Early Monasticism and Classical Paideia First Phase 2009-2012

Early Monasticism and Classical Paideia first phase 2009-2012

Early Monasticism and Classical Paideia

Monasticism has played a major role in European terial and literary models with the help of a variety history, especially for education and literature, and of perspectives and methods. Reports from archaeo- been a decisive factor in the formation of Christian logical excavations, as well as papyrological publica- culture. Its emergence has, however, been seen as a tions, are revisited in search for material neglected break with classical education. In spite of the fact or interpreted against a preconceived background that monasteries have been centres of education of monastic rusticity. Bridging the gap between the throughout the centuries, the role of early monas- Late antique city and the monastery the program also ticism in the transmission and transformation of develops new links between the fields of Classical classical culture, has received little attention. On the and Theological studies. basis of new discoveries and unresearched sources the program investigates how early monasticism can be understood in continuity with the paideia of Late Antiquity, in particular the philosophical schools.

On the basis of a theory of continuity with and transformation of the classical heritage the program investigates texts and other material, primarily from Egypt and Palestine. Central to the program are the collections of apophthegmata, or sayings, of the early monastic tradition. A dynamic and comprehensive database of these is part of the program, and critical editions of selected Greek, Syriac and Arabic collections are planned. The apophthegmata, as well as texts by important monastic authors from the region, are analyzed in relation to classical educational ma- Mar Saba monastery in the Judean desert

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The first three years of the research program have including the Latin West. In several areas new results made it manifest that the topic selected for the have been gained and we firmly believe that the program and the aspects chosen in the original plan, research program when finished will have changed as well as the theoretical framework and suggested our understanding of the educational aspect of early methods, are well founded. The original overarching monasticism and its relation to classical paideia. We hypothesis that there is strong continuity in the area are also certain that the research program will result of education between the non-Christian classical tra- in a major re-evaluation of the most important source dition as manifested in the schools of Late Antiquity material, the Apophthegmata Patrum, and we hope and the early monastic tradition in its various forms, that we at the end will also have contributed substan- has been confirmed. The theoretical framework in tially in the development of methods for research on which early monasticism, and more generally early early monastic material. Christianity, is considered as part of the Hellenistic cultural heritage, has proven useful in discovering The research program has gained wide internatio- unnoticed elements of continuity. Our focus on the nal interest and recognition and the research team use, rather than origin, of intellectual traditions and has been actively involved in a significant number texts has helped in uncovering the survival as well of international conferences. International experts as transformation of classical paideia in the monastic have contributed to the regular internal workshops tradition, in particular in the East. of the program. The program has also arranged one As part of our research new questions have arisen symposium in collaboration with the Institute of and new material has been added. Advanced Studies at Hebrew University and is this year arranging one symposium in collaboration with Although our focus on the traditions of the East, the research program Ars Edendi at Stockholm Uni- and in particular the Gazan, Egyptian-Palestinian versity and the EU-funded project Sharing Ancient connection remains, it has become evident that Wisdoms at King’s College, London. we need to also adress material from other areas,

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Research group:

Project director: Research assistants:

Samuel Rubenson, Claes Dahlman, Professor of Church History, M.Phil, Classics, Lund University Lund University

Researchers: Benjamin Ekman, M.Phil, Church History, Britt Dahlman, Lund University PhD, Greek, Lund University Invited guest scholars:

Bo Holmberg, Elin Andersson, Professor in Semitic Languages, PhD, Latin, Lund University Stockholm University (March 2012 - )

Henrik Rydell Johnsén, Chiara Faraggiana di Sarzana, ThD, Church History, Assistant Professor, Lund University Università di Bologna (Jan. - March 2011)

Lillian Larsen, Associate Professor, University of Redlands

Per Rönnegård, ThD, New Testament, Lund University (on leave from 2010)

David Westberg, PhD, Greek, Uppsala University

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Studies in unedited Greek collections of the Apophthegmata Patrum

