The Donatists and the Council of Arles

Donatists were accused of being heretics by the bishop of carthage. They appealed to Constantine, who agreed that they had been treated unfairly. The case was re-tried before a council composed of bishops from every province in the western empire - and this time it went against them again. But like most major court cases, there were more procedureal twists and turns before the matter was finally settled for good. It gives us an initial glimpse into what constantine's religious priorities really rspecifically are. He seemed genuinely afraid that discord within the church imperilled their souls.