Donatist

Donatism was a Christian theological and ecclesiastical movement that arose in Roman North Africa in the early 4th century, taking its name from Donatus Magnus. It emerged from disputes stirred by the Diocletianic persecutions, focusing on whether the church could be purified through the exclusion of clergy who had lapsed during persecution. Donatists argued that the true Church consisted of the holy, and that the validity of sacraments depended on the moral character of the minister rather than on the grace of God; thus sacraments administered by clergy who had betrayed the faith could be invalid. They also favored a separate, independent episcopate and strong local congregations, particularly in Numidia, and they often insisted on rebaptism for those who had been baptized by non-Donatist clergy.

The movement rapidly developed a parallel church structure and contested the authority of the broader Roman, or Catholic, Church. The mainstream church, led by Augustine of Hippo, argued against Donatist exclusivity, maintaining that the Church is universal and that the grace conveyed in baptism and other sacraments is valid regardless of the minister’s personal sin, as long as the rite is properly administered. This dispute became the centerpiece of the Donatist controversy in the late 4th and early 5th centuries, drawing in imperial and provincial authorities. The state and church authorities held councils and issued measures against Donatism, culminating in periods of suppression under Theodosius I and subsequent emperors.

Decline followed imperial efforts to enforce religious unity and stabilize North Africa, and Donatism gradually waned, with remnants persisting into the 7th century before the rise of Islamic rule reshaped the religious landscape.