Editing Pope Stephen I (section)

==Pontificate==
Following the [[Decian persecution]] of 250–251, there was disagreement about how to treat those who had lapsed from the faith. Stephen was urged by Bishop [[Faustinus of Lyon]] to take action against Marcian, the [[Novatianist]] [[bishop of Arles]], who [[Novatianism|denied penance and communion to the lapsed who repented]].  The controversy arose in the context of a broad pastoral problem. During the Decian persecution some Christians had purchased certificates attesting that they had made the requisite sacrifices to the Roman gods. Others had denied they were Christians while yet others had in fact taken part in pagan sacrifices. These people were called in Latin ''[[Lapsi (Christianity)|lapsi]]'', ''the fallen''. The question arose as to whether, if they later repented, they could be readmitted to communion with the church, and if so, under what conditions.<ref name=Hogan>{{cite book |last=Hogan |first=R.M. |title=Dissent from the Creed: Heresies Past and Present |date=2001 |publisher=Our Sunday Visitor |isbn=9780879734084 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YuxxgQRDIpQC&pg=PA71 |page=71 |access-date=2016-03-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417232428/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YuxxgQRDIpQC&pg=PA71 |archive-date=2016-04-17 }}</ref>

Stephen held that converts who had been baptized by splinter groups did not need re-baptism, while [[Cyprian]] and certain bishops of the Roman province of Africa held rebaptism necessary for admission to the [[Eucharist]]. Stephen's view eventually won broad acceptance in the [[Latin Church]].<ref name="ce"/> He is also mentioned as having insisted on the restoration of the bishops of [[León, León|León]] and [[Astorga (Spain)|Astorga]], who had been deposed for unfaithfulness during the persecution but afterwards had repented.<ref name="ce"/>