Fulgentius of Ruspe

Fulgentius of Ruspe (Latin Fulgentius Ruspensis; * to 462 or 467 in Telepte, North Africa, † January 1 533 in Ruspe, North Africa ) was Bishop of Ruspe and influential church writers of the generation after Augustine of Hippo.

Fulgentius was initially high official ( procurator ) of Telepte until it is Inspired by the writings of Augustine, decided to live as a monk. Against his will, he was elected to 507 Bishop of Ruspe in North Africa and shortly afterwards banished by the Vandal king Thrasamund to Sardinia. There he founded a monastery in Calaris and developed a lively theological and literary activity. 515 he met at a debate initiated by Thrasamund defense in Carthage the Arians, 1523 he was able to return Ruspe under Hilderic.

In his writings, he sat down especially for the doctrine of grace and predestination of Augustine and for a loving Offenmütigkeit also dissenters against one, but fought against decided to spread in southern Gaul Semipelagianism and the Arianism of the Vandals. Due to the time constraints of its works they are, with the exception of De fide ad Petrum that has long been attributed to Augustine, was later hardly been received or used dogmatically. His pupil, the Carthaginian deacon Fulgentius Ferrandus, wrote a biography of Fulgentius.

Fulgentius is venerated in the Catholic Church as a saint, his feast day is January 1.

Expenditure

• Migne Patrologia Latina, Vol 65