Desert Christians: An Introduction to the Literature of Early Monasticism

Evolution of Monastic Vocation: 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. At the height of Christian asceticism in the Middle East, thousands of monks lived in monastic centers in Egypt, Nitria, Kellia, and Sketes in the West Delta, and Pachomian coenobitic communities in Upper Egypt. Later on the monastic practice moved into Palestine, and the Syrian deserts. Some lived in isolated caves, in real seclusion, rarely meeting other humans as did Abba Paul the first hermit. Basing his work on multiple sources, James Goehring, an eminent expert on the evolution of monasticism in Egypt, and a pioneer scholars of early Christianity, has resiliently influenced a new direction in understanding the evolution of monasticism. He carefully examines the whole multiple sources, papyrological documents , traditional literary sources, and archaeological finds, into a clear narrative that infusing the history of Egyptian monasticism with revived energy. Coenobitic Monasticism: Goehring convincingly dismantles some previously regarded scholarship on early Egyptian monasticism, and situates Pachomian monasticism in the midst of the economic and social life of its time. The diversity of Egyptian monasticism, in theology and lifestyle is here demonstrated. Philip Rousseau's careful reading of the available texts reveals that Pachomius's pioneering enterprise has been consistently misread in light of later monastic practices. Rousseau not only provides a fuller and more accurate portrait of this great teacher and spiritual director but also gives a new perspective on the development of monasticism. In a new preface Rousseau reviews the scholarly developments that have modified his views and emphases since the book was published. The result is to make Pachomius an even less assured pioneer, who have been more involved in the village and urban society of his time than previously thought. Early Monastic Literature: Monastic forged techniques of prayer and asceticism, of discipleship and spiritual direction, to serve the core issue of Monastic Schema, the elder prescription for the means a novice needs for his salvation, that have remained central to monastic vocation 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. In so doing, they captured the imagination of the world. These Desert Fathers were also brilliant storytellers, some of Christianity's finest, including Athanasius' Life of Antony, the Lives of Pachomius, and Apophthegmata Patrum, Sayings of the Desert Fathers. Such corpus includes fascinating snippets from papyri and from little-known Coptic, Syri

William Harmless provides an excellent and thorough survey of the desert fathers who founded monasticism in the fourth and fifth centuries in Egypt. He has an evident mastery of the language of the desert and the historical events that influenced the solitary communities therein. Any person interested in monasticism or Egypt's great heritage as the source of monasticism would be well advised to read this book. However, there are some arguments and assumptions in the book that I personally do not accept. For example, Professor Harmless argues that "Life of Antony" was written as a fantastic tale by Saint Athanasius and that Saint Antony did not really establish monasticism. My own survey of the desert fathers leads me to completely opposite conclusions. I can only wonder whether Professor Harmless has an agenda in denying Egypt the honor of being the birthplace of monasticism. Apart from these areas in which Professor Harmless, the work is an invaluable reference for facts and texts concerning the Egyptian desert fathers.

"Harmless states as his purpose: to introduce readers to the literature by and about the desert Christians of the fourth and fifth centuries. ..., although it does achieve 'introductory, status by its accessibility, nevertheless also serves as a resource for more advanced students because of its breadth and level of detail. " R. Krawiec, J. Christian Spirituality Early Monastic Traditions: Monastics 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. In so doing, they captured the imagination of the ancient world. These Desert Fathers were insightful wisdom teachers and brilliant hagiographers, some of early Christianity's finest was contained in Athanasius' Life of Antony, the Lives of Pachomius, and Apophthegmata Patrum, Sayings of the Desert Fathers. Christianity & Early Monasticism: Readers interested in the development of Christianity in Egypt upto its post Chalcedonian emergence into a national Coptic Church will feel a sense of engagement with these pages. Fr. Harmless examines the origins and evolution of Egyptian Christianity and the foundation of monastic communities in their formative years (early fourth century). Tracing histories of early Christianity in Egypt, nothing is more likely that Christianity gained adherents among the messianic Jews of Mariotes, the Therapeutae, a tradition that the author rejects, alleging that Eusebius was confused, rather than his own sources. Catholic writers, generally maintain that it is quite impossible to make any historical continuity between the Therapeutae or, 'the monks of the old law,' as Jerome calls them, and Christian monks of Nitria and Kellia. Although Eusebius, Jerome, Sozomenes, and Cassien, all maintained that the monasteries in Christian Egypt were due to the Therapeutae converts of St. Mark, the preacher of Alexandria. Wisdom of the Desert Fathers: The study of Christian monasticism in the fourth century and beyond is important not only for appreciating the history, theology, and spirituality of this early era, but since these central Christian institutions, Coenobitic and Hermitic Monasticism, that endured in East and West evolved within the Egyptian deserts. Despite this centrality, however, there has not been but few studies of the literature that survived from the formative period of monasticism. William Harmless's Desert Christians is a thorough assessment integrating and updating recent books written to fill this void. Dr. R. Krawiec made a prophetic statement,"Because it does this so well, it will instantly become an indispensable work for anyone interested in ancient Christian monasticism, early Christian history and literature, and indeed the general examination of spiritual impulses that shape religion.

In this book, the author provides an accessible introduction to early Christian monastic literature from Egypt and beyond. He introduces the reader to the major figures and literary texts, as well as offering an up-to-date survey of current questions and scholarship in the field. The text is enhanced by the inclusion of chronologies, maps, outlines, illustrations, and bibliographies. The book will not only serve as a text for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses on early Christianity, the Desert Fathers, and Christian asceticism, but it should stimulate further research by making the fruits of recent scholarship more readily and widely available.

Harmless's book offers the benefits of both an introduction to the Desert Fathers and a reflection on their work and lives. The material is divided up into small pieces and readers can skip directly to the particular parts they wish to use or begin at the front and go all the way through the volume. There is a very large set of notes and bibliography, so the book can be used as a source to find other work in the area and can be the starting point for many projects in the study of ancient Christianity. The only reasons this is not an ideal book to support an introductory course on the Desert Fathers are that it is mostly secondary (Harmless' thoughts and analysis) and that it is too expensive. This is the perfect companion to a serious reading of the ocean of texts from the early desert and no one who is seriously interested in this subject will want to delay in reading it. This will be a classic work and should be on the shelf of every religious library.