North Africa

Slaves in early Christian communities basing on the North African hagiography

Alekaey Vital’evich Kargaltsev PhD in History, senior lecturer, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia (naberezhnaya reki Moiki, 48/20a, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 191186)
akargaltsev@herzen.spb.ru

Kargaltsev A. V. Slaves in early Christian communities basing on the North African hagiography, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2022, vol. 11, pp. 150–159.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2022-11-150-159

Language: Russian

The article is devoted to the analysis of the phenomenon of slavery in the writings of early Christian authors. The main attention is paid to hagiographic monuments, where the well-known maxim of the Apostle Paul that «there is neither slave nor free» (Gal. 3:28) is analyzed. It is seen not only in the traditional background of opposing the biblical ideal of social equality and the harsh truth of the life of ancient society, where slavery was the basis of economic life, but also in the light of the position of believers on the eve of suffering for the faith. This ideal seemed to find a comprehensive embodiment. It is noted that it was in the Church of North Africa, as Tertullian testifies, that the problem of slavery was no longer perceived as exclusively social and was leveled by the Christian faith. Slavery was condemned as such, since Christians themselves were servants of God, and in the pagan world it was no worse than all other social vices. The «Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity» mentions the slaves of Felicity and Revocat, but the content of the monument only emphasizes that their fate is one with their masters. In other hagiographic monuments of Roman Africa of the 3rd c. the social status of Christian heroes is completely ignored, which only emphasizes that only on the eve of martyrdom, being in prison, filled with sincere and deep faith, they could achieve the social ideal of the the Apostle Paul. Thus, the problem of the duality of social life, which obviously burdened the believers, is removed, which, among other things, explains both the popularity of martyrdom and Tertullian’s opinion that the real Church is the Church of martyrs.

Key words: earlier Christianity, hagiography, slavery, Roman Empire, North Africa

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/en/en-kargaltsev-2022/

Аpologia of marginal religiosity in the discourse of modern Russian atheism

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Aleksej Vyacheslavovich Kamaldinov Postgraduate student, Department of History of Religion and Theology, The Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia (naberezhnaya reki Moiki, 48/20a, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 191186)
aleksej.kamaldinov.93@mail.ru

Kamaldinov A. V. Аpologia of marginal religiosity in the discourse of modern Russian atheism, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2022, vol. 11, pp. 32–45.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2022-11-32-45

Language: Russian

Modern domestic atheism, following more successful atheist movements abroad, is active on the Internet establishing its own agenda and broadcasting its worldview. Following, apparently, the installation that it is more important to speak louder than to think about the essence of what was said, domestic Internet atheists distribute content filled with internal contradictions and ideas that are far beyond the strict scientific rational discourse, in which atheism has long been famous for its involvement. In particular, some of the statements of such atheists intersect with the worldviews of Satanists, neo-pagans, representatives of Orientalist religions and new religious movements, occultists and various outcasts. In this article, the author analyzes the activities of such communities that declare themselves as atheistic and free-thinking communities in the social network VKontakte, such as Atheist, Iter Ad Ortus, Ateo. The author doesn’t question the fact that atheism can be an integral and interesting worldview, however, this study partly demonstrates that in the widespread mainstream, modern domestic atheism is an extremely inconsistent and irrational phenomenon. Atheism in this vein is revealed as an aggressive, tribalistic doctrine that has little in common with scientific.

Key words: Donatists, Late Antiquity, Roman Empire, North Africa

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/en/en-kamaldinov-2022/

Internal conflicts of Donatists’ and their suppression: political and ecclesiastical factor

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Andrei Leonidovich Mamontov PhD in History, teacher of History, SBEI gymnasium No. 49 of Primorsky District of St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg, Bogatirsky pr., 55/3, 197372)
andrey-2006@mail.ru

Mamontov A. L. Internal conflicts of Donatists’ and their suppression: political and ecclesiastical factor, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2022, vol. 11, pp. 160–173.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2022-11-160-173

Language: Russian

The paper deals with the issue of involvement of Roman authorities in the Donatist’s internal struggle between mostly accepted leaders and their opponents. Some of those established their own communities (Rogatists, Claudianists), others sought to depose their rivals and gain control over the ecclesiastical life of North Africa, and at least one, Tychonius, the outstanding African theologian, did not found any community. As demonstrated in the paper, the secular power was used in two conflicts of four. Moreover, once it implemented a conciliar decision against Maximianists. Thus the Donatist leaders employed the same scheme which in the age of Constantine was invented and put into practice to force Donatus of Carthage and his supporters into the unity with the Catholic Church.

