ABSTRACT
In many ways, the Donatist controversy is the part of African Christian history that is best documented and most commonly treated as uniquely African. Nevertheless, scholars have wide-ranging views as to how best to interpret this controversy and how to understand the relationship of Donatists to their African background. In what follows, we will discuss the events that took place in this controversy, as well as the various Donatists and Donatist sources known to us, and then reassess how we interpret Donatism in light of the African background and as part of the African Christian tradition.