Britt Dahlman

The aim of this project is to study and produce critical It has also become evident that the two collections editions of parts of some of the little known and studied give us much information not only about the ignored Greek collections of the Apophthegmata relationship with other hagiographical works, but Patrum, in order to prove the inadequacy of many also about the textual transmission of other AP col- of the presuppositions that have governed research lections, and about monastic scholarship in general. on and editions of much of early monastic florilegia. This is also confirmed by two minor studies on the The texts that were in particular considered to be in so called “Sabaitic” collection, and the Georgian need of editing were the Greek Vita Pauli Thebani, versions. These two have much unique material in which is part of the so called Collectio Scorialensis common, material also found in the Scor. parva and parva (mss. Scorialensis R.II.1 and Parisinus gr. 919), the alpha.-anon. deriv. collections. Such material is and the anonymous series of the so called alph.-anon. crucial for understanding the formations of different deriv. collection. collections and the stages of transmission within a collection. It has thus been decided to focus on a ge- Work on the two main manuscripts has, however, neral analysis of the contents of the so called derivata proven the importance of the entire Scor. parva col- collections and not to attempt to edit any part of the lection for the textual history of many significant so called alph.-anon. deriv. early monastic hagiographical works. Along with other texts the collection contain stories also found Concordances of a number of important mss have in the Historia Lausiaca, the Historia Monachorum in been inserted into the database as has transcriptions Aegypto, and the Pratum Spirituale by John Moschos, of parts of the mss containing the Scor. parva collec- which are transmitted in ancient redactions. A couple tion, as well as parts of the ms. Protaton 86 which is of texts attributed to the most prominent names in used for the bilingual, Greek-Swedish edition of the the collection, have been studied in detail, and the systematic collection. conclusion drawn that an edition should be made of the whole Scor. parva collection.

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Bibliography: Presentations and participation in conferences:

“Georgiska versioner av Apophthegmata Patrum”, in: Vetenskapssocieteten i Lund. Årsbok 2009 (Lund, May 2009: Presentation of the research programme 2009), 5–13. Early Monasticism and Classical Paideia [in Swedish] at the Seventh Swedish Congress of Philology in (ed. with Per Rönnegård) Paradiset. Ökenfädernas Stockholm. tänkespråk. Den systematiska samlingen III. Om botfärdigheten, Silentium Apophthegmata 3 (Sture- October 2009: Participation in A Nordic research fors, 2011). seminar on “Asceticism in Early Christianity” organized by the Nordic Network for the Study of Early “The Sabaitic Collection of the Apophthegmata Christianity in its Graeco-Roman Context, Lund. Patrum”, in Denis Searby, Ewa Balicka Witakowska & Johan Heldt (eds), ΔΩΡΟΝ ΡΟΔΟΠΟΙΚΙΛΟΝ: February 2010: “The Sabaitic Collection of the Apo- Studies in Honour of Jan Olof Rosenqvist, Acta Uni- phthegmata Patrum”. Education and Literary Produc- versitatis Upsaliensis. Studia Byzantina Upsaliensia tion in Early Palestinian Monasticism, Jerusalem. 12 (Uppsala, 2012), 133–146. August 2011: “The Collectio Scorialensis Parva: an “The Collectio Scorialensis Parva: an Alphabetical Col- Alphabetical Collection of Old Apophthegmatic and lection of Old Apophthegmatic and Hagiographic Ma- Hagiographic Material”. Sixteeenth International terial”, in Samuel Rubenson & Markus Vinzent (eds.), Conference of Patristic Studies, Oxford. Early Monasticism and Classical Paideia, in Studia Patristica (Leuven: Peeters, 2012) (forthcoming). November 2011: “The Transmission of Greek Col- lections of the Apophthegmata Patrum”. Annual (ed. with Per Rönnegård) Paradiset. Ökenfädernas Meeting of the Society for Biblical Literature, San tänkespråk. Den systematiska samlingen IV. Om Fransisco, CA. självbehärskningen, inte bara i fråga om mat, utan även de andra böjelserna, Silentium Apophthegmata May 2012: Participation at the Eighth Swedish Con- 4 (Sturefors, 2012) (forthcoming). gress of Philology in Uppsala.

