Lecture : The Society of the Church Dr. Ann T. Orlando

Outline North African Ecclesiology Prior to Augustine Donatists Augustine’s Response Duties of a bishop Relationship of bishop to See of Peter Assignments

Tertullian’s Montanists View Did not believe in spousal remarriage Encouraged martyrdom Tertullian held there were three classes of sins Unforgivable sins: idolatry, apostasy, adultery (No readmittance to Church) Grave but forgivable sins: murder Daily sins: anger, evil speech Broke with Catholic bishop of Carthage (Agrippinus) over forgiveness of sins; felt bishop could not forgive adultery Tertullian, North African Christianity

St. Cyprian Teacher of Rhetoric before his conversion c. 248 Almost immediately, he was elected bishop of Carthage Tertullian was a major influence on him During Decian persecutions, he fled Carthage, but remained in contact with the Church there Martyred in persecutions of Valerian, 257 (as was Novation) St. Cyprian will be a major influence on the greatest of Western theologians: Augustine

Cyprian’s Works De Lapsi (Concerning the Lapsed) Written 251 Supported Cornelius (over Novation) as Bishop of Rome Specified types of lapsed and length of repentance required for each. Example: those who lapsed under torture had least time of repentance De catholicae ecclesiai unitate (On the Unity of the Catholic Church) Written in 251 in support of Cornelius Key is Chapter 4 on primacy of Peter, although there are 2 versions of this chapter Letters 81 survive from third century

Novation Roman priest, opposed election of Pope Cornelius in 251 Thought Cornelius too lax in re-admitting lapsed (lapsi) Christians back into Church Set himself up as a rival Pope, drawing support from around Empire, especially from Montanists Driving force opposing Novation: St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage

St. Cyprian and Re-Baptism As noted above, Cyprian accepted lapsed into the Church with appropriate penance However, he did not recognize the validity of Baptism by heretics or schismatics This put him in conflict with Pope Stephen; the Roman Church seems to have always recognized Baptism by anyone as long as water and the Trinitarian formula were used Cyprian thought the orthodoxy and validity of the minister was important in administering the sacrament Note, Cyprian also opposed the forgiveness of sins by martyrs (libelli martyrum) for the same reason: the validity of the minister Cyprian, and many others, wanted Christians Baptized by heretics to be re-Baptized (see Letter 74 Against Stephen) Pope St. Stephen prevailed

Donatism Started c. 313 in North Africa, named for a Christian Bishop in North Africa who protested the ordination of presbyters by a lapsed bishop Followers of Montanist and Novatian joined with Donatists to form a schismatic Church, more numerous than the Catholic Church in North Africa. Looked to Tertullian and Cyprian as ‘fathers in faith’ Wanted the Church to be the ‘Church of the Pure’ especially the ministers There are unforgivable sins Furthermore, such sins is a bishop calls his ordination and subsequent ministerial actions into question By late 4th C, seemed to believe that the only ‘pure’ Church was in North Africa

Who Owns Baptism For Cyprian, and especially the Donatists, the key moment in formation of Church is found in John 20:22-23 By receiving the Holy Spirit the apostles receive the power to confer or retain forgiveness of sins Thereafter it is the ministers of Church who govern reception of grace Augustine is vehemently opposed to this interpretation and instead looks to John 1:33 Christ always ‘owns’ Baptism The minister is only the (imperfect) way that the Holy Spirit travels to the baptized See Homily 5 in Tractates on John’s Gospel

Augustine’s Key Points Against Donatists Validity of sacrament is not dependent on worth of minister Dependent on God’s grace Church is universal (catholic) not particular to one region Since no one is sinless, there can be no Church ‘of the pure’ The pilgrim Church will always be mixed wheat and tares The complex political and ecclesial situation is seen in Letter 185 “To Boniface” Donatists are Christian majority But imperial decree had outlawed Donatists

