Donatism Explained | Catholic Teaching on Sacraments, Holiness & the Church

Can the sacraments be invalid if the priest is sinful? Dr. Christopher Mooney and Dr. Jim Prothro from the Augustine Institute explain the heresy of Donatism—a 4th-century controversy that still echoes in today’s Church.

👉 What you’ll learn in this episode:
o The history and origins of Donatism in North Africa
o Why Donatists rejected sacraments from “tainted” bishops and priests
o The two major errors of Donatism: sacraments depending on the minister’s holiness, and the Church’s holiness depending only on its members
o How St. Augustine defended the truth that Christ Himself works in the sacraments
o Why the Church is holy because of Christ—not because of the personal holiness of priests or bishops
o How Donatism relates to today’s questions about scandal and holiness in the Church

By studying Donatism, Catholics can better understand why the sacraments are always valid when celebrated properly, how Christ makes His Church holy, and why breaking away from the Church wounds the unity of the Body of Christ.

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