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Analysis of the Syriac, Arabic and Ethiopic collections of the Apophthegmata Patrum

Bo Holmberg and Samuel Rubenson

The aim of this project is to analyze the little known mata in the ms. has been finished and inserted into Syriac, Arabic and Ethiopic versions of the Apopht- the database. A publication of the Syriac text with an hegmata Patrum, and to prepare for editions of some English translation is planned, but the content and of the most important witnesses. Work has con- format of the publication depends upon the survey centrated on the most important part, the Syriac. A of the other mss. The identification of parallels to the survey of early mss. containing collections of apopht- ca. 470 pieces included has proven that the collec- hegmata have been made, and complete concordan- tion is independent of any known collection, and only ces of three sixth century mss. have been prepared distantly related to the published Syriac collection, and inserted into the database. From this survey it which is based on much later mss. has become evident that a major issue for the study of the transmission of the Syriac AP is to identify what As to the Arabic and Ethiopic tradition a preliminary other monastic texts appear in the context of the say- survey has been published. The only Arabic version ings. This seems especially important when looking that has yet been studied and edited, although in an at the transmission of the sayings from one cultural unpublished dissertation, is being inserted into the and linguistic context to another. database. The two most important Ethiopic collections have also been inserted into the database Among the earliest Syriac mss., the ms Sinai Syriac 46 and included in its reference system. In order to has been singled out as the most important point of promote the work on the large and very complicated departure. The manuscript in its original form, that Arabic material an international expert, Dr. Jason is including the folios now in a Milan ms, contains Zaborowski, has been invited as guest scholar for the a large collection of apophthegmata, hagiographical academic year 2013-2014. For the Ethiopic material a stories from the Historia Lausiaca and the Historia cooperation with the research project on Ethiopian Monachorum, as well as texts attributed to Evagrius monasticism run by Dr. Witold Witakowski is under of Pontus. A transcription of the series of apophtheg- its way.

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Syriac manuscript, Monastery of St. Mark, Jerusalem Samuel Rubenson and Bo Holmberg conversing with Father Simon in the library of the Monastery of St. Mark, Jerusalem

The development of the database has gradually changed not only the conditions, but also the possibilities available for producing and publishing results in the area of textual transmission of the apophthegmata. This is in particular true for this project where pre- vious work and editions are almost non-existant.

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Bibliography: “Athanasius und Antonius”, in Peter Gemeinhart (ed), Athanasius Handbuch (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2011), 141–145. Bo Holmberg: “Education and Learning in the Context of Early “Antony and Ammonas. Conflicting or Common Tradi- Islam.” Patristica Nordica Annuaria 26 (2011): 19-36. tion in Early Egyptian Monasticism”, in D Bumazhnov et al (eds), Bibel, Byzanz und Christlicher Orient. “Moberg, Axel (1872-1955)”, in Gorgias Encyclopedic Festsschrift für Stephan Gerö, Orientalia Christiana Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage, edited by Brock, Analecta 187 (Leuven: Peeters, 2011), 185–201. Sebastian P., Aaron M. Butts, George A. Kiraz, and Lucas Van Rompay, 293 (Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias “The Apophthegmata Patrum in Syriac, Arabic and Press, 2011). Ethiopic. Status Questionis”, in Actes du 10e Sym- posium Syriacum in Parole de l’Orient 36 (2011), “The Syriac Collection of the Apophtegmata Patrum 319–328. in MS Sin. syr. 46”, in Samuel Rubenson & Markus Vinzent (eds.), Early Monasticism and Classical “Monasticism and the Philosophical Heritage”, in . S. Paideia, in Studia Patristica (Leuven: Peeters, 2012) Johnson (ed), Oxford Handbook of Late Antiquity (forthcoming). (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012) (forthcoming). Samuel Rubenson: “‘As Already Translated to the Kingdom While Still “Mönchtum”, art. in Reallexikon für Antike und in the Body’ The Transformation of the Ascetic in Christentum, Band 24 (Stuttgart: Hiersemann, 2012) Early Egyptian Monasticism”, in Turid Karlsen Seim & (forthcoming). Jorunn Økland (eds) Metamorphoses Resurrection, Body and Transformative Practices in Early Christia- “Apologetics of Asceticism. The Life of Antony and nity (Berlin: de Gruyter, 2009), 271–289. its political context”, in B. Leyerle & R.D. Young, Ascetic Culture: Essays in Honor of Philip Rousseau “Power and politics of poverty in early monasti- (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2012) cism”, in Geoffrey D. Dunn, David Luckensmeyer, and (forthcoming). Lawrence Cross (eds), Prayer and Spirituality in the Early Church. Poverty and Riches, (Strathfield: Cen- “The Formation and Reformations of the Sayings of tre for Early Christian Studies, 2009), 91–110. the Desert Fathers” in Samuel Rubenson & Markus Vinzent (eds.), Early Monasticism and Classical “Det gyllene Athen. Vältalighetens lockelse och bild- Paideia, in Studia Patristica (Leuven: Peeters, 2012) ningens förförelse i den tidiga kyrkan” in M. Ahlqvist, (forthcoming) . A M Laato, M. Lindqvist (eds), Flumen saxosum sonans. Studia in honorem Gunnar af Hällström (Åbo Akademi förlag, 2010), 211-226.

