Jesus, Prophet of Islam - The Islamic Bulletin

Early Unitarians in Christianity 89

gion. They were not, however, narrow-minded sectarians. Augus­

tine himself observes that the Donatists did not oppress the Catho­

lies even when they outnumbered them.

The Catholics, who were always ready to claim toleration for

themselves, were not prepared to grant it to the Donatists when

once more the imperial forces were sent to subdue these fearless

people. However, despite this continued persecution, the Donatists

refused to allow the Emperor to alter the way they worshipped

God. In their opinion, 'the Catholics were evil priests working with

the kings of the world. Relying on royal favours, they had re­

nounced Christ.' 12

After the death of Donatus, the people of North Africa contin­

ued to follow his example, and for three hundred years his teach­

ing of what Jesus had brought was followed by them. When Islam

came to them, they embraced it, so well-prepared were they for

what was, after all, an extension and reaffirmation of the guidance

they had been following.

o o e e o

Therewasanothermovementsimilar to that ofDonatuswhich took
place simultaneously, yet quite independently of it, in the south of
Egypt. Constantine was just about to make another attempt at un­
ravelling the tangled skein of NorthAfrican Christianity in 324AD,
when his attention was drawn to Egypt, a country which was seeth­
ing with discontent and revolt.
When the persecution of the Christians by Diocletian had been
at its height, many of them had compromised their beliefs in order
ta avoid it. A priest called Meletius was now saying that those
priests who had publicly renounced Christianity during the perse­
cution of Diocletian should be prevented from re-assuming their
clerical functions. He felt that they should also be stopped from
attending all the assemblies of pure worship unless they demon­
strated sufficient proof of their penitence. Peter, who was patri­
arch of Alexandria at that lime, advised a more lenient course. The
majority of the people, however, supported Meletius. When Alex­
ander came on the episcopal throne, he banished Meletius to the
mines. When Meletius returned, however, many followers gath­
ered around him once more. He ordained bishops, priests and dea­
cons and was responsible for building many churches. They re­
fused to submit to their persecutors. Like the Donatists, Meletius
called bis Church the 'Church of Martyrs' - as opposed to the fol­