LIBERTY UNIVERSITYLIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Research Paper:

Monica and Her Influence on Augustine and His Faith

Submitted to Dr. John LandersIn partial fulfillment of the requirements for

History of Christianity ICHHI 520

ByLori Pace23873286

Elizabeth, ColoradoMarch 4, 2012

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

TAGASTE, NUMIDIA

MONICA AS A CHILD

MONICA IN MARRIAGE

Patricius

Monica as a Wife

Monica as a Peacemaker

MONICA AS A MOTHER

Temporal Versus Eternal

Monica’s Faith

CONCLUSSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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INTRODUCTION

Monica, practical in her faith and informally educated; humbly modeled her Christian

faith and served those around her through perseverance, patience, and prayer. This research

paper will examine the character of Monica; her life as a wife, one of submissiveness and

tenacity; and as a mother, committed to the eternal welfare of her children, which ultimately led

to the conversion of Augustine and influenced his teachings. This writer will navigate through

the beginning of Monica’s life as a child, her marriage, and her influence as a mother and

demonstrate; through her persistence of love and grace, practical faith, and commitment to her

children and their everlasting life, one ordinary individual can have historic influence.

TAGASTE, NUMIDIA

Hundreds of years prior to Monica’s birth, an ancient Berber kingdom of North Africa,

Tagaste in Numidia, now eastern part of modern Algeria, was a furiously active site of

opposition against the Roman Empire.1 Eventually but not easily restrained, the Numidians

became subject to the Empire.2 Opposed to being fully transformed by the Romans, the

Numidians maintained much of their views of life and were not fully converted into the Roman

civilization.3 Relevant of Numidian opposition to Roman influence is found documented by a

Roman proconsul, recounting the first Numidian martyrs: three men and three women.4 When

interrogated by Vigellius Saturninus of Carthage, the martyrs were found guarding fearlessly

scrolls of the New Testament; declaring their faith and refusing to sacrifice to the gods, they

1 Giovanni Falbo, St. Monica: The Power of a Mother’s Love. Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 2003:1.2 Ibid., 1.3 Ibid., 1.4 Ibid., 2.

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were decapitated July 17, 180.5 Additionally relevant toward the Christian cultural foundation

that preceded Monica’s life, and to name just two, was the birth and life of Tertullian, followed

by Cyprian.6 It is through the shedding of Christian blood by the thousands in these first few

centuries, along with the contributions of many noteworthy founding church fathers that

contributed to the foundational Christian atmosphere that Monica would later grow up in.7

MONICA AS A CHILD

Centuries later, Monica, mother of Augustine, was born at Tagaste, in Numidia, in 331.8

Although much regarding Monica’s childhood is minimal, it can be gleaned from Augustine in,

The Confessions, that she was reared in a quality Christian home. Augustine recognizes the

blessings bestowed on Monica from God and realizes the environment He provided for Monica

assisted in her development of Christian morality.

…”It is not her gifts that I shall tell, but yours to her. For she neither made herself nor brought herself up; you created her, and neither her father nor her mother knew what manner of woman was coming in to being from them. She was brought up in the fear of you by the rod of your Christ, the guidance of your only Son, in a faithful house, a sound member of your church.”9

David W. Johnson remarks in his article in the Austin Seminary Journal, “…most of what

we know of Monica we learn from Augustine.”10 Likewise, Johnson mentions a consideration

for researchers that was made by Peter Brown in his biography of Augustine, stating what we

know of Monica may be slanted as all we seem to know of her comes from her son Augustine

and that may not be a true reflection of just who Monica really was.11 Although, another 5 Ibid., 2.6 Giovanni Falbo, St. Monica: The Power of a Mother’s Love. Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 2003:3.7 Ibid., 2.8 Ibid., 1.9 Augustine, Saint, Bp of Hippo, and Maria Boulding. 1997. The confessions. London; Hyde Park, NY:

Hodder & Stoughton; New City Pr, 1997:IX, 8, 17.10David W. Johnson, 2011. “St. Monica: An Appreciation.” Insights 126, no. 2:20. ATLA Religion

Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed February 2, 2012).11 David W. Johnson, 2011. “St. Monica: An Appreciation.” Insights 126, no. 2:20. ATLA Religion

Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed February 2, 2012), 20.

