Fulgentius Ferrandus
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Fulgentius Ferrandus or Ferrand of Carthage (died 546/547) was a
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
of the
Roman province of Africa Africa Proconsularis was a Roman province on the northern African coast that was established in 146 BC following the defeat of Carthage in the Third Punic War. It roughly comprised the territory of present-day Tunisia, the northeast of Algeria, ...
, modern day
Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...
.


Biography

Little is known of his early life. At the end of his life, he was a
deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...
of the Church of Carthage, and a renowned
theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
, consulted in 546 by the Roman deacons
Pelagius Pelagius (; c. 354–418) was a British theologian known for promoting a system of doctrines (termed Pelagianism by his opponents) which emphasized human choice in salvation and denied original sin. Pelagius and his followers abhorred the moral s ...
and
Anatolius Anatolius is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Anatolius of Laodicea (died 283), Bishop of Laodicea in Syria, also known as Anatolius of Alexandria * Anatolius, Vicarius of the Diocese of Asia in 35 ...
on the affair of the
Three Chapters The Three-Chapter Controversy, a phase in the Chalcedonian controversy, was an attempt to reconcile the non-Chalcedonians of Syriac Orthodox Church, Syria and Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Egypt with Chalcedonian Christianity, following t ...
which had just broken out. Ferrand's reply was retained, but Facundus of Hermiane, writing in the winter of 546/47 recounts this consultation by referring to Ferrand as " ..laudabilis in Christo memoriæ Ferrando Carthaginiensi diacono scripserunt". He probably accompanied his master and patron,
Fulgentius of Ruspe Fabius Claudius Gordianus Fulgentius, also known as Fulgentius of Ruspe (462 or 467 – 1 January 527 or 533) was North African Christian prelate who served as Bishop of Ruspe, in modern-day Tunisia, during the 5th and 6th century. He has been ca ...
, to exile in
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...
, when the bishops of the African Church were banished from their sees by the
Arian Arianism ( grc-x-koine, Ἀρειανισμός, ) is a Christological doctrine first attributed to Arius (), a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt. Arian theology holds that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was begotten by God t ...
King of the
Vandals The Vandals were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal Kingdom, Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century. The ...
,
Thrasamund Thrasamund (450–523), King of the Vandals and Alans (496–523), was the fourth king of the North African Kingdom of the Vandals. He reigned longer than any other Vandal king in Africa other than his grandfather Genseric. Thrasamund was the ...
. After the death of Thrasamund and the accession of
Hilderic Hilderic (460s – 533) was the penultimate king of the Vandals and Alans in North Africa in Late Antiquity (523–530). Although dead by the time the Vandal Kingdom was overthrown in 534, he nevertheless played a key role in that event. Biog ...
, in 523, the exiles were permitted to return, and Fulgentius, although only a deacon, soon gained a position of great importance in the African Church. He was frequently consulted in regard to the complex theological problems of the time and was known as one of the most redoubtable champions of orthodoxy in Western Christendom. Through no desire of his own, he was forced to take an active part in the controversy brought about through the condemnation of the ''
Three Chapters The Three-Chapter Controversy, a phase in the Chalcedonian controversy, was an attempt to reconcile the non-Chalcedonians of Syriac Orthodox Church, Syria and Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Egypt with Chalcedonian Christianity, following t ...
'' by the Emperor
Justinian Justinian I (; la, Iustinianus, ; grc-gre, Ἰουστινιανός ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was the Byzantine emperor from 527 to 565. His reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovat ...
. At the request of
Pope Vigilius Pope Vigilius (died 7 June 555) was the bishop of Rome from 29 March 537 to his death. He is considered the first pope of the Byzantine papacy. Born into Roman aristocracy, Vigilius served as a deacon and papal ''apocrisiarius'' in Constantino ...
the Roman deacons Pelagius and Anatolius submitted the questions involved in the emperor's censure of the works of
Theodore of Mopsuestia Theodore of Mopsuestia (c. 350 – 428) was a Christian theologian, and Bishop of Mopsuestia (as Theodore II) from 392 to 428 AD. He is also known as Theodore of Antioch, from the place of his birth and presbyterate. He is the best known ...
,
Theodoret of Cyrus Theodoret of Cyrus or Cyrrhus ( grc-gre, Θεοδώρητος Κύρρου; AD 393 –  458/466) was an influential theologian of the School of Antioch, biblical commentator, and Christian bishop of Cyrrhus (423–457). He played a pi ...
and
Ibas of Edessa Ibas ( syc, ܗܝܒܐ ܐܘܪܗܝܐ, ''Ihiba'' or ''Hiba''; October 28, 457) was bishop of Edessa (–457) and was born in Syria. His name is the Syriac equivalent of "Donatus". He is frequently associated with the growth of Nestorianism, althou ...
, to their Carthaginian confrere, requesting him at the same time to lay the matter before the African bishops. Ferrandus at once declared himself in the most emphatic manner against yielding to the schemes of the emperor (Ep. vi, ad Pelagium et Anatolium diaconos). His decision met with the approval of Rusticus, Archbishop of Carthage, and was subsequently ratified by the council of African bishops over which Rusticus presided, and in which it was agreed to sever all relations with Pope Vigilius. Ferrandus died shortly after this event and before the
Second Council of Constantinople The Second Council of Constantinople is the fifth of the first seven ecumenical councils recognized by both the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. It is also recognized by the Old Catholics and others. Protestant opinions and rec ...
was convened in 553.