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Presentations and nuscripts from the 6th century”. The Eleventh Sympo- participation in conferences: sium Syriacum, Valetta, Malta.

July 2012: The Ninth International Conference on Bo Holmberg: Christian Arabic, Valetta, Malta. March 2009: Research trip to Damascus, Syria. One of the purposes of this trip was to try to find evidence of Samuel Rubenson: the Umayyad secretary Abd al-Hamid´s literary acti- June 2009: Joint paper with Lillian Larsen: “Early Mo- vities in the area in the first half of the eighth century nasticism and the Classical Heritage.” International and its role in the legacy of paideia in late antiquity. Symposium on Orthodoxy and Innovation in the Greek Speaking World. University of Copenhagen – Copen- February 2010: “The Apophthegmata Patrum in hagen, Denmark. Syriac”. Education and Literary Production in Early Palestinian Monasticism, Jerusalem. February 2010: “Athens and Jerusalem: The Problem of Literacy and Truth in Early Christianity”. Education and August 2010: Tenth Conference for Nordic scholars Literary Production in Early Palestinian Monasticism, in Semitic Studies, Kivik, Sweden. Paper on Syriac Jerusalem. manuscripts. January 2011: “Klosterväsendet och den antika August 2011: “The Syriac Collection of Apophthegmata bildningen”, Presentation at the The Royal Swedish Patrum”. Sixteeenth International Conference of Patri- Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities. stic Studies, Oxford. August 2011: “The Formation and Reformations of the November 2011: “The Syriac Collections of Apopht- Sayings of the Desert Fathers”. Sixteeenth Internatio- hegmata Patrum in 6th-century Manuscripts”. Annual nal Conference of Patristic Studies, Oxford. Meeting of the Society for Biblical Literature, San Fransisco, CA. November 2011: “Introduction and presentation of central issues in the project”. Annual Meeting of the January 2012: Research Conference at the The Royal Society for Biblical Literature, San Fransisco, CA. Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities. January 2012: “Early Monasticism and Classical Pai- April 2012: “The early Christian-Muslim debate as deia”. Lecture at University of Göttingen. a literary genre.” Research Seminar of the Nordic Network for the Religious Roots of Europe, Tallinn, April 2012: “A Database of the Apophthegmata Pat- Estonia. rum”. Methods and means for digital analysis of classical and medieval texts and manuscripts, Workshop July 2012: “The Apophtegmata Patrum in Syriac Ma- Leuven & Brussels.

