VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT Ecclesia sine macula et ruga Donatist Factors among the Ecclesiological Challenges for the Reformed Church of Hungary especially after 1989/90 ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad Doctor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, op gezag van de rector magnificus prof.dr. L.M. Bouter, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van de promotiecommissie van de faculteit der Godgeleerdheid op donderdag 18 december 2008 om 10.45 uur in de aula van de universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105 door Arzén Szilveszter Füsti-Molnár geboren te Szikszó, Hongarije promotoren: prof.dr. A. van de Beek prof.dr. F. Szűcs copromotor: dr. E.A.J.G. van der Borght Dedicated to my wife, Pálma and our children Emma, Olivér and Lujza. … sicut et Christus dilexit ecclesiam Eph. 5: 25 Ecclesia sine macula et ruga Donatist Factors among the Ecclesiological Challenges for the Reformed Church of Hungary especially after 1989/90 Academic Thesis for obtaining the degree of Doctor Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 2008 © Szilveszter Füsti-Molnár © Sárospatak Reformed Theological Academy Published by: Sárospatak Reformed Theological Academy Sárospatak, Hungary Dr. Ferenc Kádár, rector Printed: Kapitális Printing House Debrecen, Hungary Director: József Kapusi ISBN 978-963-88090-0-1 Cover illustration: István Csók: Lord’s Supper (Úrvacsora), 1890, oil, canvas © Magyar Nemzeti Galéria, Budapest CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................................10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................11 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................13 1.1 A MYSTERIOUS SYNERGY - 1+1=1 AND 2-1=0..............................................14 1.2 HOPE AND REALITY...........................................................................................15 1.3 UBI ECCLESIA?...................................................................................................17 1.4 HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS...............................................18 THE DONATIST DISSENT AS A SIGN-POST IN THEOLOGY..................21 2.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................21 2.2 THE UNIQUENESS OF AFRICAN CHRISTIANITY IN THE EARLY CHURCH .....................................................................................................................................22 2.3 SHORT INTRODUCTION TO THE ANTECEDENTS OF THE DONATIST MOVEMENT ...............................................................................................................25 2.3.1 The Characteristic Elements of the Apostolic and Early Church ........26 2.3.2 Tertullian and the ‘New Prophecies’........................................................28 2.3.3 The “Cathari”...............................................................................................34 2.3.4 Highlights on Cyprian’s Ecclesiology .....................................................43 2.4 THE DONATIST MOVEMENT ...........................................................................48 2.4.1 Geographical Settings of the Donatists...................................................48 2.4.2 The Sociological and Cultural Background of North Africa in the Time of the Donatist Movement ........................................................................50 2.4.3 A Brief Historical overview of the Donatist movement and their dissent....................................................................................................................55 2.4.3.1 The Cause of the Schism.................................................................................. 55 2.4.3.2 Caecillian and Majorinus ............................................................................... 56 2.4.3.3 The Condemnation of the Donatists by Pope Melchiades.......................... 57 2.4.3.4 The Council of Arles......................................................................................... 58 2.4.3.5 After the Death of Constantine (“Persecution by Macarius”) ................... 59 2.4.3.6 The Restoration of the Donatists by Julian ................................................. 61 2.4.3.7. The Age of Parmenian.................................................................................... 61 2.4.3.8 Optatus of Milevis ........................................................................................... 62 2.4.3.9 The Maximianists ............................................................................................ 63 2.4.3.10 Augustine and the Donatists........................................................................ 64 2.4.3.11 The Conference of Carthage in 411 .............................................................. 67 2.4.3.12 The Donatists after the Conference of Carthage ....................................... 71 2.5 ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF THE ECCLESIOLOGY OF THE DONATIST DISSENT .....................................................................................................................72 2.5.1 Role of Persecution and Martyrdom in Donatism ................................72 2.5.2 The Ecclesiology of the Donatist Movement ..........................................75 2.5.2.1 Donatist’s Self-identity as Shaped by the Image of Israel ......................... 75 2.5.2.2 Donatists’ View on Perfection........................................................................ 78 2.5.2.3 The Doctrine of the Administration of the Sacraments ............................. 80 2.5.2.4 Theologies of Penance..................................................................................... 83 5 2.5.2.5 Changing Perspectives in the Donatist Ecclesiology.................................. 84 2.5.2.6 Augustine and the Donatists.......................................................................... 86 2.6 CHURCH UNITY & DIVISION - CONCLUSION IN LIGHT OF THE NEW APPROACH TO DEFINE THE DONATIST FACTOR AND ITS ELEMENTS..............89 2.6.1 The Opposition to External Enemies .......................................................89 2.6.1.1 Tertullian ........................................................................................................... 90 2.6.1.2 Cyprian.............................................................................................................. 90 2.6.1.3 Donatism........................................................................................................... 91 2.6.1.4 Augustine .......................................................................................................... 91 2.6.2 The local Churches’ Internal Differentiations........................................92 2.6.2.1 Tertullian........................................................................................................... 92 2.6.2.2 Cyprian ............................................................................................................. 92 2.6.2.3 Donatism........................................................................................................... 93 2.6.2.4 Augustine.......................................................................................................... 93 2.6.3 Attempts for Universal Communion of the Local Churches ................94 2.6.3.1 Tertullian........................................................................................................... 94 2.6.3.2 Cyprian ............................................................................................................. 95 2.6.3.3 Donatism........................................................................................................... 95 2.6.3.4 Augustine.......................................................................................................... 95 2.6.4 Concluding Remarks .................................................................................96 2.7 THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS IN THE DONATIST FACTOR ........................100 2.7.1 The Role of the Image of Israel as Collecta in the Donatist Factor...101 2.7.2 The Role of the Construction of Time in the Donatist Factor ............101 2.7.3 The Role of Separation in the Donatist Factor ....................................101 2.7.4 The Role of the Office of Bishop in the Donatist Factor......................102 2.7.5 The Role of the Necessity of Suffering in the Donatist Factor ...........102 2.7.6 Revitalization of the Christian Message ...............................................103 2.7.7 The Understanding of the Church, State and Society as a Structural Part of the Donatist Factor...............................................................................103 2.7.8 The Donatist Factor is Reform Orientated...........................................104 HISTORICAL LINES OF THE REFORMED CHURCH OF HUNGARY FROM THE REFORMATION TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY .........107 3.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................107 3.2 THE SPREAD OF REFORMATION IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY............107 3.3 THE COUNTER-REFORMATION OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY .......110 3.4 THE STRUGGLE OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY AND THE EDICT OF TOLERANCE .............................................................................................................113 3.5 THE EMERGENCE OF THE NATIONAL CHURCH IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY..................................................................................................................116