THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
certain conditions, where formerly they had been relegated to lay communion. Legations from the court often appeared, as at (9) a synod of Apr. 27, 399. when the right of asylum in churches was considered. From 401 on more attention is paid to the Donatist controversy, at first in a conciliatory spirit ; in that year two synods were held (10) on June 16 and (11) on Sept. 13, both of which occupied themselves also with the removal of the remains of paganism. (12) The general synod of Aug. 2.5, 403, laid down a formula to be accepted by the Donatists which only increased the bitterness, and the following synod (13) of June 16, 404, appealed to the emperor to repress the schismatics by legal measures. This was done, and the next synod (14), Aug. 23, 405, returned thanks to him. At the general synod (15) of June 13, 407, measures were adopted to facilitate the reception into the Church of entire schismatic communities; and, after the issue of an imperial decree which mitigated the former severity, both on (16) June 16 and (17) Oct. 13. 408, delegations were sent to impress the ecclesiastical view on the emperor. The only extant provision of (18) the provincial synod of June 1.5, 409, has no direct connection with the burning question; but after the issue of a decree of toleration, the next (19), on June 14, 410, sent another delegation to the emperor, and this time with success. (20) The synod of May 1, 418, is occupied again with the reception of Donatist communities and the duty of the conversion of heretics; while some of its provisions look forward to the next division.
III. Synods in Connection with the Pelagian Controversy. For these see Pelagius, Pelagianism.
IV. Concluding Synods: At the head of these comes the frequently cited synod of 419, attended by 217 bishops, which held two sessions, May 25 and 30 (designated in the Hispana as Carthaginiense VI. and TV/.). It codified and to some extent shortened the preceding legislation. Part of its work dealt with the claims of the Roman See, based improperly on the decrees of the First Council of Xicrea. It drew up also a reply to a letter of Pope Boniface, who had laid four points before it — the question of appeals, the journeys of the African bishops to the imperial court, the right of excommunicated clerics to apply for restoration to neighboring bishops, and the conduct of the bishop of Sicca in deposing a priest who had appealed to Rome. The council temporized on the first and third points, agreed to the restoration of the priest, though not in the same diocese. A still firmer tone was taken toward Rome by the synod which (after 422) wrote to Pope Celestine in connection with the priest above mentioned, which showed that the ancient independence and conciliar spirit of the African Church were still unbroken.
But with the invasion of the Vandals from the west, threatening Carthage in 439, the existence of the Church of North Africa drew to a close. In the face of such dangers as the persecutions of the Arian kings brought upon the Christians of those parts, minor differences disappeared. The conference on religion held in 484 did not give them much relief; but more was accomplished by the
synod of Feb. 5, 525, in the reign of Hilderic, attended by sixty bishops from different provinces. After the annexation of North Africa by the Byzantine government, Bishop Reparatus held a synod of 217 bishops in 535; it dealt with Rome about the reception of converted Arians into the service of the Church, regulated the relation of monasteries to the bishops, and sent a deputation to Justinian to ask the restoration of property and privileges. Thenceforth the history of the North-African Church is merged in the general development of the state religion, and has no more separate importance before its final extinction by the Arabs.
(Edgah Hennecke.)
Bibliography: For the canons of the synods consult: W. Beveridge, Synodikon, sive pandectce canonum, Oxford, 1672 (includes the canons of the African synods); G. D. Fuchs, Bibliothek der Kirchenversammlungen, iii. 1-476, Leipsic, 1783. On the general question consult: F. Maassen, Geschichte der Quellen und der Literatur des kanonischen Rechts, i. 149 sqq., Graz, 1870; J. Lloyd, The North African Church, London, 1870; O. Ritsnhl, Cyprian von Karthago, pp. 153 sqq., Gottingen, 1885; Hefele, Conciliengeschichte, vols, i., ii. passim, Eng. transl., vols, i., ii. passim; the brothers Ballerini in Appendix to the Opera of Leo L, vol. i., chapp. iii., xxi.-xxix., Venice, 1757. Detailed treatment may be found in Neander, Christian Church, vols, i., ii. passim, consult Index under " Councils and Synods." Short discussions are also in Schaff, Christian Church, iii. 793, 798; Moeller, Christian Church, i. 263, 267, 332, 447, 452-453, 457; DCA, i. 36-39; and literature under Donatism.