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The Role of the Apophthegmata Patrum in Teaching, Transmitting and Trans- forming School and Civic Rhetoric

Lillian Larsen

The aim of the project is to explore the role accorded the first phase of research, a rich range of monastic apophthegmatic content in teaching, transmitting, pedagogical material, much of which has historically and transforming school and civic rhetoric. In its been deemed ‘anomalous’, has been collected and first phase, this project’s focus is one of locating analyzed. Common protocols that link this monastic and re-examining papyrological and archaeological material with characteristics routinely encountered evidence that documents the general use of sayings in Graeco-Roman schooltexts have been identi- in ancient education. Within this frame, reading fied. From this, a concrete framework that corrects material that is identifiably monastic in light of a foundational mis-conceptions of early monastic dis- wider array of school texts has been central. Like- investment in literate education has been established. wise, particular focus has been placed on identifying school texts and artifacts that may have originated in As the second phase of research commences, preli- a monastic milieu but have not been so attributed on minary experimentation with situating monastic account of ideological presuppositions of monastic sayings within this alternate pedagogical frame has rusticity, and/or derivative perceptions of monastic yielded promising results. Clear patterns of common indifference to educational pursuits. The goal of the motifs continue to emerge. Over the next three years, second phase of research will be to apply these initial further analysis of texts included in published and research results in exploring the application and unpublished collections of monastic apophthegmata adaptation of Classical and Graeco-Roman pedagogi- will afford opportunity to test, refine, apply, and -ex cal strategies in published and unpublished collec- pand early conclusions. As importantly, recognition tions of monastic apophthegmata. of common and divergent motifs will support groun- ded re-analysis of the degree to which emergent Thus far, the project has largely progressed accor- monastic practice re-shaped established pedagogies, ding to plan. However, the return on initial research and/or turned them to new ends. investments has exceeded expectations. During

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Bibliography: “Education: Early Church” in Julia O’Brien, et al (eds.), Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Gender Studies (New York: Oxford University Press) (forth- “On Learning a New Alphabet... Using Classical coming). Models: The Sayings of the Desert Fathers and the Monostichs of Menander” in Samuel Rubenson & Presentations and Markus Vinzent (eds.), Early Monasticism and Clas- participation in conferences: sical Paideia, in Studia Patristica (Leuven: Peeters, 2012) (forthcoming). March 2009: “Implementing SILAS: Exploring the Fu- (with Alysa King and Diana Sinton). “The Spatially ture of Using GIS to Study the Past.” Meeting of the Interactive Literature Analysis System Study Tool: Association of American Geographers. Las Vegas. a GIS classroom tool for interpreting history.” Inter- national Journal of Applied Geospatial Research 3 June 2009: Joint paper with Samuel Rubenson: “Early (2012) (forthcoming). Monasticism and the Classical Heritage.” Internatio- nal Symposium on Orthodoxy and Innovation in the “Meals and Monastic Identity” in Matthias Klinghardt Greek Speaking World. University of Copenhagen – (ed.), Meals and Religious Identity. Texte und Arbei- Copenhagen, Denmark. ten zum Neutestamentlichen Zeitalter (Tübingen: A. Francke, 2012) (forthcoming). November 2009: “Reading the Body: Community as Rhetorical Register.” Invited Paper. Meeting of the “Resisting a Reclining Culture” in Dennis Smith and Society of Biblical Literature. New Orleans. Hal Taussig (eds.), Social Conflict, Experimentation and Formation at the Meal. Meals in the Greco- November 2009: “Resisting a Reclining Culture.” Roman World 1 (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012) Invited Paper. Meeting of the Society of Biblical (forthcoming). Literature. New Orleans.

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February 2010: “The Grammar of Monasticism”. Edu- August 2011: ”The Sayings of the Desert Fathers and cation and Literary Production in Early Palestinian the Monostichs of Menander”. Sixteeenth Internatio- Monasticism, Jerusalem. nal Conference of Patristic Studies, Oxford.