Key words: Donatists, Late Antiquity, Roman Empire, North Africa

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/en/en-mamontov-2023/

Donatists and African revolts of the 2nd half of the 6th century

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Andrei Leonidovich Mamontov PhD-student, teacher of History, gymnasium No 49 of Primorsky district of St. Petersburg (Bogatirsky avenue, 55/3, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 197372)
andrey-2006@mail.ru

Mamontov A. L. Donatists and African revolts of the 2nd half of the 6th century, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2022, vol. 10, pp. 222–237.

doi: 10.24412/2308-0698-2022-10-222-237

Language: Russian

Was the Early Christian church involved in political rivalries of the Later Roman Empire? The answer is positive, and this involvement of Christians is an interesting aspect of the vast issue of Church-State relations. Two early examples are provided by the history of the Donatist schism in North Africa. According to our sources, Donatists supported (and were supported by) two regional rebels of the last third of the 6th century: Firmus and Gildo. Under the later their influence was especially great: his administration turned a blind eye on their violent actions, headed by bishop Optatus of Thamugadi and aimed at their opponents. Those cases are usually treated among the researchers as a mark of a specific tendence, which is formation of a natural rebel alliance of mutinous generals and schismatic priests. The following paper provides another interpretation of that natural alliance, understood as a coalition of provincial elites with the dominant religious institution of the region.

Key words: Donatists, Firmus, Gildo, Optate, Augustine, Late Antiquity, Roman Empire, North Africa

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/en/mamontov-2022-en/

Martydom of St. Marian and James: Introductory article, Russian translation and commentary

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Alexey Vital’evich Kargaltsev, senior lecturer, TheologicalInstitute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (der. Kolbino, d. 25a, Leningrad region, Vsevolozhsk district, Russia, 188680)
kargaltsev@gmail.com

Kargaltsev A. V. Martydom of St. Marian and James: Introductory article, Russian translation and commentary, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2013, vol. 2, pp. 208–239.

DOI: 10.24411/2308-0698-2013-00004

Language: Russian

The publication presents a translation of the early Christian hagiographic monument «The Martyrdom of Marian and Jacob» (Passio Sanctorum Mariani et Iacobi) (BHL 131–132) with comments and an introductory article, which dealt with the main issues of authenticity, dating and specifics of the text. The translation is based on the latest edition: The Martyrdom of Marian and James // The Acts of the Christian Martyrs / Ed. by H. Musurillo. Vol. 2. Oxford, 1972. p. 194–213. The focus of the introductory article lays on the problem of the Christian perception of prophetic visions. The work of the Roman authorities during the persecutions of Valerian is analyzed. The “Martyrdom” tells of the events in Numidia in the spring of 259, the history of the arrest, the suffering and the glory of the main characters – Marian and Jacob, and contains a lot of details, revealing the behavior of the Roman authorities and Christians during the persecution. This text is the only source that tells about the death of famous bishops: Agapius and Secundin. Finally, the text in a new way reveals the specifics of dreams and visions, which are one of the most important features of African hagiography. The text, written in exquisite rhetorized language, opens with traditional for African hagiography arguments about the high position of a martyr and about those heavenly rewards that are assumed to be accepted as suffering for Christ.

Key words: North Africa, Numidia, martyrdom, early Church, Valerian, persecution

Permanent link: http://rcs-almanac.ru/kargaltsev-2013-en/

Montanism in Roman North Africe: Concerning the problem of martyrdom reflection

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Alexey Vital’evich Kargaltsev, senior lecturer, Theological Institute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (der. Kolbino, 25a, Leningrad region, Vsevolozhsk district, Russia, 188680)
kargaltsev@gmail.com

Kargaltsev A. V. Montanism in Roman North Africe: Concerning the problem of martyrdom reflection, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2012, vol. 1, pp. 116–132.