General Aspects of Augustine’s Ecclesiology The Church began with Cain and Abel (see CoG XV) Cain founder of city of man Abel, first member of City of God The Church can be said to begin in the OT due to the action of the Holy Spirit Three periods of the Church (Sermon 72, and 272B) Before the law During the law During the time of grace In this time of grace, we are a pilgrim Church travelling toward our true homeland Within this pilgrim society there are mixed good and bad No pilgrim is completely without sin Society of Church is guided by Holy Spirit (Sermon 267)

Relation Between Terrestrial and Celestial Church Church here below and the Church above are genuinely the same Church The basis of both is the same: Grace (see CoG XV) But the terrestrial Church is struggling to rejoin the stable, unchanging celestial Church. The angels are a key component of the celestial Church Members of the celestial Church pray for and try to help the pilgrim Church

Duties of the Bishop Teach Especially by properly interpreting Scripture The sign of a bishop is his teaching chair (cathedra) Sign of local unity of Church within the unity of the universal (catholic) Church Minister the sacraments, especially Baptism The Sacrifice Ordain clergy Bishops are the Church (and sometimes civil) leaders within their diocese Confer with other bishops on regional issues

The Bishop and His Flock Sermons 46 and 47, and 340 Both sermons form a commentary on Ezekiel Primarily in opposition to a Donatist understanding of Church Sermon 46 emphasizes the relation between the people and their bishop Sermon 47 focuses on what it means for people and bishop to be part of the flock of Christ Sermon 340 on the anniversary of Augustine’s ordination “For you I am a bishop, with you, after all, I am a Christian.”

The Bishop and the Broader Church Church as keeper of canon of Scripture That is, as the keeper of the Truth See Answer to the Letter of Mani Known as the Foundation 3.3-5.6 for a personal statement of belief in Church Teaching authority of bishops and Rome at stake in Donatist and Pelagian controversy See Letter 177 from North African Bishops to Innocent I, and his reply in Letter 181 Importance of See of Rome as Catholic unity in Donatist controversy, Letter 53 In both cases, note the importance placed on being in communion with the See of Rome And papacy as successor of Peter

Roma Locuta Est – Cause Finita Est… Context: Pelagian condemnation by two African Councils, supported by Pope Innocent I. That is, the context of Letters 177 and 181 Paraphrase (misquote?) from Sermon 131.10 “iam enim de hac causa duo concillia missa sunt ad sedem apostolicam; inde etiam rescripta venerunt; causa finita est” For already concerning this case two councils have sent to the apostolic see, from there also (furthermore) rescripts were sent; the case is finished.

Reformation and Ecclesiology An attack on the Catholic Church as such Catholic Church in dogma and practice strayed from true Church of Christ Pope not the vicar of Christ on earth Clerical celibacy of little or no value Priesthood of all believers (really no ministerial priesthood) Reformers need to build a different ecclesiology than the Catholic one Core issue is one of in the Church external (visible) or internal (invisible within each believing Christian) As usual in Reformation disputes, all sides claim Augustine

Ratzinger and Ecclesiology Based upon his doctoral dissertation on Augustine and Ecclesiology Informed much of Vatican II ecclesiology See also Communio article on Holy Spirit and Church http://www.communio- icr.com/articles/PDF/ratzinger25-2.pdf

Benedict XVI on Church and State: Deus Caritas Est Published December 25, 2005 Eight months after Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI Available at http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_ xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben- xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html

Assignments Homily 5 in Tractates on John’s Gospel Letter 185 “To Boniface” Sermon 72, 267 and 272B Sermons 46 and 47, and 340 Answer to the Letter of Mani Known as the Foundation 3.3- 5.6 Letters 177 and 181 Letter 53

Some works consulted Sehorn, John. “Monica as Synecdoche for the Pilgrim Church in the Confessions,” Augustinian Studies 46:2 (2015) pp 225-248. Ployd, Adam. “The Power of Baptism: Augustine’s Pro-Nicene Response to the Donatists,” Journal of Early Christian Studies, Vol 22, No 4 Winter 2014. Pp 519-540.