Theological Term of the Week: Monica

Monica
The mother of Augustine of Hippo. She “stands out as an example of a Christian woman whose faith helped to shape her more famous son into one of the spiritual giants of the early church.”1 She lived from 331 until 387.

• From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by N. H. Needham, page 248: 

Monica prayer unceasingly with tears for [Augustine’s] conversion. Once she tried to persuade a Catholic bishop, himself a converted Manichee, to prove to Augustine the errors of Manichaeism and the truth  of the Catholic faith. The bishop refused, explaining that only prayer, not arguments, would rescue Monica’s son from the Manichees. When Monica continued, weeping, to beg for the bishop’s help, he replied famously: “Go; it cannot be that the son of such tears will perish.” 

 Learn more:

1. 5 Minutes in Church History: Monica: A Mother’s Prayer
2. Christianity History: Monica, Faithful Mother
3. Southern Equip: “So Many Voices”: The Piety of Monica, Mother of Augustine

Related terms:

• Ambrose of Milan
• Athanasius
• Basil of Caesarea
• Cappadocian fathers
• Gregory of Nanzianzus
• Gregory of Nyssa
• Hilary of Poitiers
• Irenaeus of Lyons
• Jerome
• John Chrysostom
• Justin Martyr
• Origen
• Sabellius
• Tertullian

Filed under Christian History

1From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by N. R. Needham.

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Sunday Hymn: Crown Him With Many Crowns

Crown him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon his throne;
Hark! how the heav’nly anthem drowns
All music but its own:
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of him who died for thee,
And hail him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.

Crown him the Lord of love;
Behold his hands and side,
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified:
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his burning eye
At mysteries so bright.

Crown him the Lord of peace;
Whose pow’r a scepter sways
From pole to pole, that wars may cease,
Absorbed in prayer and praise:
His reign shall know no end;
And round his pierced feet
Fair flowers of Paradise extend
Their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown him the Lord of years,
The Potentate of time;
Creator of the rolling spheres,
Ineffably sublime:
All hail, Redeemer, hail!
For thou hast died for me:
Thy praise shall never, never fail
Throughout eternity.

—Mat­thew Bridg­es

Other hymns of worship songs for this Sunday:

• The Solid Rock at The Happy Wonderer 

Selected Reading, July 10, 2021

 

A few good reads for your weekend.

Missions

George Liele — First Baptist Missionary in Jamaica
The story of the former slave who may have been not just the first Baptist missionary in Jamaica, but the first American Baptist missionary. 

God

How Does God Relate to Time?
This is an excellent short essay on the timelessness of God. Yes, it’s difficult for us to wrap our brains around this doctrine, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a vital one. “Tampering with timelessness triggers a ripple effect through many of the other forgotten attributes of God. Evangelicals who deny timelessness must account for the implications that denial has for immutability, simplicity, and God’s eternality. If you change, redefine, or alter these doctrines of God, you have created a different God.”

Why “Abba” Does Not Mean “Daddy”
New Testament scholar Murray Harris explains why you shouldn’t address God the Father as “Daddy.” 

Life

Do Not Fear: Command or Comfort?
“Life is hard and full of painful and frightening circumstances. We may lose our jobs or get sick. Our family and friends may die or abandon us. We may experience war or civil unrest. All of these have happened to Christians since Jesus ascended into heaven. And we can expect them to continue until He returns. But whatever happens, we can take comfort from the many verses reminding us, ‘Do not fear’ and ‘Do not be afraid’. Through them, we are reminded not of our sinfulness and failings but His constant presence with us and His everlasting love for us.”

Church

The One Critical Thing Missing in Most Sermons
I, too, wish pastors took more time to explain why what they are teaching is true.