Part 33 (1/2)

Haruspices and priests and those accustomed to serve this rite we forbid to enter any private house, or under the pretence of friends.h.i.+p to cross the threshold of another, under the penalty established against them if they contemn the law.(96) But those of you who regard this rite, approach the public altars and shrines and celebrate the solemnities of your custom; for we do not indeed prohibit the duties of the old usage to be performed in broad daylight.

(_b_) _Codex Theodosia.n.u.s_, XVI, 10, 1; A. D. 320-321.

Haruspicia in certain circ.u.mstances to be observed.

If any part of our palace or other public buildings should be struck by lightning let the custom be retained of the ancient observance as to what it signifies, and let it be examined by the haruspices and very carefully written down, collected, and brought to our attention; to others also the permission of practising this custom is conceded, provided they refrain from domestic sacrifices, which are expressly forbidden.

(_c_) _Codex Theodosia.n.u.s_. XV, 1, 3; A. D. 326.

Unfinished heathen temples need not be completed.

We direct that the judges of the provinces be warned not to give orders for any new work before they complete the buildings left incomplete by their predecessors, the erection of temples only being excepted.

61. The Donatist Schism under Constantine

The Donatist schism arose in connection with the Diocletian persecution, in part over the policy of Mensurius of Carthage regarding the fanatical desire for martyrdom and the delivery of the sacred books according to the edict of persecution. Combined with this were the personal ambitions of the Archdeacon Ccilia.n.u.s, the offended dignity of the Primas of Numidia, Bishop Secundus of Tigisi, and the pique of a wealthy female devotee, Lucilla. It was mixed up with the customs of the North African church, whereby the Primas of Numidia exercised a leading authority in the conduct of the election of the bishop of Carthage, and also with the notion prevalent in the same church, for which also Cyprian contended in the controversy on the baptism of heretics [see 52], that the validity of a sacrament depended in some way upon the personal character of the minister of that sacrament. It was a.s.serted by the partisans of Secundus, who elected Majorinus bishop of Carthage, that Felix of Aptunga, the consecrator of Ccilia.n.u.s, who had been elected by the other party, had delivered the sacred books to the heathen officials, and was therefore guilty as a traditor. A schism, accordingly, arose in Carthage which spread rapidly throughout North Africa. The party of Majorinus soon came under the lead of Donatus the Great, his successor in the schismatical see of Carthage. The Donatist schism became of importance almost at once, and as it was inconsistent with Constantines religious policy, which called for Church unity,(97) it presented an immediate difficulty in the execution of laws granting favors to the Catholic Church.(98) On account of the interests involved, the schism was of long duration, lasting after the conquest of North Africa by the Vandals, and even to the Saracen conquest, though long since of no importance.

Anulinus. _Ep. ad Constantinum_, in Augustine, _Ep._ 88. (MSG, 33:303.)

To Constantine Augustus from Anulinus, a man of proconsular rank, proconsul of Africa.

The welcome and adored celestial writings sent by your Majesty to Ccilia.n.u.s, and those who act under him and are called clergy, I have devoutly taken care to record in the archives of my humility, and have exhorted those parties that when unity has been made by the consent of all, since they are seen to be exempt from all other burdens by your Majestys clemency, and having preserved the Catholic unity, they should devote themselves to their duties with the reverence due the sanct.i.ty of the law and to divine things. After a few days, however, there arose some, to whom a crowd of people joined themselves, who thought that proceedings should be taken against Ccilia.n.u.s and presented me a sealed packet wrapped in leather and a small doc.u.ment without seal, and earnestly requested that I should transmit them to the sacred and venerable court of your divinity, which your Majestys most humble servant has taken care to do, Ccilia.n.u.s continuing meanwhile as he was. The acts pertaining to the case have been subjoined, in order that your Majesty may be able to make a decision concerning the whole matter. I have sent two doc.u.ments, one in a leathern envelope ent.i.tled A Doc.u.ment of the Catholic Church, the Charges against Ccilia.n.u.s, Furnished by the Party of Majorinus; the other attached without a seal to the same leathern envelope. Given on the 17th day before the calends of May, in the third consuls.h.i.+p of our Lord Constantine Augustus [April 15, 313].