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perspective from Edward Smither in his book, Augustine as Mentor, mentions, “Though

Augustine consistently made note of her holy life, he certainly did not ‘saint’ her. Rather, he

realistically presented her as a recovering sinner not immune to struggles of weaknesses.”12

This writer believes Augustine was quite transparent throughout The Confessions regarding

Monica’s imperfections as a child and mother, mentioning many flaws.

One example, Augustine writes about her confession to him regarding her struggle with

wine that developed as a child when she was trusted and old enough to retrieve wine for her

parents.13 With that, Augustine gives glory to God and shares how God worked in his mother’s

life to heal her of her habit. It was through a quarrel with another and words were exchanged

regarding Monica’s stealing of wine that brought great shame to Monica for her actions that

caused her to cease immediately from further drinking.14 “So it was that my mother was

brought up to be modest and sober, rather put by you in subjection to her parents than by her

parents to you; and as soon as ‘her years were ripe for marriage’, she was handed over to a

husband, whom she served as her master…”15

MONICA IN MARRIAGE

Patricius

Patricius, likely also to be from Tagaste, became Monica’s husband through an arranged

marriage. Patricius was from a pagan family and one suggested to be of declining nobility.16 It

is unclear as to why Patricius was chosen and why a strong Christian family would arrange for

their daughter to marry a pagan man. It can be assumed her parents were more concerned with

12 Edward L. Smither, Augustine as Mentor. Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2008:94.13Augustine, Saint, Bp of Hippo, and Maria Boulding. 1997. The confessions. London; Hyde Park, NY:

Hodder & Stoughton; New City Pr, 1997: IX, 8, 18. 14 Ibid., IX, 8, 18. 15 Ibid., IX, 9, 19. 16 Giovanni Falbo, St. Monica: The Power of a Mother’s Love. Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 2003:14.

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Monica becoming married, since during ancient times, it was a great concern for parents to find

a husband for their daughters.17 Additionally, it could be supposed that Patricius was selected

for his physical attributes but perhaps, more likely, his social stature.

Social stature in the fourth century was quite influential, although marriage to Patricius

did not come with financial gain, his position distinguished he and Monica as upper class in the

Roman society.18 With this distinction in social class, Augustine’s family was granted legal

benefits. These benefits would exclude them from: being sentenced to whipping, work in the

mines, sentenced to death, and if unusual circumstances called for execution, they could not be

crucified or thrown to the wild games.19 Therefore, because of the still popular pagan practices

of the time, social status may have been considered equally if not more important than religious

faith alone; thus explaining why Monica’s parents arranged her marriage with a pagan husband

and perhaps prayerful for his eventual conversion.

Monica as a Wife

Augustine writes in The Confessions of Monica’s moral character, “She tried anxiously to

win him for you, speaking of you by her very moral character, by which you made her beautiful

and worthy of her husband’s reverent love and admiration.”20 Likewise, Augustine writes

regarding her patience, submissiveness regarding her husband’s often time difficult temper and

affairs outside of marriage.21 “But she had learnt not to resist him when he was angry, not only

in deed, but even in word. When she saw that his anger was checked and calmed, and that the

17 Giovanni Falbo, St. Monica: The Power of a Mother’s Love. Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 2003:1318 Ibid., 17. 19 Ibid., 17.20 Saint Augustine, Bp of Hippo, and Maria Boulding. 1997. The confessions. London; Hyde Park, NY:

Hodder & Stoughton; New City Pr, 1997: IX, 9, 1921 I Saint Augustine, Bp of Hippo, and Maria Boulding. 1997. The confessions. London; Hyde Park, NY:

Hodder & Stoughton; New City Pr, 1997: X, 9, 19.