DOI: 10.24411/2308-0698-2012-00011

Language: Russian

The article is devoted to the study of heresy of Montanism on the material of the Roman North Africa. The author comes to the conclusion that it is impossible to talk about the New Prophecy as a single phenomenon. A specific feature of Montanism in Africa was the addition of the veneration of martyrdom, traditional for the Phrygians ascetic. It is in this context that the «Phrygian heresy» can be viewed as the basis of disciplinary heresies and schisms in Africa. The article attempts to clarify to what extent the specific regional features that distinguish it from the «Phrygian heresy» manifested themselves in African Montanism. The question of the connection of the New Prophecy with Christian rigorism, especially with its radical form – voluntary martyrdom, is explained. It is possible to speak about the broadcasting of the Montanist sermon, which is different for Africa from the Phrygian form, it was less ecstatic, and as a result was less condemned. Retaining their main features: the election of “people of the spirit”, strict monogamy, worship of the Spirit Comforter, a surge of eschatological expectations, the Montanists hardly stood out against the background of the orthodox Christians. The reason for this was the fact that the church in Carthage was still being formed. In Africa, the strict asceticism of the Phrygians underwent a kind of transformation, and was supplemented with a special veneration of martyrdom. It is the context in which appropriate to speak of Montanism as the basis of subsequent disciplinary heresies and schisms.

Key words: Phrygian heresy, martyrdom, North Africa, early church, schism, Carthage, Montanism

Permanent link: http://rcs-almanac.ru/kargaltsev-a-v-2012-en/

The Donatist hagiography and the Roman state

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Andrei Leonidovich Mamontov PhD-student, the Institute of History, Saint-Petersburg State University (Mendeleevskaya linia, 5, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 199034) , almamontov1992@mail.ru

Mamontov A. L. The Donatist Hagiography and the Roman State, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2017, vol. 6, pp. 126–149.

doi: 10.24411/2308-0698-2017-00007

Language: Russian

With the Donatist hagiography being not well studied yet, especially in the Russian scholarship, the article attempts to fill the gap. Seven martyr stories are considered in the research, and some of them prove to be spuriously attributed to the dissident church (especially, The Passion of Cyprian). Other texts, undoubtedly Donatist, were written not by eye-witnesses (except, possibly, The Passion of Marculus), but after the actual martyrdom. These texts are notable for their fervent polemics against the Catholic Church («traitors») and the cruel assistant, the Roman state.
The author is particularly interested in the polemics against the Roman Empire. After the Constantinian revolution the pagan state turned into a Christian one, therefore we might expect from believers, even from Donatists, a certain «bonhomie» towards it. Still the Donatist church preferred the rhetoric of exclusion and filled their martyr stories with it. Military and civil servants were accused of cruelty, greediness, adultery, helping the false (Catholic) church, hating the true (Donatist) church, lawlessness and being employed by the devil.
Though some scholars suppose, that Donatists produced special political theology, criticizing secular interventions in religious affairs, the author concludes that dissidents themselves did not act fitting to such a theory. They used every chance to gain the help of the Empire. The polemics against it could have a more practical goal: to save the people from leaving the schism under pressure of the anti-donatist legislation.

Key words: Donatism, hagiography, martyrs, North-African Christianity

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/mamontov-2017-en/

The martyrdom of Montanus and Lucius: Introductory article, Russian translation and commentary

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Kargaltsev Alexey Vital’evich, TheologicalInstitute of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (Saint-Petersburg, Russia), kargaltsev@gmail.com

Kargaltsev A. V. The martyrdom of Montanus and Lucius: Introductory article, Russian translation and commentary, Religiya. Tserkov’. Obshchestvo. Issledovaniya i publikatsii po teologii i religii [Religion. Church. Society: Research and publications in the field of theology and religious studies], Saint-Petersburg, 2014, vol. 3, pp. 334–336.

doi: 10.24411/2308-0698-2014-00016

Language: Russian

The article gives a brief description and an annotated translation of the “Martyrdom of St. Montanus and Lucius” (Passio Sanctorum Montani et Lucii, BHL 6009). This interesting source of Roman North Africa created in time of Valerian persecution contains valuable information about the organization of the Christian community of Carthage, as well as its attitude towards martyrdom. It mentions several background characters, that also adds to its value. The text of the monument consists of two parts. The first (1–11) is a report of Christian presence of Christians in prison, apparently recorded by Flavian, while the second (12–23), composed by an anonymous author, tells of the death of Montanus, Lucius and their companions, as well as about the misadventures of the Flavian on the way to suffering. In spite of authenticity of the text being commonly recognized, the problem of the influence on it of other African hagiographical monuments is of big importance, because it contents a number of similar subject courses (visions of characters) and unique features (a huge youth in a gorgeous robe, stairs on the way to paradise, bowl with milk and so on). Another feature of the martyrdom is extensive use of biblical quotations exactly corresponded with Vulgate by Jerome. This, in turn, raises the question of editorial changes and the appearance of the text in general.

Key words: Valerian, North Africa, hagiography, martyrdom, Flavian

URL: http://rcs-almanac.ru/kargaltsev-2014-en/