Reference Dok. 6; Urk. 12; CPG 3555
Incipit Μὴ μέμφου τοῖς περὶ Ἄρειον
Date c. 319-20
Ancient source Athanasius, De synodis 17.5
Modern edition AW 2:245; AW 3:9

The Alexandrian presbyter George is not in the lists of early Alexandrian supporters of Arius, but Athanasius states he was among those excommunicated (De synod. 17.7). Many of those supporters left Alexandria after their excommunication and traveled to drum up sympathy for Arian views (Socr. H.E. 1.6.2; Soz. H.E. 1.15.8). Athanasius seems to imply that George was spending time in Antioch when he wrote the letter below to his bishop back in Alexandria. By c. 360, when he wrote De synodis,Athanasius says George was still alive and living in Laodicea (probably either Laodicea ad Mare (modern Lattakia in  Syria) or Laodicea ad Libanum in Coele-Syria (ancient Kadesh, not the New Testament Laodicea on the Lycus in Asia). This is the first of two excerpts from different letters of George that Athanasius preserves.

The text below is that of Opitz in AW 2:245. Our translation is an adaptation by Aaron West and Glen Thompson from that of D. Robertson in NPNF2 4:459.

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Γεώργιος δὲ ὁ νῦν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ, πρεσβύτερος ὧντότε τῆς ᾿Αλεξανδρείας καὶ ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳδιατρίβων, πρὸς μὲν ᾿Αλέξανδρον τὸν ἐπίσκοτονἔγραφεν ὅτι· [And George who at present is in Laodicea, but at that time was a priest of Alexandria who was residing in Antioch, wrote to Bishop Alexander as follows:]
μὴ μέμφου τοῖς περὶ Ἄρειον, εἰ λέγουσιν “ἦνποτε, ὅτε οὐκ ἦν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ.” καὶ γὰρ ὁ᾿Ησαίας υἱὸς γέγονεν ᾿Αμώς, καὶ ὅμως ὁ μὲν᾿Αμὼς ἦν πρὸ τοῦ γενέσθαι τὸν ᾿Ησαίαν, ὁ δὲ᾿Ησαίας οὐκ ἣν πρότερον, ἀλλὰ μετὰ ταῦταγέγονε. Don’t find fault with Arius and his followers for saying, “There was once when the Son of God did not exist.” For Isaiah became the son of Amos, and, since Amos existed before Isaiah came to be, Isaiah did not exist prior, but came into being afterwards.

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Last updated 5/6/24 by AGC.

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