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time was right, she would give him an account of her own actions, if his outburst had been at all

ill-considered.”22

In addition to overcoming Patricius’ difficult personality, Monica had to overcome the

gossip filled women servants who sought to corrupt Monica’s live in, mother-in-laws opinion of

her.23 As Augustine wrote, “…she won round by her compliant attitude; she persisted in

tolerance and docility, until her mother-in-law took the lead in reporting to her son the meddling

tongues of their servants, who were disturbing the domestic peace between her and her

daughter-in-law, and demanding that they be punished.”24 Not only did Monica bring peace and

unity in her own home, she too set the example for others to learn from and follow.

Monica as a Peacemaker

Monica’s way of life exemplifies the Apostle Paul’s writings in I Thessalonians,

particularly where Paul is encouraging Christian conduct,

“We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”25

F.A. Forbes writes of Monica’s care for the slaves as if they were her own family, often

she would intervene on behalf of a slave to spare them from a beating. Forbes also records

Monica’s compassion for the poor, gathering them and tending to their sores. While Patricius

opposed her care for the poor, he allowed Monica to do what pleased her in regards to this

because of her humble reasons to offer her care.26

22Ibid., X, 9, 19.23 Edward L. Smither, Augustine as Mentor. Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2008:93.24 Augustine, Saint, Bp of Hippo, and Maria Boulding. 1997. The confessions. London; Hyde Park, NY:

Hodder & Stoughton; New City Pr, 1997: IX, 9, 20.25Charles F. Stanley, Life Principles Bible, NASB, (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 2009), 1419

& 1420. 26F.A. Forbes, Saint Monica: Model of Christian Mothers, (Charlotte, NC: TAN Books, 2011), 12.

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Additionally, Monica served as example and counselor to other young wives who also

married pagan husbands and struggled from difficult marriages. Augustine recounts in The

Confessions, how many young women who married men more gentle than Patricius, found they

wore the physical signs of abuse. When these women would ask Monica, how she, married to a

man known for his violence, never bore a bruise from a beating. Augustine went on to say,

Monica would remind the young women of their obligation to the terms of marriage.27 As

Smither documents, Monica was faithful and submissive to her unbelieving, volatile, and often

times, unfaithful husband at all times, exercising submissiveness and humility; thus setting

example to those around her.28

Augustine recognizes in his writings her demeanor, how she would show herself a

peacemaker between two opposing people.29 Monica would not allow the harsh words spoken

regarding one another be shared, rather, encourage one another to mend relations.30 As

Augustine confesses,

“This would seem a small good to me, had I not had sad experience of countless quarrels; some loathsome, sinful pestilence stalks far and wide, not only disclosing one enemy’s angry words to another, but even adding words that were never spoken. It should not be too much for a man, one of human kind, neither to arouse nor increase enmity between men with hard words, if he does not also study to quench this enmity with kind words. Such was my mother, thanks to you, her inner Teacher in the school of her heart.”31

MONICA’S INFLUENCE ON AUGUSTINE

Temporal Versus Eternal

27 Saint Augustine, Bp of Hippo, and Maria Boulding. 1997. The confessions. London; Hyde Park, NY: Hodder & Stoughton; New City Pr, 1997: IX, 9, 19

28Edward L. Smither, Augustine as Mentor. Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2008: 93.29F.A. Forbes, Saint Monica: Model of Christian Mothers, (Charlotte, NC: TAN Books, 2011), 1230Ibid., 14.31Saint Augustine, Bp of Hippo, and Maria Boulding. 1997. The confessions. London; Hyde Park, NY:

Hodder & Stoughton; New City Pr, 1997: IX, 9, 21.

