From Carthage to Nicaea: Martyrdom and the Legacy of Perpetua and Felicity in Confessing the One Faith

• Pascal Pienaar The University of the Free State https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3723-4655

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7833/125-1-2307

Keywords: Nicene Creed, African Christianity, Martyrdom, Perpetua and Felicity, confessio fidei, Carthage, Early church, Theological identity

Abstract

The Nicene Creed, since its conception, has been recognised as a defining statement of Christian orthodoxy. While the Council of Nicaea is often analysed in terms of its theological debates and political implications, less attention has been given to its connection with the earlier African Christian tradition, particularly the role of martyrdom in shaping understandings of public confession (confessio fidei). This paper explores how the North African martyr tradition, particularly the Passion of Perpetua and Felicity (203 AD), prefigured key Nicene concerns about Christian identity and the acts of faith as public declarations. This study considers the works of North African theologians such as Tertullian and Augustine, who developed theological reflections on martyrdom and perseverance in faith. By revisiting the African martyr tradition through a Nicene lens, the deep interconnections between early lived African Christianity and the broader ecumenical developments of the fourth century are recovered. In doing so, it invites renewed reflection on how historical martyr narratives continue to inform contemporary theological discourses on Christian unity and public witness.