1Eusebius of Nicomedia greets Paulinus of Tyre, praising Eusebius of Caesarea's zeal for the cause and lamenting Paulinus's silence.
2He urges Paulinus to write on the question, following the words and sense of Scripture.
3Eusebius sets out his belief: one unbegotten God, and one who came into being from him, not from his essence, wholly other in nature though perfectly like him.
4He claims Scripture as his source, citing Proverbs 8 to show that the Son is created, established, and begotten.
5He argues that if the Son were from the Father's essence, he could not be called created or established.
6He answers that 'begotten' in Scripture is used also of beings wholly unlike God.
7He cites texts that call humans and even dew 'begotten' to show that the word means coming into being by God's will.
8He concludes that all things are from God through the Son, and asks Paulinus to write to Alexander of Alexandria.
authentic · Preserved by Theodoret, Ecclesiastical History 1.6, as Eusebius's own letter; its authenticity is not seriously disputed.
Standing
Not honoured as a saint or in a church calendar by the Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant traditions. Bishop of Nicomedia and later of Constantinople, in communion with most of the eastern church in his lifetime; not venerated by Catholics, Orthodox, or Protestants.
Date
ca. 320–323 (approximate) · written in the early Arian controversy, before Nicaea
Written at
Nicomedia, Bithynia (probable)
Addressed to
Paulinus, bishop of Tyre
Language
Greek
Genre
letter
Reference system
section, as Parmentier divides Theodoret, Ecclesiastical History 1.6 (1.6.1–8 = sections 1–8).
SBL abbreviation
Ep. Paul.Not yet checked
Clavis
CPG number not yet checked
Text from
Theodoret, Kirchengeschichte, ed. Léon Parmentier, GCS 19 (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1911), 1.6 (Printed edition in the public domain)
Critical editions
H.-G. Opitz, Athanasius Werke 3.1: Urkunden zur Geschichte des arianischen Streites, Urkunde 8 (Berlin, 1934; cited only) (cited, not reproduced)