A central concept for ancient Christian authors is that of sc ( h ) isma , which indicates a fracture within the Christian community. After having discussed the origins of this word in Greek and Latin literature, the entry focuses mainly on the evolution of its meaning, on the relationship with the concept of haeresis and on the use of schisma within the religious controversies of the third, fourth and fifth centuries, with particular attention to the quotations in the works of Cyprian and Augustine.
Gianmario Cattaneo (Fri,) studied this question.