What effect did Donatism have on the early Catholic Church and How did the Church respond to Donatism?

Answer 1

Donatism was the heresy taught by Donatus, bishop of Casae Nigrae that the effectiveness of the sacraments depends on the moral character of the minister (deacon, priest or bishop).

This heresy taught that if a priest who had sinned badly enough were to baptize a person then the baptism would be not be valid.

The problem with Donatism is that no person is morally pure.

The truth is that the effectiveness of the sacrament comes from God and not the minister.

God is not restricted by anything especially the moral state of the minister.

As usual the Church just kept teaching the truth and pointing out the errors of the heresy.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

Donatism was the belief that those people who avoided persecution should either not be let back into the church or at least if it was a priest, all ceremonies performed by the priest would be invalid.
Therefore the effect on the early Catholic Church was that some people felt that the Donatists were too strict and preached that those who avoided persecution should be allowed back into the church. This also caused the North African Church to split for a few years away from the main Roman Catholic Church.
Hope this Helps!

Answer 3

The primary disagreement between Donatists and the rest of the early Christian church was over the treatment of those who renounced their faith during the persecution of Roman emperor Diocletian (303–305), a disagreement that had implications both for the Church's understanding of the Sacrament of Penance and of the other sacraments in general.