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christian-councils-heresiesfeatured in 15 works

Donatism

Does a sacrament fail if the priest who gives it is unworthy?

Donatism, named for Donatus, taught that the validity of the sacraments depends on the moral purity of the minister who performs them, so that an unworthy clergyman's acts would be void. Augustine opposed this, arguing that Christ, not the minister, is the true source of a sacrament's grace. The movement was condemned, and the controversy prompted Augustine's enduring doctrine of sacramental validity apart from the minister's holiness.

How it traveled

  1. The Church History of Eusebius
    Caesarea · 339
    explains
  2. Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  3. On Baptism, Against the Donatists
    Hippo Regius · 430
    applies
  4. Letters of St. Augustin
    Hippo Regius · 430
    explains
  5. The Correction of the Donatists
    Hippo Regius · 430
    applies
  6. Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament
    Hippo Regius · 430
    applies
  7. Expositions on the Book of Psalms
    Hippo Regius · 430
    challenges
  8. A Treatise on the Soul and its Origin
    Hippo Regius · 430
    applies
  9. Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John
    Hippo Regius · 430
    challenges
  10. A Work on the Proceedings of Pelagius
    Hippo Regius · 430
    applies
  11. The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins, For the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All Heresies
    Lérins · 445
    applies
  12. The Book of Pastoral Rule, and Selected Epistles, of Gregory the Great
    Rome · 604
    applies
  13. The Canons of the Synods of Sardica, Carthage, Constantinople, and Carthage Under St. Cyprian, Which Canons Were Received by the Council in Trullo and Ratified by II. Nice
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 692
    applies
  14. Treatise on the Sacraments (qq[60]-90)
    Paris · 1274
    challenges
  15. Book Fourth. of the Holy Catholic Church
    Geneva · 1564
    challenges

Key passages(20)

Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist — In which Augustin replies to all the several statements in the letter of Petilianus, as though disputing with an adversary face to face. — part 9↗challenges

Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist · Augustine of Hippo

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On Baptism, Against the Donatists — In which Augustin proves that it is to no purpose that the Donatists bring forward the authority of Cyprian, bishop and martyr, since it is really more opposed to them than to the Catholics. For that he held that the view of his predecessor Agrippinus, on the subject of baptizing heretics in the Catholic Church when they join its communion, should only be received on condition that peace should be maintained with those who entertained the opposite view, and that the unity of the Church should never be broken by any kind of schism. — part 2↗challenges

On Baptism, Against the Donatists · Augustine of Hippo

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Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist — In this book Augustin refutes the second letter which Petilianus wrote to him after having seen the first of Augustin’s earlier books. This letter had been full of violent language; and Augustin rather shows that the arguments of Petilianus had been deficient and irrelevant, than brings forward arguments in support of his own statements. — part 8↗challenges

Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist · Augustine of Hippo

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Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist — In which Augustin replies to all the several statements in the letter of Petilianus, as though disputing with an adversary face to face. — part 11↗challenges

Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist · Augustine of Hippo

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Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist — In which Augustin replies to all the several statements in the letter of Petilianus, as though disputing with an adversary face to face. — part 19↗challenges

Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist · Augustine of Hippo

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Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist — In which Augustin replies to all the several statements in the letter of Petilianus, as though disputing with an adversary face to face. — part 6↗challenges

Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist · Augustine of Hippo

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Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist — Written in the form of a letter addressed to the Catholics, in which the first portion of the letter which Petilian had written to his adherents is examined and refuted. — part 2↗challenges

Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist · Augustine of Hippo

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Letters of St. Augustin — Letters of St. Augustin — To Festus — part 1↗challenges

Letters of St. Augustin · Augustine of Hippo

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Letters of St. Augustin — Letters of St. Augustin — To Theodorus↗challenges

Letters of St. Augustin · Augustine of Hippo

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Letters of St. Augustin — Letters of St. Augustin — To the Donatists↗challenges

Letters of St. Augustin · Augustine of Hippo

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On Baptism, Against the Donatists — He proves that baptism can be conferred outside the Catholic communion by heretics or schismatics, but that it ought not to be received from them; and that it is of no avail to any while in a state of heresy or schism. — part 2↗challenges

On Baptism, Against the Donatists · Augustine of Hippo

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The Church History of Eusebius — Book X — Copies of Imperial Laws. — part 3↗explains

The Church History of Eusebius · Eusebius of Caesarea

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Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist — Written in the form of a letter addressed to the Catholics, in which the first portion of the letter which Petilian had written to his adherents is examined and refuted. — part 3↗challenges

Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist · Augustine of Hippo

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Letters of St. Augustin — Letters of St. Augustin — To Donatus — part 2↗challenges

Letters of St. Augustin · Augustine of Hippo

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Letters of St. Augustin — Letters of St. Augustin — To Vincentius — part 5↗challenges

Letters of St. Augustin · Augustine of Hippo

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Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament — On the words of the Gospel, John x. 14, ‘I am the good shepherd,’ etc. Against the Donatists.↗challenges

Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament · Augustine of Hippo

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A Treatise on the Soul and its Origin — Book III — Why Victor Assumed the Name of Vincentius. The Names of Evil Men Ought Never to Be Assumed by Other Persons.↗applies

A Treatise on the Soul and its Origin · Augustine of Hippo

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Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist — In this book Augustin refutes the second letter which Petilianus wrote to him after having seen the first of Augustin’s earlier books. This letter had been full of violent language; and Augustin rather shows that the arguments of Petilianus had been deficient and irrelevant, than brings forward arguments in support of his own statements. — part 1↗applies

Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist · Augustine of Hippo

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Very high
Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist — In this book Augustin refutes the second letter which Petilianus wrote to him after having seen the first of Augustin’s earlier books. This letter had been full of violent language; and Augustin rather shows that the arguments of Petilianus had been deficient and irrelevant, than brings forward arguments in support of his own statements. — part 10↗challenges

Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist · Augustine of Hippo

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Very high
Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist — In this book Augustin refutes the second letter which Petilianus wrote to him after having seen the first of Augustin’s earlier books. This letter had been full of violent language; and Augustin rather shows that the arguments of Petilianus had been deficient and irrelevant, than brings forward arguments in support of his own statements. — part 11↗challenges

Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist · Augustine of Hippo

Read in Sefaria →
Very high