On Love of Power and Ecclesiastical Unity, by St. Gregory V, Patriarch of Constantinople (+ 1821).
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"What is the proper recompense due to those wretches who have been appointed by God to correct and bring peace to others and who, instead of this, themselves divide and confuse them? Nothing is able to divide the Church as can the love of power: and nothing provokes God as does a Church that is divided. Even if certain individuals succeed in accomplishing 10,000 good things, yet if they are guilty of dividing the Christians - be they many or few - they shall not suffer lesser punishments than those who sever and cut off the members of the physical body.
A certain holy man once said something fearful concerning those who scandalize and bring confusion into the Church of Christ. He said that not even martyrdom would blot out their sin. For how is it possible for one who spills his blood for the love of God's Name, to be also responsible for bringing turmoil into the Church of Christ and among his Christian brethren, for whom Christ sacrificed His life? Let us hearken to what the apostle Paul says concerning this fearful sin: 'I'm not worthy to be called an apostle, for I persecuted the Church of Christ'.
The harm which is brought upon the Church of Christ by impious enemies and heretics is not as harmful and ruinous as the harm which is done by brethren of the same faith. For the injury caused by enemies is actually a cause of great splendor for the Church of Christ, but that which comes from those of the same faith is a cause of shame for the Church, which becomes like one persecuted and warred against by her own children.
For when enemies behold those who have been spiritually born and nourished by the Church and who have communicated her ineffable Mysteries, undergoing a sudden change and conducting themselves inimically towards their own mother, of course they will conclude that there is great error in our Faith.
When some have contrary teachings, and they believe and preach them, we must in no wise associate with them. But when we believe the same teachings, and yet we are severed from the fullness of the Church and we cut off others, we manifestly show the aim of accursed vanity and love of power. Because of this same wickedness of the love of power, the earth was rent asunder and swallowed up Korah, Dathan, and Abiron (Num. 16:31-33).
For this very same reason, a most fearful punishment is prepared for those who scandalize and bring turmoil into the Church, even though by God's unfathomable longsuffering they do not receive here the due punishment for their love of power.
Such, indeed, are all those who teach heresy, who through love of power disturb the fullness of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ. Let us neither say nor think that they also believe in one Lord, have one Baptism and confess the one Faith.
If their opinions are correct, then by necessity our own must be incorrect. But if our own doctrines are upheld and believed and given credence and confessed by all as being good, true, correct, and unadulterated, manifestly then, the so-called sacraments of all heretics are evil, bereft of divine grace, abominable, and loathsome, and the grace of ordination and the priesthood by which these sacraments are performed has vanished and departed from them. And when there is no priesthood, all the rest are dead and bereft of spiritual grace.
We say these things, beloved, lest anyone - either man or woman - be misled by the heterodox regarding their apparent sacraments and their so called Christianity. Rather, let each one stand firmly in the blameless and true Faith of Christ, specially that we may draw to ourselves those who have been led astray and unite them as though they were our own members to the one Head, Christ, to Whom be glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen."
