St Augustine on Saints and Relics

The “Augustine” theme began because of the popular Calvinist claim (a la RC Sproul) that St Augustine was essentially a proto-Calvinist and that St Augustine is the greatest Patristic witness to Reformational principles. This new batch of quotes reveals St Augustine’s belief in the invocation of saints and the power of relics:

“A Christian people celebrates together in religious solemnity the memorials of the martyrs, both to encourage their being imitated and so that it can share in their merits and be aided by their prayers.” (Against Faustus the Manichean [A.D. 400])

“At the Lord’s table we do not commemorate martyrs in the same way that we do others who rest in peace so as to pray for them, but rather that they may pray for us that we may follow in their footsteps.” (Homilies on John 84 [A.D. 416])

“For even now miracles are wrought in the name of Christ, whether by his sacraments or by the prayers or relics of his saints . . . The miracle which was wrought at Milan when I was there. . . [and when people] had gathered to the bodies of the martyrs Protasius and Gervasius, which had long lain concealed and unknown but where now made known to the bishop Ambrose in a dream and discovered by him.” (City of God 22:8 [A.D. 419])

Although St Augustine of Hippo affirmed the doctrine of predestination, I doubt he would have been admitted to membership status in most Reformed bodies. I should add that St Augustine sees all miracles and prayers as becoming effectual through Christ. However, he believes that Christ uses the means of grace to bring these things to pass. And for St Augustine, the intercessions of saints and the presence of their remains (i.e. relics) qualify as “the means of grace.”

The “Augustine” theme began because of the popular Calvinist claim (a la RC Sproul) that St Augustine was essentially a proto-Calvinist and that St Augustine is the greatest Patristic witness to Reformational principles. This new batch of quotes reveals St Augustine’s belief in the invocation of saints and the power of relics:

“A Christian people celebrates together in religious solemnity the memorials of the martyrs, both to encourage their being imitated and so that it can share in their merits and be aided by their prayers.” (Against Faustus the Manichean [A.D. 400])

“At the Lord’s table we do not commemorate martyrs in the same way that we do others who rest in peace so as to pray for them, but rather that they may pray for us that we may follow in their footsteps.” (Homilies on John 84 [A.D. 416])

“For even now miracles are wrought in the name of Christ, whether by his sacraments or by the prayers or relics of his saints . . . The miracle which was wrought at Milan when I was there. . . [and when people] had gathered to the bodies of the martyrs Protasius and Gervasius, which had long lain concealed and unknown but where now made known to the bishop Ambrose in a dream and discovered by him.” (City of God 22:8 [A.D. 419])

Although St Augustine of Hippo affirmed the doctrine of predestination, I doubt he would have been admitted to membership status in most Reformed bodies. I should add that St Augustine sees all miracles and prayers as becoming effectual through Christ. However, he believes that Christ uses the means of grace to bring these things to pass. And for St Augustine, the intercessions of saints and the presence of their remains (i.e. relics) qualify as “the means of grace.”