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Parmenianus, a Bishop of Carthage

Wace's Dictionary of Early Christian Biography

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Parmenianus , successor to Donatus the Great, who followed Majorinus as Donatist bp. of Carthage. Optatus calls him "peregrines," i.e. probably not a native of Africa. Having adopted Donatist opinions, he succeeded Donatus c. 350, was banished a.d. 358, and returned under the decree of Julian a.d. 362 (Aug. Retract. ii. 17; Eus. Chron. ap. Hieron. Opp. vol. iii. p. 687). About this time, if not earlier, he published a work, not now extant, in five parts, in defence of Donatism, to which the treatise of Optatus is a reply. About 372 Tichonius, a Donatist, well versed in Scripture, becoming sensible of the narrow and exclusive views of the sect, wrote a book to condemn them, but without abandoning his party. Parmenian replied, condemning the doctrine of Tichonius as tending to connect the true church, that of the Donatists, with the corrupt one, the Catholic, especially its African branch. A council of 270 Donatist bishops was convened at Carthage, which sat for 75 days and at last resolved that "traditors," even if they refused rebaptism, should be admitted to communion (Aug. Ep. 93, 43).

The time of this council is not known. Parmenian died and was succeeded by Primian c. 392; but his book against Tichonius fell into the hands of St. Augustine, who, at the request of his friends, discussed it in a treatise in three books, c. 402–405 (Tillem. xiii. 128 and note 32). For a full account of the treatise, with a list of Scripture quotations, see Ribbek, Donatus und Augustinus , pp. 348–366. (See also Aug. Retract. ii. 17.)

[H.W.P.]