The Perversion of a Saint: Augustine of Hippo and the Crushing of Donatism

This study argues that Anglican Bishops of Ghana Support for Anti-LGBTQI+ government legislation repeats the mistakes  Augustine of Hippo (in North Africa) made during His long struggle against the fanatical Donatist sect. In anticipation of the Anglican Bishops of Ghana, he invoked state power to crush an unwanted minority. The result of this was to set a highly dangerous precedent that other persecuting bodies like the Spanish Inquisition would follow. The fate of Augustine (and the North African Catholic Church he fought so hard to defend) should act as a warning to both to these Bishops and to all would-be church-based persecutors everywhere. A particular focus will be on how a Saintly man of God became an embittered persecutor with blood on his hands. His case demonstrated that having a great intellect doesn't save one from making great mistakes. It is assumed that when a Church resorts to persecution it has betrayed its mission.

Readers may benefit from reading the first part of this series, 'The Ayatollahs of Anglicanism.'