Women and the Church of Roman North Africa
Christianity, and Roman influence, did not disappear immediately from North Africa. Archaeological evidence and Islamic sources indicate that the Latin language was spoken in some areas and the Christian religion still practiced until the persecutions of the twelfth century. There remain some bastardized, but recognizable, Latin words among the languages of some Berber communities. Those last Christians in North Africa, who survived for centuries after the Islamic conquest, still corresponded with Rome, still bitterly contested points of Catholic doctrine, still remained devout in their heterodox faith and steadfast in their schism until the bitter end. As Raven concludes, “Rome’s ghost still walked.”
Women played a unique role in the various strains of Christianity that arose in North Africa, and participated, just as men did, in doctrinal debates, social controversies, and military conflicts. Some of the first female monastic communities had become incredibly popular, giving women the opportunity to lead, to learn theological dogma, and to gain influence among men, revered as they were by even St. Augustine, the most influential North African of the Roman era. In addition, women were revered as martyrs, and it is a testament to their virtue and devotion that so many chose death over apostasy. St. Blandina in the second century and Sts. Perpetua and Felicity in the third, left powerful legacies that are remembered, and respected, today. Women were able to use their roles as sanctified virgins and widows to spread Christianity and build up the power of the Church.
Some women found heterodoxy to be an alternative avenue for protest. Women could and did join heretical movements as founders, leaders, and followers. Gnosticism allowed women to become clergy, prophetesses, and spirit mediums. Montanism allowed women to perform the sacraments. Donatism led the most devout women to engage in physical protest-even terrorism-against the orthodox Catholic Church. Arianism offered a genderless construction of the divine and de-emphasized the importance of gender. Powerful women also played important roles in shaping these heterodox beliefs by influencing the faith of Emperors and countless other lesser officials. In the end, it was because of the fragmentation of the North African church that made it such an easy target for the Islamic invaders, and no strong single denomination was able to lead resistance, as the Coptic Church had done in Egypt.
But women still resisted, and even led the resistance by garnering support among the various Christian sects-Donatists, Catholics, Arians, Coptic refugees from the East-and coupled them with Berber and Punic dissent, against the Islamic invaders, allowing the Byzantine Imperial armies one last chance to defend Carthage. But they could not, and North Africa was separated from Europe for the next 1400 years (until 1880), and by then a new civilization had taken the place of Rome. Women were agents of historical change, both instigators and victims of the historical process, and the early Christian Church owes women a profound debt for its survival. Although, in the end, Christianity did not win in North Africa, the actions of early Christian woman provide powerful role models for the millions of faithful who followed them.
Women played a unique role in the various strains of Christianity that arose in North Africa, and participated, just as men did, in doctrinal debates, social controversies, and military conflicts. Some of the first female monastic communities had become incredibly popular, giving women the opportunity to lead, to learn theological dogma, and to gain influence among men, revered as they were by even St. Augustine, the most influential North African of the Roman era. In addition, women were revered as martyrs, and it is a testament to their virtue and devotion that so many chose death over apostasy. St. Blandina in the second century and Sts. Perpetua and Felicity in the third, left powerful legacies that are remembered, and respected, today. Women were able to use their roles as sanctified virgins and widows to spread Christianity and build up the power of the Church.
Some women found heterodoxy to be an alternative avenue for protest. Women could and did join heretical movements as founders, leaders, and followers. Gnosticism allowed women to become clergy, prophetesses, and spirit mediums. Montanism allowed women to perform the sacraments. Donatism led the most devout women to engage in physical protest-even terrorism-against the orthodox Catholic Church. Arianism offered a genderless construction of the divine and de-emphasized the importance of gender. Powerful women also played important roles in shaping these heterodox beliefs by influencing the faith of Emperors and countless other lesser officials. In the end, it was because of the fragmentation of the North African church that made it such an easy target for the Islamic invaders, and no strong single denomination was able to lead resistance, as the Coptic Church had done in Egypt.
But women still resisted, and even led the resistance by garnering support among the various Christian sects-Donatists, Catholics, Arians, Coptic refugees from the East-and coupled them with Berber and Punic dissent, against the Islamic invaders, allowing the Byzantine Imperial armies one last chance to defend Carthage. But they could not, and North Africa was separated from Europe for the next 1400 years (until 1880), and by then a new civilization had taken the place of Rome. Women were agents of historical change, both instigators and victims of the historical process, and the early Christian Church owes women a profound debt for its survival. Although, in the end, Christianity did not win in North Africa, the actions of early Christian woman provide powerful role models for the millions of faithful who followed them.