Donatist

[don-uh-tist, doh-nuh-]

noun

1. a member of a Christian sect that developed in northern Africa in a.d. 311 and maintained that it alone constituted the whole and only true church and that baptisms and ordinations of the orthodox clergy were invalid.

Donatist

/ ˈdəʊnətɪst /

noun

1. a member of a schismatic heretical Christian sect originating in N Africa in 311 _ad , that maintained that it alone constituted the true church

Other Word Forms

• Donatism noun
• Donatistic adjective
• Donatistical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Donatist¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin Dōnātista; Donatus, -ist

Word History and Origins

Origin of Donatist¹

C15: from Late Latin Dōnātista a follower of Dōnātus , bishop of Carthage

Example Sentences

After all, Augustine pointed out, it’s impossible to know the state of a person’s soul, so under the Donatist framework, it’s difficult to know which priests are really capable of offering valid sacraments.

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One feature common to them all was a revival of the Donatist tenet that the sacraments are polluted in polluted hands, so that a priest living in mortal sin is incapable of administering them.

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Within churches once Catholic, Donatist bishops at that time held high festival, in the midst of solemn pomp, with mystic rite and sacred song.

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Honorius was equally severe on heretics, such as the Donatists and Manichaeans.

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"Compel them to come in," as St Augustine quoted, fatefully, with reference to the schismatic Donatists.

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