Our knowledge of the earliest monastic communities in North Africa comes primarily and almost exclusively from the writings of St. Augustine or from other works written by authors closely related to him. These literary sources represent specific categories with a strongly persuasive function and as such they belong to the prescriptive, apologetic or hagiographical writings. While studying any aspect of early monasticism in North Africa it is necessary to pay attention to the literary and rhetorical traits of the texts. The prescriptive works (Rule of St. Augustine, De opere monachorum) pointed to the ideal which could be perceived as a task to be completed by the monks themselves as well as by their superiors; the apologetic sources (Sermones 355-356) were to show that this ideal, seemingly imperfect as it was, functioned quite well; finally, the hagiographical sources (Vita Augustini) tried to convince the reader that the ideal had come true. The perfect and clearly established example of this ideal is found in the apostolic community in Jerusalem outlined in the Acts of the Apostles 4, 32-35.
According to the theory present in both the prescriptive and hagiographical writings concerned with the functioning of the earliest monastic communities in Africa, a prerequisite and a necessary condition imposed on any member of a monastic community was to dispose of all his private property and belongings. The authors promoting this rule primarily referred to two New Testament texts (Matth. 19:12; Acts 4:32–25). The apostolic community of Jerusalem described in the Acts became even the model for Augustine’s monasticism (Praeceptum, Vita Augustini, Sermo 356). Furthermore, Augustine, taking advantage of his rhetorical mastery, tried to prove the superiority of common over private property in his preaching (Enarratio in Ps. 131, 5–7). However, the disposing of private belongings was an ambiguous practice in the everyday life of the communities established by the bishop of Hippo and entailed a whole range of restrictions of legal or social nature. The ambiguity concerned even Augustine himself. The extant sources do not clearly and unambiguously specify what he actually did with his family estate. The rather apologetic Sermon 356 depicts a whole collection of clergymen residing with Augustine in the bishop’s abode who could be reasonably suspected of having failed to dispose of their property on joining the monastery. The main part of the paper focuses, therefore, on a case study of those monks’ situation. Its aim is to explain why and how the monastic theory related to property issues clearly clashed with the actual monastic practice in the earliest Augustinian communities.
The main subject of letters sent by pope Gregory the Great to Africa is the activity of the Donatists. The pope appeals severely to bishops and secular authorities to suppress schism. There is little evidence of the Donatists' survival after the conference of Carthage in the year 411. Therefore certain researchers (e.g. R.A. Markus) claim that Gregory wrongly estimated the situation, applying the old name to other phenomena, such as the autonomy of African episcopate. It was also possible that the Donatists had achieved some modus vivendi with the Catholics under the reign of Arian Vandals. Some 5th and 6th century sources indicate that the Donatists were considered as opponents by both Catholics and Arians. On the other hand, as it happens, there are sometimes no information about the Donatists where we would expect them. Hence, it may be difficult to estimate clearly the value of information provided by Gregory the Great, but it is definitely not true that nothing is known about the Donatists in the times between Augustine and Gregory.
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