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The Rise of Monasticism in the Church of Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

R. Pierce Beaver
R. Pierce Beaver
Affiliation:
Baltimore, Maryland
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Extract

An important development in the life of the church of Africa during the last decade of the fourth century and the first quarter of the fifth century was the rise of monasticism, first instituted, inspired, and directed by Saint Augustine. A lively consciousness of sin and the comparison of his sensual life with the career of several exponents of monachism had resulted at the time of his conversion in a strong ascetic reaction to his former mode of thought and life. In succeeding years the saintly bishop lost none of the ardor for asceticism which marked his conversion, largely because his active imagination continued to dwell on his earlier life and to magnify his former sins and shortcomings out of all proportion, so that he was ever driven to make atonement by “newness of life.” Divorcing himself entirely from his former career, Saint Augustine with some of his friends returned to his birthplace, Thagaste in Numidia, and there he founded on his own lands the first African monastery, and endowed it with that portion of his patrimony which he had not yet given to other charities. For three years he dwelt there “with those who had also consecrated themselves to God, in fastings and prayers and good works, meditating day and night in the law of the Lord.” Soon after he had been ordained priest under compulsion at Hippo in 391, Saint Augustine founded there a second monastery for men on property provided by the aged Bishop Valerius.

Type
Research Article
Information
Church History , Volume 6 , Issue 4 , December 1937 , pp. 350 - 372
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Church History 1937

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References

1 Especially Anthony the Hermit and two friends of Augustine's acquaintance, Ponticianus. Confessions, VIII.

2 By Africa is designated the Roman Diocese of Africa, which comprised from east to west Tripolitana, Byzacenum, Proconsular Africa, Numidia, Mauretania Sitifiensis, and Mauretania Caesariensis. Mauretania Tingitana was joined with these provinces ecclesiastically although it belonged to Spain politically.

3 Possidius, , Vita Sancti Augustini, IIIGoogle Scholar; Augustine, , Epistula, 126.7 (CSEL, XLIV, 12–43).Google Scholar

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6 Mentioned in a letter of Paulinus of Nola to Alypius in 394, included in the Letters of Saint Augustine. Ep. 24.6 (CSEL, XXXIV, (1), 77).

7 Augustine returned to Thagaste in July or August 388, and the monastery must been established almost immediately. The monas ery at Hippo was probably founded in the summer of 391, since Augustine asked for a leave of absence until Easter, and, therefore, did not begin his work in Hippo until late in the spring. See Augustine, , Ep. 21.4Google Scholar (CSEL, XXXIV (1), 52) and Possidius, , Vita Aug., XI. In Ev. 22.9Google Scholar (CBEL XXXIV, (1), 62), written in the year 392 Saint Augustine commends Archbishop Aurelius for his gift of land for a monastery which can only be located at Carthage.

8 Augustine, Ep. 31.9; 38.3; 149.34; 158.9 and 10; 214; 215; 216 (CSEL, XXXIV, (2) 8; 66 XLIV, 380; 494–495; LVII, 380–402; and Possidius, , Vita Aug., XIGoogle Scholar. Possidius, bishop of Calama, undoubtedly includes himself among those pupils of Augustine who founded monastic houses.

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21 Jerome, , Ep. 130Google Scholar (PL, XXII, 1107–1124); Pelagius, , Ep. ad Demetriadem (PL, XXX, 13–45)Google Scholar; Augustine, Ep. 150 (CSEL, LVII, 380–382). A letter of warning written by Augustine and Alypius, now lost, is mentioned in Ep. 188, in whieh Augustine repeats his admonition (CBEL, LVII, 119–130).

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30 Ibid., 211 (CSEL, LVII, 356–371). Although this letter is without address or salutation, I assume–and I see no reason to doubt it–that this letter is addressed to the same monastery as Ep. 210.

31 CBEL, XLI, 235–302 and 532–596.

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36 De Opere Monachorum, 25 (XXII) (CSEL, XLI, 570).

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42 Quisquis amat dicitis absentum rodere vitam, hac inensa indignam noverit esse suam.

43 It is interesting to note that nuns employed serving women, at least when visiting away from their nunnery.

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48 Ibid., 262.8 (CSEL, LVII, 627).

49 Ibid., 60; 64.3 (CSEL, XXXIV (2), 221–222;231).

50 De Opere Monachorum, 25 (CEEL, XLI, 570).

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52 Ibid., 64.3 (CSEL, xxxiv (2), 231). This would be a Canon of the Council of Carthage of September 13, 401.

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56 Ep. 10 (22ff).

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58 Ibid., 31.4; 98.5; 102.1; 118.3; 139.3; 151.13; 169.13; 213.5; 261; and Serm. 839.1.

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75 Ep. 118.34 (CSEL, XXXIV (2), 697–698).

76 De Doctrina Christiana, IV.3; Montgomery, St. Aug., 203.

77 Augustine, , Ep. 118.9Google Scholar; 211.13; 231.7 (CSEL, XXXIV (2), 679; LVII, 368; 510); De Hacresbus, 80.

78 Ibid., 231.7.

79 Possidius, , Vita dug., Xl.Google Scholar

80 Augustine, , Ep. 84.1Google Scholar (CSEL, XXXIV (2), 392).

81 Ibid., 48.2 (CSEL, XXXIV (2), 138).

82 Council of Hippo, 393, Stat. Brev. Col., can. 11, 12, 13 (Mansi, III, 921). One finds mention of children of clerics in the letters of Saint Augustine, such as tile son of a priest in Ep. 158 and the granddaughter of Bishop Severus of Milevis in Ep. 111.7.

83 Possidius, , Vita Aug., XXVIII.Google Scholar