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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