In order that those things which had been established in the preceding council might be confirmed by a fuller decision, Cyprian, in the same matter of baptism conferred by heretics, in this same year 258 convened a fuller assembly of bishops, and gathered to this synod seventy-one bishops from Africa and Numidia, to this end: that they might set forth what each thinks concerning the holy and inviolable keeping of the traditions of the elders. After all the aforesaid had assembled, they confirmed, by a twofold decree issued thereupon, the same thing which had been defined above in the preceding African councils held in this and in the case of Basilides.
The first of these is that those who, having been ordained in the Church, fell away from the faith, when returning to the Church, are to be received only to lay communion. The other is that the baptism of heretics conferred by themselves is to be held not only as invalid but even as null; so that if those returning to the Church are baptized, they are not rebaptized with a second baptism, but only the first baptism is conferred upon them—because they were not truly baptized by the heretics, but only more defiled by the water of the heretics. So Cyprian, Epistle 73, to Jubaianus. Hence those who think that he favored anabaptism are gravely in error.
When these things had been established by the decision of the aforesaid bishops, they were prescribed to Stephen of Rome in a certain letter, which we have taken care to subjoin below from Cyprian. But he, having received the synodal letter, by letters sent in reply rejected this council, and at the same time also most solemnly commanded that they should not depart even a finger's breadth from the apostolic tradition concerning not re-baptizing those heretics who had baptized in the same form which the Church uses; and that those baptized by them, if they should ask to return to the Church, should be received in no other way than by the imposition of the hand alone. These things are proved from the epistle of Cyprian which he wrote to Pompeius, bishop of Sabrata in Africa. See Baronius.
(See Baronius) year 258, from number 27 up to and including 38. CYPRIAN AND THE REST TO STEPHEN THEIR BROTHER, GREETING. He indicates that he had decreed in council that those who were baptized among heretics or schismatics should, on returning to the Church, be baptized; and that those who, having been ordained presbyters or deacons in the Church, had lapsed into schism, or who had been promoted by heretics, should, on returning, communicate as laymen—the bond of concord, however, being preserved with the bishops who held a different opinion. I. For the arranging of certain matters and the refining of them by examination of common counsel, we found it necessary, dearly beloved brother, when many priests had come together into one, to convene and celebrate a council. In which indeed many things were brought forward and transacted:
but it was concerning this above all that we had to write to you, and to confer with your gravity and wisdom, namely that which pertains more both to sacerdotal authority and to the unity, as well as the dignity, of the Catholic Church—a dignity coming from the ordering of the divine arrangement—that those who have been baptized outside, beyond the Church, and stained among heretics and schismatics with profane water, when they come to us and to the Church, which is one, ought to be baptized; for the reason that it is too little for them to have a hand laid on them for receiving the Holy Spirit, unless they also receive the baptism of the Church. For then at length can they be fully sanctified and be sons of God, if they are born of both sacraments, since it is written:
'Unless a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God' (John 3:5). For we find also in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 10:48) that this was observed by the apostles and preserved according to the truth of saving faith: that when, in the house of Cornelius the centurion, the Holy Spirit had descended upon the Gentiles who were there present, fervent with the warmth of faith and believing in the Lord with their whole heart, by whom, being filled, they blessed God with various tongues—nonetheless the blessed apostle Peter, mindful of the divine precept and of the Gospel, commanded that those very ones be baptized who had already been filled with the Holy Spirit:
so that nothing might seem to be omitted whereby, in all things, the apostolic instructions might keep the law of the divine precept and of the Gospel. But that the baptism which the heretics use is no baptism, and that no one among those who oppose Christ can profit by the grace of Christ, has lately been carefully expressed in the epistle which was written on this matter to Quintus our colleague, established in Mauritania, likewise in the letters which our colleagues previously sent to the bishops presiding in Numidia—copies of both which epistles I have subjoined. II.
We plainly add and append, dearly beloved brother, by common consent and authority, that even if any presbyters or deacons, who had previously been ordained in the Catholic Church, and afterward stood faithless and rebellious against the Church, or were promoted among heretics by pseudo-bishops and antichrists by a profane ordination against the disposition of Christ, and attempted to offer false and sacrilegious sacrifices outside, against the one and divine altar—these too are to be received on this condition when they return, that they communicate as laymen, and let it suffice them that they are admitted to peace who had been enemies of peace;
nor ought they, on returning to us, to retain the arms of ordination and honor with which they had rebelled against us. For it behooves the priests and ministers who serve at the altar and the sacrifices to be whole and unstained; since the Lord God speaks in Leviticus and says: 'A man in whom there shall be a blemish and a defect shall not approach to offer gifts to God' (Lev. 21:21); likewise in Exodus He commands the same and says: 'And let the priests who approach to the Lord God be sanctified, lest perhaps the Lord God forsake them' (Exod. 19:22); and again: 'And when they approach to minister at the altar of the Holy One, let them not bring sin upon themselves, lest they die' (Exod. 28:43).
But what greater offense can there be, or what more deformed blemish, than to have stood against Christ, than to have scattered His Church which He purchased and founded with His own blood, than—forgetful of evangelical peace and love—to have fought with the fury of hostile discord against the unanimous and concordant people of God? Such men, even if they themselves afterward return to the Church, yet cannot restore and recall with them those who, seduced by them and overtaken by death outside, perished beyond the Church without communion and peace—whose souls in the day of judgment shall be required at the hands of those who were the authors and leaders of their destruction. And therefore it is enough that pardon be granted to such men when they return:
yet perfidy ought not to be promoted in the house of faith. For what do we reserve for the good and innocent and for those who have not departed from the Church, if we honor those who have departed from us and stood against the Church? III. These things, dearly beloved brother, we have set before your conscience, both for the common honor and for sincere love, believing that they also please you, by reason of the truth of your religion and faith—things which are alike both religious and true. But for the rest, we know that certain persons are unwilling to lay aside what they have once imbibed, nor easily to change their purpose, but, the bond of peace and concord among colleagues being preserved, to retain certain things of their own which have once been adopted by them.
In which matter we neither use force upon anyone nor give a law, since each prelate has in the administration of the Church the free judgment of his own will, about to render the account of his own act to the Lord. We wish you, dearly beloved brother, ever to fare well.