The Ancient Witnesses

44 • The Ancient Witnesses: A Journey to Discover Our Sacred Roots

Being introduced to Irenaeus helped me to realize how little I knew about the ancient world. Rome and other cities of the empire were bustling centers of activity where philosophies and religions and cultures mixed freely. Men like Justin and Irenaeus were cosmopolitan citizens at home in a diverse and complex world. Tertullian of Carthage I was next introduced to a proud man from Carthage— an important center of ancient Christianity in northern Africa. Carthage had been a small colony which, after being conquered by the Romans, grew into a magnificent city of more than a quarter-million people. More than this, Carthage was a city of privilege in the empire. As the center of political power and influence in Roman North Africa, it had been granted special building projects and athletic games by Rome. The city also had more political and religious freedoms than other imperial cities. This meant that there were far fewer Roman soldiers stationed within the city, and a great diversity of cultures, including violent Berbers. The proud culture of Carthage had fostered a church that was fiercely independent in its outlook. After Tertullian’s day, a schismatic sect known as the Donatists 5 rose up and become a major thorn in the flesh of the North African Bishops, including Augustine of Hippo. In Rome the Church of Carthage was always seen as a problem, like the Corinthians were for the Apostle Paul. Tertullian converted to Christianity as an adult. He was a master apologist, able to answer any question and

5 Their leader, Bishop Donatus of Carthage, expelled from the church any Christians who avoided persecution by hiding or failing to confess their faith in Christ.