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It is well documented by Augustine, he often recognized Monica’s many prayers and

tears in The Confessions. Knowing, because of her, Augustine and the whole household were

eventually saved in Christ. It was clear to Augustine through Monica’s persistence, that it was

far more important for him to come to know God as his Father than to know his earthly father.32

Likewise, Smither notes, “Monica was most often characterized in the Confessions as a woman

of prayer and tears, and the focus of her supplications was often the spiritual welfare of her

wayward son.”33 Additionally, Falbo wrote, “She had brought him into the world like any other

child, amid the sufferings of labor, but the sufferings of her spiritual labor were immensely

greater.”34 Augustine recognized Monica’s intensity for his spiritual birth, knowing she was far

more concerned about his eternal well-being versus his earthly wellness.35

It is concluded by this writer, because of Monica’s early influence on Augustine in

regards to Christianity, Augustine never fully accepted any other religion, always holding on to

the thought of a greater deity. This writer recognizes that Augustine sought out and followed

other schools of thought, however, this writer wonders if his intellectual pursuits were more for

proving what he wanted to believe all along. When this writer reads Augustine’s opening

remarks in book eight, it could be concluded that he believed; he simply sought to prove wrong

in his mind all that caused a lack of stability in his thinking toward fully embracing Christianity.

“Of your eternal life I was certain, though I saw it ‘in an enigma and as if in a mirror.’ All doubt had been taken from me that there is indestructible substance from which comes all substance. My desire was not to be more certain of you but to be more stable in you. But in my temporal life everything was in a state of uncertainty, and my heart needed to be purified from the old leaven. I was

32 I, Saint Augustine, Bp of Hippo, and Maria Boulding. 1997. The confessions. London; Hyde Park, NY: Hodder & Stoughton; New City Pr, 1997: I, 11, 17.

33 Edward L. Smither Augustine as Mentor. Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2008: 9334Giovanni Falbo, St. Monica: The Power of a Mother’s Love. Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 2003:33. 35Saint Augustine, Bp of Hippo, and Maria Boulding. 1997. The confessions. London; Hyde Park, NY:

Hodder & Stoughton; New City Pr, 1997: I, 11, And 17.

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attracted to the way, the Savior himself, but was still reluctant to go along its narrow paths.”36

Monica’s Faith

Monica was practical in her faith in that she sought to serve those most important to her

through perseverance, patience, and prayer.37 Augustine recognized the power of Monica’s

practical faith, noting the significant influence she was in Cassiciacum. It was here that

Augustine began to appreciate the power of her mind.38 “My mother too stayed fast with us,

feminine in her attire but masculine in her faith, with the serene assurance of an old woman, a

mother’s love, and Christian’s piety.”39 Augustine later speaks of Monica’s unshakable courage

and prayer in taking vigil in the church, prepared to die with the bishop during the time Justina,

mother of a young king, who sought to persecute Ambrose and others out of interest for her own

heresy.40

Monica’s presence in Augustine’s life during the time of Cassiciacum indicates Monica’s

relationship and influence toward Augustine at this time. For her to be present and welcomed

and also included as a viable participant at Cassiciacum signifies Augustine’s recognition of her

intellectual value. Peter Brown wrote how Monica was able to, “dismiss a whole philosophical

school in a single vulgar word.”41

Additionally, while some scholars may insist Monica lacked the intellectual capacity to

effectively understand what was being said when she came alongside Augustine on the basis she

lacked in formal education; evidently this is not the case as she clearly participates in dialogues,

36Saint Augustine, Bp of Hippo, and Maria Boulding. 1997. The confessions. London; Hyde Park, NY: Hodder & Stoughton; New City Pr, 1997: VIII, 1.1.

37 Edward L. Smither Augustine as Mentor. Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2008: 95.38 Ibid., 95.39 Saint Augustine, Bp of Hippo, and Maria Boulding. 1997. The confessions. London; Hyde Park, NY:

Hodder & Stoughton; New City Pr, 1997: IX, 4, 8.40Ibid., IX, 7,15.41Peter Brown, Augustine of Hippo: a Biography, rev. ed. (Berkeley: University of California Press), 111.

