Optatus

Optatus of Mileve (Latin Optatus Milevitanus; † before 400) was Bishop of Mileve in Numidia, in Algeria today Mila.

He wrote a work in seven books whose title is lost, against the attacks of the Donatist bishop Parmenianus, therefore it is today under the title De ski mate Donatistarum out adversus Parmeniarum. After running in Book 1 of the work plan should include six books, the seventh book seems to be an appendix. In it, he defines, among other things is that, contrary to the opinion of the Donatist baptism of schismatics and traditores was valid, and rejects the re-baptism from: Crucial to the validity of a sacrament is the correct order of the priest, not his personal worthiness. His goal, a reconciliation of the Donatists with the " Catholic " Church to effect, he did not reach.

His work influenced the sacramental doctrine of Augustine. Important also his remarks on the relationship of church and state: Was Donatus still asked polemically what the Emperor had actually to do with the Church ("? Quid est imperatori cum ecclesia " ), noted Optatus, the Church is the Roman Empire subordinated in which they located - not vice versa ( "Non enim res publica est in ecclesia, sed est ecclesia in re publica, id est imperio Romano ", Opt 3, 3). Both positions should play an important role in the following centuries.

Optatus be attributed beside five sermons, of which probably only one is real, namely a Christmas sermon.

He is a saint of the Catholic Church with the Feast Day June 4.

Expenditure

  • Louis Ellies Dupin (ed.): Sancti Optati Afri Milevitani episcopie De ski mate donatistarum libri septem: ad manuscriptos codices et veteres Editiones collati et innumeris in locis emendati; quibus accessere historia Donatistarum una cum Monumentis veteribus ad eam spectandibus. 3rd edition Pralard, Paris 1702 online
  • Oliver Rodie Vassall -Phillips: The work of St. Optatus, bishop of Milevis, against the Donatists. Longmans, Green, London 1917 online
  • Optatus of Mileve: Contra Parmenianum Donatistam - Against the Donatists Parmenianus. Latin and German. Introduced and translated by Hermann -Josef Seven. Fontes Christiani Vol 56 Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau, 2013, ISBN 978-3-451-30958-8
Jacques Callot Mila, Algeria Donatism Integrated Authority File
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