Cyprian was a respected teacher of rhetoric in Roman North Africa before becoming a Christian and, soon afterward, bishop of Carthage. His episcopate unfolded during severe persecution, especially under Emperor Decius.
When some Christians sacrificed to Roman gods to escape punishment, Cyprian argued that the church must combine serious repentance with the possibility of restoration. His disagreements with other bishops over reconciliation and the baptism of converts reveal the difficult questions facing a growing church. Cyprian strongly emphasized the unity of the church and the responsibilities of its bishops, although he also resisted attempts by the bishop of Rome to impose decisions on other churches.
During the persecution under Valerian, Cyprian refused to offer pagan sacrifice and was executed in AD 258. His letters and treatises provide unusually detailed evidence of Christian leadership, discipline, and pastoral care in the third century.
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