April 2010: “Paul in Paradise: The Late Antique Lega- October 2011: “Exploring Ancient Landscapes th- cy of the Apostle.” Reimagining Pauline Legacies. rough the ‘LENS’ of GIS.” Applied Geography Confe- Invited Paper. Center for Jewish Studies. Baylor rence. Redlands. University – Texas. November 2011: “Monasteries as Schools”. Annual April 2010: (with Jessica Jones). “Epistolary Ex- Meeting of the Society for Biblical Literature, San change: Using Letters as a Tool for Exploring Late Fransisco, CA. Ancient Landscapes.” Invited Paper. Meeting of the AAG. Washington, D.C. February 2012: “Cartographic ‘Re’-Presentation: Maps as Discrete Refractions of Ancient Texts.” Mee- May 2010: “A Grammar of Monasticism.” The Small ting of the Association of American Geographers. World of Late Antiquity, Uppsala. New York .

November 2010: “Monks, Meals and Meanings.” July 2012: “Education and Egyptian Monasticism.” Invited Paper. Meeting of the Society of Biblical Invited Paper. St. Shenouda Conference of Coptic Literature. Atlanta. Studies, University of California, Los Angeles.

June 2011: “Meals and Monastic Identity.” Invited Paper. Meals and Religious Identity – Conference, Technical University, Dresden.

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Lund, University Library, Medeltidshandskrift 54. This manuscript from the middle of the 11th century contains fragments of the sys- tematical collection (stage b3 or c) of the Apophthegmata Patrum.

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Ancient Philosophy and the making of monastic formation

Henrik Rydell Johnsén

THE AIM OF THE PROJECT is to investigate how traditions Apart from reading practices it has also proven to of ancient philosophy were transmitted and transfor- be fruitful to look at other actual practices such as med in early Egyptian and Palestinian monasticism. meletē/meditatio in philosophical traditions, in rela- The project is focused on monastic formation and tion to the monastic practice of the so-called “Jesus pedagogical patterns in this respect, and looks at prayer”. Models that help to explain more generally early monastic reading practices and early monastic how the classical heritage has been used and trans- pedagogical patterns of passions, as well as virtues. formed, have also been projected.

Initial studies of certain patterns of passions and THE HYPOTHESIS OF a dependency between monasticism patterns of virtues, as well as reading practices, have and the ancient philosophical schools has to a large demonstrated the fruitfulness of elaborating these extent been confirmed so far. A dependency has even studies further in relation to particular passions and been observed to a far greater extent than surmised, virtues. They have also revealed the value of exten- e.g. in relation to ideals of withdrawal, hesychia, and ding the work to virtues and to features not in the obedience, and even in areas where a dependency original plan, such as withdrawal and obedience. was not expected to be found, e.g. concerning virtues These forthcoming studies will be of importance not like humility and self-criticism. The dependency that just in order to investigate a dependency on ancient the project was intended to explore seems, thus, to be philosophical traditions and schools, but also to il- even deeper and more encompassing than expected. lustrate how this heritage has been transformed and adapted to a new Christian and monastic audience.

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Bibliography: October, 2009: Chair: Asceticism in Early Christia- nity: a Nordic research seminar organized by the Nordic Network for the Study of Early Christianity in “Dödssyndernas genealogi: Evagrios Pontikos åtta its Graeco-Roman Context, Lund University. onda grundtankar och det antika arvet”, in M. Lind- stedt Cronberg & C. Stenqvist, (red.), Dygder och January 2010: Project presentation: Forum for Patri- laster: Förmoderna perspektiv på tillvaron (Nordic stik, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Academic Press: Lund, 2010), 23-38. February 2010: “The Coenobitic Turn: Monastic “Practice of the Jesus Prayer in Early Christian Formation and the Legacy of the Fathers in Gaza and Monasticism and Meditation in Greco-Roman Philo- Sinai”. Education and Literary Production in Early sophy,” in Halvor Eifring, ed., Meditation in Judaism, Palestinian Monasticism, Jerusalem. Christianity and Islam: Cultural Histories (London: Continuum) (forthcoming). March 2010: “Från Platon till öknens kloster: Evagrios Pontikos åtta lidelser och det antika arvet”. Invited “Renunciation, Reorientation, and Guidance: patterns Paper. Dygder & odygder, Höör. in Early Monasticism and Ancient Philosophy”, in Samuel Rubenson & Markus Vinzent (eds.), Early Mo- May 2010: “Practice of the Jesus Prayer in Early nasticism and Classical Paideia, in Studia Patristica Christian Monasticism and the Matrix of Philo- (Leuven: Peeters, 2012) (forthcoming). sophical Meditation”. Invited Paper. Conference on Cultural Histories of Meditation: Practice and Interpretation in a Global Perspective, Halvorsbøle, Presentations and Jevnaker, Norway. participation in conferences: August 2010: “Renunciation, Guidance and Confes- sion in Early Monasticism and Ancient Philosophy”. May 2009: Paper: “The formation of the Monk: Sixteeenth International Conference of Patristic Evagrius Ponticus, Plato and the eight generic vices”. Studies, Oxford. Constructing religious identities: Space and texts in the Pagan and early Christian Near East, AD 100-400, November 2011: “Monasticism and Ancient Philo- Aarhus University, Denmark. sophy”. Annual Meeting of the Society for Biblical Literature, San Fransisco, CA.

