The Wisdom of the Desert
The Wisdom of the Desert

Author: Thomas Merton

Publisher: New Directions Publishing

Published: 1970

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 9780811201025

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"The ascetics of Scete and the Thebaid in the Egyptian Desert have been more often admired than known or understood. Translations by such scholars as Helen Waddell have done much to restore the true perspective. This new selection from the Latin 'Sayings of the Fathers' (Verba Seniorum) has been made by Thomas Merton with a special purpose. It is not only a translation and selection, but a new monastic redaction in the spirit of our own time. Merton has felt free, as a monk, to do what generations of monks before him have done. He has made a wholly independent and original use of material which is the traditional basis of Christian monastic spirituality." -- Dust jacket.

The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Author:

Publisher: Liturgical Press

Published: 1975-02-01

Total Pages: 308

ISBN-13: 0879079592

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`Give me a word, Father', visitors to early desert monks asked. The responses of these pioneer ascetics were remembered and in the fourth century written down in Coptic, Syriac, Greek, and later Latin. Their Sayings were collected, in this case in the alphabetical order of the monks and nuns who uttered them, and read by generations of Christians as life-giving words that would help readers along the path to salvation.

The Desert Fathers
The Desert Fathers

Author: Benedicta Ward

Publisher: Penguin UK

Published: 2003-03-27

Total Pages: 261

ISBN-13: 0141907002

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The Desert Fathers were the first Christian monks, living in solitude in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. In contrast to the formalised and official theology of the "founding fathers" of the church, the Desert Fathers were ordinary Christians who chose to renounce the world and live lives of celibacy, fasting, vigil, prayer and poverty in direct and simple response to the gospel. Their sayings were first recorded in the 4th century and consist of spiritual advice, anecdotes and parables. The Desert Fathers' teachings and lives have inspired poetry, opera and art, as well as providing spiritual nourishment and a template for monastic life.

Desert Fathers and Mothers
Desert Fathers and Mothers

Author: Christine Valters Paintner

Publisher: SkyLight Paths Publishing

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 183

ISBN-13: 1594733732

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Timeless and contemplative sayings from the earliest Christian sages of desert spirituality can be a companion on your own spiritual journey. The desert fathers and mothers were ordinary Christians living in solitude in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Arabia who chose to renounce the world in order to deliberately and individually follow God's call. They embraced lives of celibacy, labor, fasting, prayer and poverty, believing that denouncing material goods and practicing stoic self-discipline would lead to unity with the Divine. Their spiritual practice formed the basis of Western monasticism and greatly influenced both Western and Eastern Christianity. Their writings, first recorded in the fourth century, consist of spiritual advice, parables and anecdotes emphasizing the primacy of love and the purity of heart. Focusing on key themes of charity, fortitude, lust, patience, prayer and self-control, the Sayings influenced the rule of St. Benedict and have inspired centuries of opera, poetry and art. This probing and personal SkyLight Illuminations edition opens up their wisdom for readers with no previous knowledge of Western monasticism and early Christianity. It provides insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that describes historical background, explains the practice of asceticism and illustrates how you can use their wisdom to energize your spiritual quest.

Desert Banquet
Desert Banquet

Author: David G. R. Keller

Publisher: Liturgical Press

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 0814633870

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The wisdom of the desert fathers and mothers lies in their experiences of solitude, prayer, community life, work, and care for their neighbors. Their goal was transformation of their lives through openness to the presence and energy of God in Christ. They taught by example and by sharing narratives and sayings that reflect the deep human psychological and spiritual aspects of their journey toward authentic human life. The venue for their transformation was the whole person 'body, mind, and spirit. They emphasized self-knowledge, humility, purity of heart, and love of God and neighbor. Far from being naïve, their sayings and narratives reflect honest struggles, temptations, and failures. They also demonstrate the disciplines of prayer and meditation that kept them centered in God as their only source of strength. The daily reflections in Desert Banquet introduce readers to a variety of these early Christian mentors and offer reflections on the significance of their wisdom for life in the twenty-first century. David G. R.Keller, an Episcopal priest, is adjunct professor of ascetical theology at the General Theological Seminary in New York City. He is co-steward, with his wife, Emily Wilmer, of Oasis of Wisdom: An Institute for Contemplative Study, Practice, and Living based in Asheville, North Carolina (www.oasisofwisdom.net). He is the author of Oasis of Wisdom: The Worlds of the Desert Fathers and Mothers (Liturgical Press) and Come and See: The Transformation of Personal Prayer (Morehouse Publishing).

The Wisdom of the Desert
The Wisdom of the Desert

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1974

Total Pages: 104

ISBN-13:

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Thomas Mertons affection for the spiritual nonconformists who once inhabited the deserts of the Near East shines through in these much-loved short tales of their acts and words of wisdom. Mertons free translation from the Latin sources presents their radical lives with humour and insight, relating them to Zen recluses, Hindu renunciates and all those who have ever fled conventional life in search of higher wisdom.

Eternal Wisdom from the Desert
Eternal Wisdom from the Desert

Author: Henry L. Carrigan

Publisher: Paraclete Press (MA)

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 116

ISBN-13: 9781557252838

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In the fourth century, thousands of men and women fled into the Egyptian desert seeking to recapture the passion of the earliest Christians through lives of prayer and solitude. As records of the wisdom and purity of the "desert fathers and mothers" spread through the Roman Empire, Christians streamed to the caves of these desert hermits, seeking counsel on the interior life. The hermits' ascetic practices and wise words were a shining witness to a living faith that could be woven into the fabric of daily life. This volume contains Athanasius' famous The Life of St. Anthony, St. Jerome's The Life of Paul the Hermit, and the collected sayings of many of the desert fathers. Encouraging humility, patience, prayer, introspection, and love, the desert fathers and mothers teach today's believers that deep contemplative practice opens the door to eternal wisdom for daily life.

In God's Holy Light
In God's Holy Light

Author: Joan Chittister, OSB

Publisher: Franciscan Media

Published: 2015-09-25

Total Pages: 116

ISBN-13: 1616368322

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The Desert Monastics, thousands of monks and nuns who lived in the Egyptian wastelands between the third and fifth centuries, have come to be seen as the Olympians of the spiritual life. Renowned spiritual writer Joan Chittister explores the sayings of the Desert Mothers and Fathers, finding wisdom from that ancient tradition that speaks to your life today. This popular introduction to a powerful source of Christian wisdom can be a companion to your own spiritual journey.

Silence and Honey Cakes
Silence and Honey Cakes

Author: Rowan Williams

Publisher: Lion Books

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780745951706

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The Archbishop of Canterbury explores the lessons we can learn from the wisdom and spirituality of the desert fathers.