Writings

His works are mostly of a doctrinal character. He defended the
Trinitarian The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the Fa ...
doctrines against the
Arians Arianism ( grc-x-koine, Ἀρειανισμός, ) is a Christological doctrine first attributed to Arius (), a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt. Arian theology holds that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was begotten by God t ...
and dealt besides with the question of the two natures in Christ, with
baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
, and with the
Eucharist The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...
. He drew up a "Breviatio Canonum Ecclesiasticorum" in which he summarized in two hundred and thirty-two canons the teaching of the earliest
ecumenical councils An ecumenical council, also called general council, is a meeting of bishops and other church authorities to consider and rule on questions of Christian doctrine, administration, discipline, and other matters in which those entitled to vote ar ...
concerning the manner of life of bishops, priests, deacons and other ecclesiastics, and of the conduct to be observed towards
Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
, pagans and heretics. He also wrote at the request of the
Comes ''Comes'' ( ), plural ''comites'' ( ), was a Roman title or office, and the origin Latin form of the medieval and modern title "count". Before becoming a word for various types of title or office, the word originally meant "companion", either i ...
Reginus (who was probably military governor of North Africa) a treatise on the Christian rule of life for soldiers, in which he laid down seven rules which he explained and inculcated and gave evidence of his piety and practical wisdom.


Life of Fulgence of Ruspe

Since Pierre Pithou wrote in 1588 he was generally considered the author of the Life of Fulgence of Ruspe. However, this attribution is not based on any indication of the many manuscripts. Two letters of Ferrand about Fulgence are preserved, where he questions him on points of religion, and there are corresponding answers from Fulgence. At the end of a letter to the Abbe Eugippe, written just after the death of Fulgence ( 532 ), Ferrand evokes the projected drafting of a Life, but without positively saying the author. If Ferrand is the author of this Life, we learn in the prologue that he lived in the little
monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
which
Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
Fulgence had founded during his relegation to Sardinia . But one of the last editors of the text, Antonino Isola, casts doubt on his authorship to the point of talking about "Pseudo-Ferrand". and choosing to nominate Redemptus a monk of Telepte as the author.


Letters

Also Ferrand preserves seven lettersPierre-François Chifflet (ed.), Fulgentii Ferrandi Carthaginiensis Ecclesiæ diaconi opera , Dijon , 1649. transmitted in bulk: the two by which he interrogates Fulgence de Ruspe (the first on the question of whether an Ethiopian catechumen, died while administered baptism, was saved, the second on dogma Of the Trinity and the question of whether the divinity of Christ suffered on the cross), and five others, some very long, which are true little treatises on theology (notably the answer to the deacons Pelagius and Anatolius on the Three Chapters, by which he pronounced against the edict of Justinian, or the very long letter to Count Reginus on the duties of a Christian officer, presented in the form of seven rules. The letter to Eugippe, formerly known in a truncated version (still reproduced in PL ), was published for the first time in its integral version in 1828 by Cardinal Angelo Mai, according to a manuscript of Mount Cassin. On the other hand, Ferrand is the author of the Breviatio canonum ecclesiasticorum, a collection of 232 canons enacted by the oldest Greek and African councils, first published by Pierre Pithou.


See also

*''
Patrologia Latina The ''Patrologia Latina'' (Latin for ''The Latin Patrology'') is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 1841 and 1855, with indices published between ...
'', LXVII - his writings


References

* {{Authority control Canon law jurists Deacons 6th-century Latin writers Byzantine jurists 6th-century Byzantine writers 6th-century jurists Christian theologians