The Sentences of the Eighty-Seven Bishops

​When a great many bishops from the province of Africa, Numidia, and Mauritania had met together in Carthage on the first of September with the presbyters and deacons, in the presence also of a very large part of the laity, and the letter of Jubaianus to Cyprian had been read, as well as the reply of Cyprian to Jubaianus on the baptism of heretics, and what Jubaianus wrote back to Cyprian afterwards, Cyprian said: “You have heard, most beloved colleagues, what Jubaianus our co-bishop has written to me, consulting our mediocrity concerning the unlawful and profane baptism of heretics, and what I wrote back to him, judging indeed what we have decided once and again and often, that heretics coming to the church must be baptized and sanctified with the baptism of the church. Likewise, another letter of Jubaianus has been read to you, in which, according to his sincere and religious devotion, replying to our letter, he not only agreed, but also confessed that he was instructed and gave thanks. It remains that concerning this very matter we should each bring forward what we think, judging no one, nor removing anyone from the right of communion if he should think differently. For none of us sets himself up as a bishop of bishops, or by tyrannical terror forces his colleagues to the necessity of obeying, since every bishop, according to the allowance of his liberty and power, has his own choice, and can no more be judged by another than he himself can judge another. But let us all await the judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ, who alone and singly has the power both to set us in the governance of His church and to judge our action.”

​Caecilius of Biltha said: “I know of one baptism in the church alone, and none outside the church. This will be one where there is true hope and certain faith. For so it is written: ‘One faith, one hope, one baptism,’ not among heretics, where there is no hope and a false faith, where all things are carried on by a lie, where a demoniac exorcises, where [one whose] mouth and words cast cancer questions the sacrament, where an unbeliever gives faith, a wicked man grants pardon of sins, and antichrist washes in the name of Christ, one cursed by God blesses, a dead man promises life, an unpeaceful man gives peace, a blasphemer calls upon God, a profane man administers the priesthood, a sacrilegious man sets up an altar, and to all these evils there is added also that mischief, that a minister of the devil dares to celebrate the eucharist. Or let those who assist them say that all these things are false concerning heretics. Behold to what things, therefore, the church is compelled to consent, and to communicate without baptism and the pardon of sins. Which thing, brethren, we ought to flee [and avoid], and separate ourselves from so great a crime, and hold the one baptism which has been granted to the church alone by the Lord.”

​Primus of Misgirpa said: “I judge that every person coming from heresy must be baptized. For in vain does he think that he has been baptized there, since there is no baptism except the one and true one in the church: because both God is one, and faith is one, and the church is one, in which the one baptism, holiness, and the rest, stand. For those things which are performed outside have no effect of salvation.”

​Polycarpus of Hadrumetum said: “He who approves the baptism of heretics voids ours.”

​Nouatus of Thamogade said: “Although we know that all the scriptures bear witness to themselves concerning saving baptism, we ought therefore to express our faith, that heretics and schismatics coming to the church, who seem to be pseudo-baptized, ought to be baptized in the everlasting spring; and therefore, according to the testimony of the scriptures and according to the decree of our colleagues, men of most holy memory, I have baptized all schismatics and heretics who have been converted to the church; but I have also received those who seemed to have been ordained as laymen.”