Page "North Africa during Antiquity" Paragraph 18

The occasionally violent controversy has been characterized as a struggle between opponents and supporters of the Roman system.

The most articulate North African critic of the Donatist position, which came to be called a heresy, was Augustine, bishop of Hippo Regius.

Augustine maintained that the unworthiness of a minister did not affect the validity of the sacraments because their true minister was Christ.

In his sermons and books Augustine, who is considered a leading exponent of Christian dogma, evolved a theory of the right of orthodox Christian rulers to use force against schismatics and heretics.

Although the dispute was resolved by a decision of an imperial commission in Carthage in 411, Donatist communities continued to exist as late as the 6th century.