A Word from Bob: You’re reading Part 4 of a four-part blog mini-series on The Forgotten Church Mothers. When we ponder early church history, our minds naturally focus on the Church Fathers. Sadly, we normally fail even to consider the Church Mothers. In our modern Western Evangelical world, where the worth and role of women is often debated—and demeaned—it is helpful to learn from church history. These posts are taken from my book, Sacred Friendships: Celebrating the Legacy of Women Heroes of the Faith. You can read Part 1 here: Mothers of the Church Fathers. You can read Part 2 here: Lamenting Loss, Gripping Grace. You can read Part 3 here: Mingling Spiritual Friendship & Spiritual Direction.
The Lasting Legacy of Macrina the Elder
Macrina the Elder (270-340) learned the Christian life in the school of suffering.
She was born sometime near 270 AD in Neocaesarea in Pontus (Asia Minor). During the persecution of Diocletian, Macrina fled the city with her husband and they lived in hiding in a forest near Pontus for seven years, nearly starving several times.
Macrina’s family members are unique in the history of Christianity. Her grandsons, Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa, both Church
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