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Augustine of Hippo (church father)

Augustine of Hippo was born in the Roman province of Africa (modern-day Tunisia/Algeria) in the year 354. His mother, Monnica, was a devout Christian, but his father Patrick only became a Christian believer at the end of his life (in 370). 

Early in life, Augustine enrolled as a catechumen (preparing for Christian baptism), but did not go through with it. Aged 17, Augustine began a relationship with a slave girl and they had a child together, Adeonatus. While Augustine was later estranged from his son's mother, he and Adeonatus remained in touch with one another. 

Moving to cosmopolitan Carthage for his studies, Augustine was caught up in sexual promiscuity, famously praying, "Give me continence and chastity, but not just yet." Straying from his Christian upbringing, he tried various belief systems: the teachings of Cicero, the religion of the Manichees, and later Neo-Platonism. 

Augustine pursued a career in rhetoric, and accepted a position as lecturer in Milan in 384. It was at Milan that he attended the services of the Milan church, presided over by bishop Ambrose. The powerful singing and convincing preaching drew Augustine, but he resisted repentance. One day, in a garden, he heard a child's voice saying, "Pick up and read." Picking up a codex of Paul's letters, Augustine read the words, "Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh." (Romans 13) At this moment he believed. It was the year 386; Augustine was 32 years old. At Easter the following year, Augustine was baptised by Ambrose at the Milan church. 

Having become a Christian, Augustine became disillusioned with his profession as a teacher of rhetoric, and resigned. He made plans to relocate to his native Africa along with a group of other single Christian men in what would eventually morph into a monastic community. Travelling south from Milan, the group were waiting at Rome for some time. It was at this time that his mother Monnica sadly died. 

Augustine finally arrived in Africa in 388, settling at Thagaste with his group of Christian "brothers". The group was something of a Christian think tank, and Augustine's role included that of answering questions on the faith; he would later publish eighty three such questions covering a range of theological and other issues. 

In 391, Augustine made a trip to the nearby town of Hippo, served by bishop Valerius. It was on this trip that he was begged to accept ordination from the bishop and to help him in his work. At Hippo, Augustine organised a monastic community for which he wrote a "rule" (monastic instructions for communal living) - the most ancient western monastic rule. Several brothers came from Thagaste to "get things started". The make-up of the Hippo monastic community was different to that at Thagaste, and included former slaves. Later on, a parallel community for nuns was formed at Hippo. During this time, Augustine wrote polemical works against the thinking of the Manichees. In 396, Augustine was made co-bishop alongside Valerius, and on the latter's death in 397, Augustine became sole bishop at Hippo.

At this point, Augustine is 43 years old and has 33 years ahead of him as bishop of Hippo.  

[to be continued...] 

  

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