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as documented well in the, Cassiciacum Dialogues, and she often did so with such command as

to bring it to an abrupt halt clearly indicates she had the practical and intellectual capacity to

reason with the most esteemed.42 Interestingly, Smither points out how Augustine shifted from

dealing with matters on a philosophical level to a more practical level. Augustine wrote most of

his books, letters, sermons on a more simplistic, practical level in part as he wrote at night after a

long day of dealing with a full day of church matters; but also, he likely wrote on a less

philosophical level as influenced by Monica for a more a practical Christian living

encouragement.43

Finally, it is Monica’s practical faith that remained a beacon for Augustine’s faith even

after his conversion. Smither recognizes her impact and how it affected Augustine’s philosophy

of equipping new believers, most notably in, On the Instruction of Beginners.44 Here, Augustine

teaches the passion for Christ must be contagiously evident, pouring forth from the teacher, in

faith, hope, and love; the very same contagious qualities evident throughout the life of Monica.45

Secondly, Augustine instructs the teacher would likely be more motivated and able to impress

upon their students if he chose to love them as his own family.46 Again, this principle was

evident in the life of Augustine through the commitment and intense love from Monica,

evidenced in her perseverance for the eternal welfare of her children.

CONCLUSION

Monica, practical in her faith and informally educated; humbly modeled her Christian

faith and served those around her through perseverance, patience, and prayer; evidenced in her

42Edward L. Smither Augustine as Mentor. Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2008: 96. 43Ibid., 96. 44Ibid., 99.45Ibid., 100.46Ibid., 100.

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marriage through submission to the demanding personality with Patricius. Faithful to God,

Monica through prayer and personal actions, brought her husband to faith in Christ.

Additionally, her chosen life in Christ served as example in the lives of others, teaching

how in times of a difficult marriage to remain faithful and honor the Word of God. Immersed

often in tearful prayer, Monica demonstrates the Almighty power of a prayerful servant; reaching

the heart of her son as only the Holy Spirit can reach. Monica’s life, holy influenced, had eternal

influence on an entire family, and for one son, she fostered what would become of historic

influence. May it be gleaned from the life of Monica, the power of a faithfully lived life; one

lived in reverence to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, it is curious to this writer as to who mentored and nourished Monica’s spiritual

health. It would seem a woman who faced the difficulties she did, mentored and counseled the

numbers she guided, would need a source of encouragement for her own spiritual growth and

reason. This writer found it interesting, amidst all the research, there was no clear spiritual

friend or mentor in the adult life of Monica. Who then, poured into her heart and witnessed to

her? Did she draw all the strength she needed through immersion in her personal studies of

God’s Word and time in prayer? It would seem a woman of such strength drew from the

support, wisdom, and encouragement of another in addition to her Biblical studies. This writer

would be interested in knowing who the key influences were in the life of Monica.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Augustine, Saint, Bp of Hippo, and Maria Boulding. 1997. The confessions. London; Hyde Park, NY: Hodder & Stoughton; New City Pr, 1997.

Brown, Peter. Augustine of Hippo: a Biography. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2000.

Falbo, Giovanni. St. Monica: The Power of a Mother’s Love. Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 2007.

Johnson, David W. 2011. "St Monica: an appreciation." Insights 126, no. 2: 19-24. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed February 2, 2012).

Nauta, Reinard. 2008. "The prodigal son: some psychological aspects of Augustine's conversion to Christianity." Journal of Religion and Health 47, no. 1: 75-87. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed February 12, 2012).

Smither, Edward. Augustine as mentor: a model for preparing spiritual leaders. Nashville: B & H

Publishing Group, 2008.

Stanley, Charles F. Life Principles Bible. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 2009.

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