "this
unity in the Church which arises  from  a  divine
foundation,   and   which  is  knit  together  by
heavenly  sacraments,  could  be  rent  and  torn
asunder  by the force of contrary wills."[21] For
since the mystical body of Christ,  in  the  same
manner   as   His   physical  body,  is  one,[22]
compacted and fitly joined together,[23] it  were
foolish and out of place to say that the mystical
body is made up of members  which  are  disunited
and  scattered abroad: whosoever therefore is not
united with the body is no member of it,  neither
is he in communion with Christ its head.[24]


11.  Furthermore, in this one Church of Christ no
man  can  be  or  remain  who  does  not  accept,
recognize and obey the authority and supremacy of
Peter and his legitimate successors. Did not  the
ancestors  of  those who are now entangled in the
errors of Photius and  the  reformers,  obey  the
Bishop of Rome, the chief shepherd of souls? Alas
their children left the home  of  their  fathers,
but  it did not fall to the ground and perish for
ever, for it  was  supported  by  God.  Let  them
therefore  return  to  their  common Father, who,
forgetting the insults previously heaped  on  the
Apostolic  See,  will  receive  them  in the most
loving  fashion.  For  if,  as  they  continually
state,  they  long to be united with Us and ours,
why do they not hasten to enter the Church,  "the
Mother    and    mistress    of    all   Christ's
faithful"?[25] Let them  hear  Lactantius  crying
out: "The Catholic Church is alone in keeping the
true worship. This is the fount  of  truth,  this
the  house  of  Faith, this the temple of God: if
any man enter not here, or if any  man  go  forth
from it, he is a stranger to the hope of life and
salvation. Let none delude himself with obstinate
wrangling.   For  life  and  salvation  are  here
concerned,  which  will  be  lost  and   entirely
destroyed,  unless  their interests are carefully
and assiduously kept in mind."[26]

12. Let, therefore, the separated  children  draw
nigh  to  the  Apostolic  See, set up in the City
which  Peter  and  Paul,  the  Princes   of   the
Apostles,  consecrated  by  their  blood; to that
See, We repeat,  which  is  "the  root  and  womb
whence  the  Church of God springs,"[27] not with
the intention and the hope that  "the  Church  of
the  living  God,  the  pillar  and ground of the
truth"[28] will cast aside the integrity  of  the
faith  and  tolerate  their  errors,  but, on the
contrary, that  they  themselves  submit  to  its
teaching  and  government. Would that it were Our
happy lot  to  do  that  which  so  many  of  Our
predecessors  could not, to embrace with fatherly
affection   those   children,    whose    unhappy
separation  from Us We now bewail. Would that God
our Savior, "Who will have all men  to  be  saved
and  to  come to the knowledge of the truth,"[29]
would hear us when We humbly beg  that  He  would
deign to recall all who stray to the unity of the
Church! In this most important undertaking We ask
and  wish  that  others should ask the prayers of
Blessed Mary the Virgin, Mother of divine  grace,
victorious   over   all   heresies  and  Help  of
Christians, that  She  may  implore  for  Us  the
speedy coming of the much hoped-for day, when all
men shall hear the voice of Her divine  Son,  and
shall be "careful to keep the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace."[30]


13. You, Venerable Brethren, understand how  much
this  question is in Our mind, and We desire that
Our children should also know, not only those who
belong  to the Catholic community, but also those
who are separated from Us: if these latter humbly
beg light from heaven, there is no doubt but that
they will recognize the one true Church of  Jesus
Christ  and will, at last, enter it, being united
with us in perfect charity. While  awaiting  this
event, and as a pledge of Our paternal good will,
We  impart  most  lovingly  to   you,   Venerable
Brethren,  and  to  your  clergy  and people, the
apostolic benediction.

Given at Rome, at Saint Peter's, on the  6th  day
of January, on the Feast of the Epiphany of Jesus
Christ, our Lord, in the year 1928, and the sixth
year of Our Pontificate. PIUS XI

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

1.  John xvii, 21.

2. John xiii, 35.

3. Heb. i, I seq.

4. Matt. xvi, 18 seq; Luke  xxii,  32;  John
xxi,  15-17.

5. Mark xvi, 15.

6. John iii, 5; vi,
   48-59; xx, 22 seq; cf. Matt. xviii, 18,  etc.

7. Matt.  xiii.

8. cf. Matt. xvi, 18.

9. John x, 16.

10. John xxi, 15-17.

11. Matt.  xxviii,  19.

12. Matt.  xxviii,  20.

13.  Matt. xvi, 18.

14. John xvii, 21; x, 16.

15. John xvi, 13.

16. Acts x,41.

17.  Mark xvi, 16.

18. II John 10.

19. Cf. I Tim. ii, 15.

20. De Cath. Ecclesiae  unitate,  6.

21. Ibid.

22.  I  Cor. xii, 12.

23. Eph. Iv, 16.

24. Cf. Eph. v, 30; 1, 22.

25. Conc. Lateran  IV,  c. 5.

26. Divin. Instit. Iv, 30. 11-12.

27. S. Cypr. Ep. 48 ad Cornelium, 3.

28. I Tim. iii, 15.

29. I Tim. ii, 4. 30. Eph. iv, 3.