Sermones Relating to the Donatist Controversy

Abstract

The study of Augustine's doctrine of grace is limited to his polemical systematic-dogmatic writings written in response to the Pelagian controversy. Augustine's involvement in the Donatist controversy (393-412) precedes the Pelagian controversy (412-430). Research into the anti-Donatist sermones makes it possible to determine the extent to which Augustine had already developed a doctrine of grace in his polemical sermones, prior to the emergence of the Pelagian controversy. This chapter presents an overview of the theme of sin in Augustine's anti-Donatist sermones. The theme of sin is linked in several ways with Augustine's general anti-Donatist ecclesiology. The chapter summarizes concisely the presence of the second main element in Augustine's anti-Donatist argumentation, sacramentology, because this theme - as it become clear - is intrinsically linked with Augustine's treatment of grace in this period. It focuses on the presence of the word gratia in the anti-Donatist sermones.Keywords: anti-Donatist; Augustine; Donatist controversy; grace; gratia; Pelagian controversy; sacramentology; sermones