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St. Cyprian Bars an Actor From Communion, Even if He Only Teaches
3:53
What the video says
The video presents a reading of Saint Cyprian's Epistle to Euchratius about an actor. Cyprian forbids an actor who continues in his disgraceful calling from communicating in the church, and rejects the excuse that he no longer performs himself while teaching the art to others. He also rejects an appeal to poverty, saying the church can supply the actor's needs, and if the church at Euchratius cannot, the actor may come to Carthage to receive food and clothing.
Key moments
- The argument states that an actor who continues in his disgraceful calling is forbidden to communicate in the church, and he cannot excuse himself by saying he no longer practices the art while teaching it to others.
- Cyprian writes to Euchratius about an actor settled among them who persists in the art as a master and teacher, instructing not for the salvation but for the destruction of boys.
- Cyprian says the modesty and credit of the church should not be polluted by so disgraceful a contagion, since the law forbids men to put on a woman's garment and judges such offenders accursed.
- He argues that a man cannot be said to have given up the theater while he substitutes others in his place, teaching how a man may be broken down into a woman and his sex changed by art.
- If the actor alleges poverty, his necessity can be assisted among those maintained by the support of the church, if he is content with frugal but innocent food.
- Cyprian urges Euchratius to recall the actor to the way of innocence and the hope of eternal life, and if the local church cannot support him, the actor may transfer to Carthage and receive what is necessary for food and clothing.
An audio reading presents Epistle LX.1, To Euchratius, About an Actor, by St. Cyprian of Carthage. The letter takes up a case of early Christian discipline: an actor settled among Euchratius' community persists in his art as a master and teacher, and Cyprian rules on whether he may remain in communion with the Church. Cyprian forbids an actor who continues in his disgraceful calling from communicating in the church.
He rejects the excuse that the man no longer performs himself, since he substitutes others in his place, teaching how a man may be broken down into a woman and his sex changed by art. Teaching the art counts as practicing it. Cyprian also appeals to Scripture, noting that the law forbids men to put on a woman's garment and judges such offenders accursed, and he argues that the modesty and credit of the church should not be polluted by so disgraceful a contagion.
He says the actor instructs not for the salvation but for the destruction of boys. The letter also addresses an appeal to poverty. Cyprian answers that the actor's necessity can be assisted among those maintained by the support of the church, if he is content with frugal but innocent food. If the church at Euchratius cannot support him, the actor may transfer to Carthage and receive what is necessary for food and clothing.
Cyprian closes by urging Euchratius to recall the actor to the way of innocence and the hope of eternal life. The reading is divided into chapters covering the argument of the letter, Cyprian's greeting, the question of communion and teaching impure arts, the fallacy of giving up the stage while teaching others, provision for poverty, and the call to repentance.
Main points
- Cyprian forbids an actor who continues in his calling from communicating in the church, and rejects the excuse that he no longer performs while teaching the art to others.
- He cites the law that forbids men to put on a woman's garment and judges such offenders accursed.
- The actor teaches not for the salvation but for the destruction of boys, and the church's modesty should not be polluted by such a contagion.
- If the actor claims poverty, the church can supply his needs if he accepts frugal but innocent food.
- If the local church cannot support him, he may transfer to Carthage for food and clothing, and Cyprian urges his recall to innocence and the hope of eternal life.