Liberatus de Carthage ou l’historiographie comme service diaconal

Abstract

A participant in the Three Chapters controversy, the deacon Liberatus wants to revive resistance against the unacceptable movement of counciliar revisionism. In view of such an aim, his tale may seem to be confusing on the following points: geographical displacement, to the extent that Alexandria becomes the main place of his story; chronological distance, in order to stop his statement just before the explosion of the actual controversy. But this narratological approach allows him to take advantage of Tertullian’s praescriptio haereticorum principle. Indeed, from Liberatus’ point of view, all that he writes about Nestorianism and Eutychianism is enough to demonstrate to the faithful that his opponents have no legitimacy in appealing to holy scriptures and tradition.