The rise and fall of Donatism

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Assistant Professor, Faculty of theology, Ferdowsi university of Mashhad

Abstract

There was a sharp difference between North African Christians and the rest of Ancient Roman territory in religious and socio-economic terms. African Christians regarded themselves more pure and faithful than other ones and economically were poorer than Romans. Christianity entered North Africa in the second century and the cities Numidia and Karthage became the most populated Christian districts. The Christians of Africa lived a coexistence life until the fourth century, when the Great Persecution took place. During the persecution some Christians to save their lives committed wrong doings and handed over Holy Scriptures to the Roman authorities and became known as Traditiores, but some others resisted and died martyr death. Finally the persecution ended during Constantine era and the Romans tolerated Christians. Meanwhile, some African Christians who later on became known as Donatists declared those who handed over Holy book during the Persecution have in fact lost the reliability of their baptism and should be re-baptized. This position pawed the way for the emergence of a sharp disagreement between Donatists and Catholics, and religious nonconformity gradually transformed to hostility and antagonism so that Africa became a battlefield between two Christian groups. We will try to explain the rise and fall of Donatism via historical-theological perspective.

Keywords

References

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Comparative Study of Religions and Mysticism
Volume 8, Issue 1
July 2024
Pages 159-184

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History

  • Receive Date: 18 March 2024
  • Revise Date: 05 June 2024
  • Accept Date: 29 July 2024

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