ABSTRACT
This chapter attends to the ecclesiological developments in the patristic times because most of that theology was written on African soil. It emphasizes on the contributions of the patristic fathers, for example, Clement of Alexandria, Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullian, Origen, Bishop Agrippinus, Cyprian, Pope Victor, Pope Miltiades, Pope Gelasius, Agrippinus, Cecilian, Augustine, Athanasius, Aurelius, etc., on the ecclesiology of the Christian Church with regard to its polity, its discipline, its governance, and the status of baptism administered by heretics. The chapter highlights the role of the Synod of Carthage in the discourse on the Trinity, re-baptism, the discipline of the church, Donatism, and Pelagianism. It concentrates on the church in North Africa. According to Schaff the inhabitants of the provinces of Northern Africa were of Semitic origin, with a language similar to Hebrew, but became Latinized in customs, laws, and language under the Roman rule.
