{"product_id":"desert-christians-an-introduction-to-the-literature-of-early-monasticism-9780195162233","title":"Desert Christians: An Introduction to the Literature of Early Monasticism","description":"In the fourth century, the deserts of Egypt became the nerve center of a radical new movement, what we now call monasticism. Groups of Christians-from illiterate peasants to learned intellectuals-moved out to the wastelands beyond the Nile Valley and, in the famous words of Saint Athanasius, made the desert a city. In so doing, they captured the imagination of the ancient world. They forged techniques of prayer and asceticism, of discipleship and spiritual direction, that have remained central to Christianity ever since. Seeking to map the soul's long journey to God and plot out the subtle vagaries of the human heart, they created and inspired texts that became classics of Western spirituality. These Desert Christians were also brilliant storytellers, some of Christianity's finest. This book introduces the literature of early monasticism. It examines all the best-known works, including Athanasius' \u003cem\u003eLife of Antony\u003c\/em\u003e, the \u003cem\u003eLives of Pachomius\u003c\/em\u003e, and the so-called \u003cem\u003eSayings of the\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eDesert Fathers\u003c\/em\u003e. Later chapters focus on two pioneers of monastic theology: Evagrius Ponticus, the first great theoretician of Christian mysticism; and John Cassian, who brought Egyptian monasticism to the Latin West. Along the way, readers are introduced to path-breaking discoveries-to new texts and recent archeological finds-that have revolutionized contemporary scholarship on monastic origins. Included are fascinating snippets from papyri and from little-known Coptic, Syriac, and Ethiopic texts. Interspersed in each chapter are illustrations, maps, and diagrams that help readers sort through the key texts and the richly-textured world of early monasticism. Geared to a wide audience and written in clear, jargon-free prose, \u003cem\u003eDesert Christians\u003c\/em\u003e offers the most comprehensive and accessible introduction to early monasticism.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e William Harmless\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Oxford University Press, USA\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/17\/2004\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 512\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.58lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.30h x 6.12w x 1.07d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780195162233\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eChoice\u003c\/i\u003e 04\/01\/2005 pg. 1416\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWilliam Harmless, S.J.\u003c\/strong\u003e is Professor of Theology at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. From 1996 to 2003, he held the Thomas E. Caestecker Chair of the Liberal Arts at Spring Hill College. He has been a member of the Society of Jesus since 1978 and is the author of \u003cem\u003eAugustine and the\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eCatechumenate\u003c\/em\u003e (1995). His research on early monasticism has appeared in the journals \u003cem\u003eTheological Studies\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eChurch History\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eStudia Patristica\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThis title is not returnable\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Oxford University Press, USA","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":40614685376627,"sku":"9.78E+12","price":105.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0555\/9255\/0515\/products\/img_f6226450-38b1-4e38-a0df-36d5b60f1fc1.jpg?v=1670077099","url":"https:\/\/bookstorenmore.com\/products\/desert-christians-an-introduction-to-the-literature-of-early-monasticism-9780195162233","provider":"Bookstore N More","version":"1.0","type":"link"}