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Analysis of John Cassian's Writings on Unceasing Prayer in Conferences Providence College DigitalCommons@Providence Theology Graduate Theses Theology 2015 Deification In Cassian’s Conferences: Analysis of John Cassian’s writings on unceasing prayer in Conferences Nine and Ten as a description of deification Christina Beu Providence College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.providence.edu/theology_graduate_theses Part of the Religion Commons Beu, Christina, "Deification In Cassian’s Conferences: Analysis of John Cassian’s writings on unceasing prayer in Conferences Nine and Ten as a description of deification" (2015). Theology Graduate Theses. 8. https://digitalcommons.providence.edu/theology_graduate_theses/8 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theology at DigitalCommons@Providence. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theology Graduate Theses by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Providence. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DEIFICATION IN CASSIAN’S CONFERENCES: Analysis of John Cassian’s writings on unceasing prayer in Conferences Nine and Ten as a description of deification by Christina Beu Thesis Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Arts in Theology At Providence College 2015 CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................................................................... v Chapters 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................ 1 2. DEIFICATION ................................................................................................................................................. 5 Early Writers .............................................................................................................................................. 6 Justin Martyr .................................................................................................................................... 6 Irenaeus of Lyons ............................................................................................................................. 8 The Alexandrian Tradition .......................................................................................................................... 10 Clement of Alexandria ..................................................................................................................... 11 Origen ............................................................................................................................................... 11 Athanasius ........................................................................................................................................ 15 Cyril of Alexandria ........................................................................................................................... 15 Early Christian Monastic Tradition ............................................................................................................. 15 Evagrius ........................................................................................................................................... 16 Macarian Writings ............................................................................................................................ 18 After Cassian ............................................................................................................................................... 20 3. BACKGROUND ON CASSIAN ..................................................................................................................... 22 Basics ............................................................................................................................................. 22 Bethlehem ....................................................................................................................................... 23 Egypt .............................................................................................................................................. 24 Egypt Under Persecution ................................................................................................................ 25 Constantinople ................................................................................................................................ 28 Rome .............................................................................................................................................. 29 Southern Gaul ................................................................................................................................. 30 Writings and Lasting Influence ...................................................................................................... 32 Theological Controversies .............................................................................................................. 33 iii 4. THE TEXT ....................................................................................................................................................... 35 Audience ......................................................................................................................................... 36 Important Members of the Audience .............................................................................................. 38 Individual Structure ........................................................................................................................ 39 The Abbas ....................................................................................................................................... 40 Style ................................................................................................................................................ 45 Themes ........................................................................................................................................... 47 Outline of Entire Work ................................................................................................................... 49 5. PRAYER .......................................................................................................................................................... 53 Prayer in the Conferences ........................................................................................................................... 53 Development of Prayer Life ........................................................................................................... 55 Four Kinds of Prayer ...................................................................................................................... 57 Assurance of Being Heard (Answered) .......................................................................................... 58 Unceasing Prayer in Conferences Nine and Ten ......................................................................................... 59 Unceasing Prayer ............................................................................................................................ 60 Purified Prayer ................................................................................................................................ 61 6. THESIS ............................................................................................................................................................ 65 Cassian’s Structure ......................................................................................................................... 66 Progression in Prayer Culminates in Participation ......................................................................... 67 Participation .................................................................................................................................... 70 Deification: Comparing Cassian to Previous Definitions ............................................................... 72 Analysis of Elements ...................................................................................................................... 73 Comparing Cassian’s Use of Elements to His Predecessors .......................................................... 75 7. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................ 77 SOURCES CONSULTED ........................................................................................................................................ 81 iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ANF Ante-Nicene Fathers Series CH Church History Conf Conferences CR Communication Reports CSQ Cistercian Studies Quarterly EEC Encyclopedia of the Early Church EM Encyclopedia of Monasticism ER Encyclopedia of Religion HT History Today Inst Institutes JTS Journal of Theological Studies MS Monastic Studies MT Modern Theology NCE New Catholic Encyclopedia OO Origenianna Octava Pref Preface RR Review for Religious SP Studia patristica SVTQ St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly TODCC The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church trans. translator TT Theology Today VC Vigiliae christianae v Chapter 1: Introduction Beu, 1 Chapter 1: Introduction The aim of this thesis is to analyze John Cassian’s writings on unceasing prayer in Conferences Nine and Ten with the intention to demonstrate that what he describes is a process of deification. Although he never uses the term “deification,” it is
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