Traditor, plural: ''traditores'' (

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

), is a term meaning "the one(s) who had handed over" and defined by

Merriam-Webster Merriam-Webster, Incorporated is an list of companies of the United States by state, American company that publishes reference work, reference books and is mostly known for Webster's Dictionary, its dictionaries. It is the oldest dictionary pub ...

as "one of the Christians giving up to the officers of the law the Scriptures, the sacred vessels, or the names of their brethren during the Roman persecutions". The word ''traditor'' comes from the Latin ''transditio'' from ''trans'' (''across'') + ''dare'' (''to hand'', ''to give''), and is the source of the modern English words ''

traitor Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...

'' and ''

treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...

''. The same root word, with a different context of what is handed to whom, gives the word ''

tradition A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common e ...

'' as well. In the history of the Christian church, it refers to bishops and other Christians who turned over sacred

scriptures Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They often feature a compilation or discussion of beliefs, ritual practices, moral commandments and ...

or betrayed their fellow Christians to the Roman authorities under threat of persecution. During the Diocletianic Persecution between AD 303 and 305, many church leaders had gone as far as turning in Christians to the authorities and "handed over" sacred religious texts to authorities to be burned. Philip Schaff says about them: "In this, as in former persecutions, the number of apostates who preferred the earthly life to the heavenly, was very great. To these was now added also the new class of the ''traditores'', who delivered the holy Scriptures to the heathen authorities, to be burned". Some church members easily forgave the traditors, but the Donatists demanded clear signs of penance. They proclaimed that any

sacrament A sacrament is a Christian rite which is recognized as being particularly important and significant. There are various views on the existence, number and meaning of such rites. Many Christians consider the sacraments to be a visible symbol ...

s celebrated by priests and bishops who did not perform full penance were invalid. The Donatist sect developed particularly in North Africa, where they accused Bishop Felix of Aptunga of having been a traditor. As the bishop had consecrated

Caecilian Caecilians (; ) are a group of limbless, vermiform (worm-shaped) or serpentine (snake-shaped) amphibians with small or sometimes nonexistent eyes. They mostly live hidden in soil or in streambeds, and this cryptic lifestyle renders caecilians ...

bishop of Carthage, they held that the consecration was invalid and ordained an alternate bishop, Majorinus. This caused a schism as some cities had two bishops; one in communion with Caecilian and the other loyal to Majorinus. The matter was taken up in 313 at a

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...

in Rome, where the Donatists failed to prove that Bishop Felix was a traditor. The synod ruled in favor of Caecilian.Chapman, John. "Donatists." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 15 March 2021 The Donatists appealed to Emperor Constantine who in 314 convened the Council of Arles. The issue was debated, and the decision went against the Donatists. The Donatists refused to accept the decision of the council. Their "distaste for bishops who had collaborated". with Rome came out of their broader view of the empire. Held out as a counterexample to the traditors was the venerated Saint

Vincent of Saragossa Vincent of Saragossa (also known as Vincent Martyr, Vincent of Huesca or Vincent the Deacon), the Protomartyr of Spain, was a deacon of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Zaragoza, Church of Saragossa. He is the patron saint of Lisbon, Algarve, a ...

who preferred to suffer

martyrdom A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external party. In colloqui ...

rather than agree to consign Scripture to the fire. He is depicted in religious paintings holding the book whose preservation he preferred to his own life.

References

External links

* {{Citation , last =Park , first =Jae-Eun , url =https://www.academia.edu/4811679/_Lacking_Love_or_Conveying_Love_The_Fundamental_Roots_of_the_Donatists_and_Augustines_Nuanced_Treatment_of_Them_The_Reformed_Theological_Review_72_2_Aug_2013_103-121/ , title = Lacking Love or Conveying Love? The Fundamental Roots of the Donatists and Augustine’s Nuanced Treatment of Them , journal = The Reformed Theological Review , volume = 72 , issue = 2 , date=Aug 2013 , pages = 103–21. Ancient Christian controversies 4th-century Christianity Christian terminology Donatism

See also

References

External links