Justo Gonzalez, Ph.D.: "The Story of Christianity," Ch. 26--Donatism, 17...

1.     The Schismatic Reaction: Donatism, 173-179.  Prof. Gonzalez gives an overview of the Donatist schism in North Africa, being rooted in the period of the pre-Constantinian period of imperial persecutions. Varied offenses occurred: fleeing (e.g., Cyprian of Carthage), handing over Bibles ( = traditors and some bishops did it rather than spill blood), denials of being a Christian, sacrificing to pagan deities, etc. Those who persevered and suffered (confessors) became rigorists about readmitted the lapsed. Hence, the rigorists wanted their own Bishops and, by a few turns, got Majorinus and then Donatus. Those baptized by non-rigorist bishops needed rebaptism since the non-rigorists were not holy enough. Hence, the down-stream problems were created: episcopal and clerical ordinations, a separatist church, and validity of the sacraments. Prof. Gonzalez tries to bring in the economic and political side of it, but is unconvincing, to wit, the Donatists of Mauritania and Numidia (west of Carthage and Proconsular Africa) were agricultural, were of a lower social order, and less connected to Rome than the westerners. That’s the point, but the connection to Donatism was unclear.