62. Constantines Endeavors to Bring about the Unity of the Church by Means of General Synods: The Councils of Arles and Nica

One of the intentions of Constantine in his support of Christianity seems to have been the employment of the Christian religion as a basis for imperial unity. The policy of several earlier emperors in reviving heathenism, and Galerius in his persecution of the Christians, seems likewise to have been to use religion as a basis of unity. One of the first tasks Constantine encountered after he became sole ruler of the West was to restore the unity of the Church in Africa, which had been endangered by the disputes culminating in the Donatist schism; and when he became sole ruler of the Empire a new task of a similar character was to restore unity to the Church of the East, endangered by the Meletian schism in Egypt [_v. supra_, 57, _a_], the Arian controversy in its first stage [_v. infra_, 63], and the estrangement of the Asia Minor churches, due to the Easter controversy [_v. supra_, 38]. It was a master-stroke of policy on the part of Constantine to use the Churchs conciliar system on an enlarged scale to bring about this unity. The Church was made to feel that the decision was its own and to be obeyed for religious reasons; at the same time the Emperor was able to direct the thought and action of the a.s.sembly in matters of consequence and to give to conciliar action legal and coercive effect. The two great a.s.semblies summoned to meet the problems of the West and of the East were respectively the Councils of Arles, A. D. 314, and of Nica, A. D. 325.

I. The Council of Arles A. D. 314

(_a_) Constantine, _Convocatio concilii Arelatensis_, in Eusebius, _Hist.

Ec._, X, 5. (MSG, 20 :888.) _Cf._ Kirch, nn. 321 _f._; Mirbt, nn. 89, 93-97.

For the Council of Arles, see Hefele, 14, 15.

Constantine Augustus to Chrestus, Bishop of Syracuse. When some began wickedly and perversely to disagree among themselves in regard to the holy wors.h.i.+p and the celestial power and Catholic doctrine, I, wis.h.i.+ng to put an end to such disputes among them, formerly gave command that certain bishops should be sent from Gaul, and that the opposing parties, who were contending persistently and incessantly with each other, should be summoned from Africa; that in their presence and in the presence of the bishop of Rome the matter which appeared to be causing the disturbance might be examined and decided with all care. But since, as it happens, some, forgetful both of their own salvation and of the reverence due to the most holy religion, do not even yet bring hostilities to an end, and are unwilling to conform to the judgment already pa.s.sed, and a.s.sert that those who expressed their opinions and decisions were few, or that they had been too hasty and precipitate in giving judgment, before all the things which ought to have been accurately investigated had been examinedon account of all this it has happened that those very ones who ought to hold brotherly and harmonious relations toward each other are shamefully, or rather abominably, divided among themselves, and give occasion for ridicule to those men whose souls are alien as to this most holy religion. Wherefore it has seemed necessary to me to provide that this dissension, which ought to have ceased after the judgment had been already given, by their own voluntary agreement, should now, if possible, be brought to an end by the presence of many. Since, therefore, we have commanded a number of bishops from a great many different places to a.s.semble in the city of Arles, before the calends of August, we have thought proper to write to thee also that thou shouldest secure from the most ill.u.s.trious Latronia.n.u.s, Corrector of Sicily, a public vehicle, and that thou shouldest take with thee two others of the second rank whom thou thyself shalt choose, together with three servants, who may serve you on the way, and betake thyself to the above-mentioned place before the appointed day; that by thy firmness and by the wise unanimity and harmony of the others present, this dispute, which has disgracefully continued until the present time, in consequence of certain shameful strifes, after all has been heard, which those have to say who are now at variance with one another, and whom we have likewise commanded to be present, may be settled in accordance with the proper faith, and that brotherly harmony, though it be but gradual, may be restored. May Almighty G.o.d preserve thee in health many years.

(_b_) _Synodal Epistle addressed to Sylvester, Bishop of Rome_, Bruns, II, 107. _Cf._ Kirch, nn. 330-337.