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Rhetorical interchange and literary topography in Late Antique Palestine

David Westberg

The aim of the project is to investigate works within way confirms the programme’s basic hypothesis: that various ’monastic’ genres such as church history, there is an artificial divide between the ’learned’ and polemical literature, and hagiography as consciously the ’monastic’ cultures of Late Antiquity. Classicists crafted pieces of literature. The focus is primarily working within the same chronological period and on the uses of rhetoric in these texts, and on their even the same region as theologians, pose very dif- relations to the sophistic, more explicitly rhetorical ferent questions, and refer to very different ancient works of the same period. The investigation also authors in spite of the fact that they were contem- involves a discussion on the authors’ intellectual poraries and even sometimes closely related to one networks and of their views on culture and education another. This is striking, and in order to bridge the as they emerge in the texts. The project will result in a gap fresh theoretical outlines must be drawn. monograph with the same working title as the project. This means that the original idea of mapping rhetori- Substantial work has been done on the rhetorical cal features within monastic literature on the basis of strategies employed in Epiphanius of Salamis’ Pana- genre and style must be supplemented with a heavier rion and, as a presentation for a workshop on apo- – and thornier – theoretical discussion about culture phthegmata, work has begun on Dorotheus of Gaza. and identity as they are revealed in the literary ex- Presentations of ongoing work at conferences and pressions of monastic and sophistic authors. Though symposia has resulted in the establishment of fruitful still firmly established in rhetorical and philological contacts with different scholars who take an interest analysis, the focus has thus shifted slightly from in interdisciplinary historical and literary research. rhetorical figures to rhetorical concepts as they can be found in ’monastic’ authors. The original ’rhetori- The work on individual authors and texts has led to cal perspective’ on monastic texts has thus gradually a gradual adjustment to the theoretical premises evolved into what might be called a form of rhetori- and positions. One fundamental observation is that cal archaeology, investigating layers of signification modern scholarly paradigms of classicists and theo- in technical terminology and in the analogies and logians are further apart than expected, which in a metaphors that we find in these texts.

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Presentations and Bibliography: participation in conferences:

“The Rite of Spring: Erotic Celebration in the November 2008: “Rhetorical Choricius”, The Small World Dialexeis and Ethopoiiai of Procopius of Gaza”, in Tradition and Canonisation of Late Antiquity: Exploring I. Nilsson (ed.), Plotting with Eros: Essays on the in Late Antique Gaza”, The Scholarly Cultures and Poetics of Love and the Erotics of Reading (Copen- Greco-Roman Rhetorical Personal Networks in the hagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, 2009), 187-211. Tradition, arranged by the Eastern Mediterranean of Nordic Network for the the Fourth to Sixth Centu- Review of Robert J. Penella (ed.), Rhetorical Exerci- History of Rhetoric, Univer- ries. ses from Late Antiquity: A Translation of Choricius sity of Southern Denmark, of Gaza’s Preliminary Talks and Declamations Kolding. August 2011: “Rhetorical (Cambridge, 2009), Rhetorical Review 8:2 (2010), Exegesis in Procopius of 7-11. November 2009: “Sophists Gaza”. Sixteeenth Internatio- and society c. 500 AD”, New nal Conference of Patristic Celebrating with Words: Studies in the Rhetorical Nordic Research on the His- Studies, Oxford. Works of the Gaza School (unpublished doctoral tory of Rhetoric, arranged by diss., Uppsala, 2010), 225 pp. the Nordic Network for the November 2011: “The rhetoric History of Rhetoric, Uni- of early Palestinian monasti- Review of Eugenio Amato (ed.), Rose di Gaza. Gli versity College of Skövde, cism: Classical paideia in the scritti retorico-sofistici e le Epistole di Procopio di Skövde. wilderness”, Gustav Karlsson Gaza (Alessandria, 2010), The Classical Review 62:1 lecture at the Swedish Insti- (2012), 132-5. February 2010: “Classical tute at Athens, Athens. and Christian paideia in the “A Rose-Bearing Bough of Piety: Literary Per- Rhetorical School of Gaza”. November 2011: “Literary spectives on the Life of Theodore of Sykeon”, in Education and Literary Pro- Topography and Cultural Me- D. Searby–J. Heldt–E. Balicka-Witakowska (eds.), duction in Early Palestinian mory in Palestinian Monasti- ΔΩΡΟΝ ΡΟΔΟΠΟΙΚΙΛΟΝ: Studies in Honour of Monasticism, Jerusalem. cism”. Annual Meeting of the Jan Olof Rosenqvist (Uppsala, 2012), 239–49. Society for Biblical Litera- March 2010: “Att inviga de ture, San Fransisco, CA. “Platonic Mimesis and Rhetorical Sensation in Cho- unga i de gamles mysterier. ricius of Gaza”, in R. Fowler (ed.), Plato in the Third Synen på kristna och klas- December 2011: “Ekphrasis, Sophistic (Berlin: de Gruyter) (forthcoming). siska bildningsideal i senanti- Memoria and Prayer: Issues ken”, The Classical Society, of Rhetoric and Mental Re- “Rhetorical Exegesis in Procopius of Gaza’s Com- Stockholm University. presentation in Late Antique mentary on Genesis” in S. Rubenson & Markus Monasticism”, the conferen- Vinzent (eds.), Early Monasticism and Classical May 2010: “In the Middle of ce Neoplatonism and Early Paideia, in Studia Patristica (Leuven: Peeters, 2012) Paradigms: Strategies of Christianity, Stockholm (forthcoming). Rhetorical Adaptation in University, Stockholm.

19 Early Monasticism and Classical Paideia

The integration of the Bible into classical ideals of education

Per Rönnegård

The aim of the project is to study the use of the Bible as a category in ancient rhetoric. The project has also in the AP and other early monastic material and left the research team with a valuable analysis of the compare this usage with how authorities are used in use of Biblical material in one important monastic non-Christian apophthegmata-collections. The pro- author, as well as the parallel use of the Apophthegh- ject was abrogated in June 2010 due to the researcher mata Patrum in the same author. This material is leaving the program for other work. It has resulted in available for use by other scholars in the research one forthcoming publication on a central feature of program. The basic ideas and assumptions behind the use of the Bible in early monasticism, a practice the project are also taken up by other members of the called meletē, and how this practice relates to meletē research team.

Bibliography: botfärdigheten Silentium Apophthegmata 3, (Sture- fors: Silentium, 2011).

(ed. with Samuel Rubenson) Paradiset: Ökenfädernas (ed. with Britt Dahlman) Paradiset. Ökenfädernas tänkespråk, den systematiska samlingen. Vol I, De heliga tänkespråk, den systematiska samlingen. Vol IV, Om fädernas råd för den som söker fullkomlighet. Silentium självbehärskningen, inte bara i fråga om mat, utan Apophthegmata 1, (Sturefors: Silentium, 2009). även de andra böjelserna Silentium Apophthegmata 4, (Sturefors: Silentium, forthcoming 2012). (ed. with Samuel Rubenson) Paradiset: Ökenfädernas tänkespråk, den systematiska samlingen. Vol II, Om “Melétē in Early Christian Ascetic Texts”, in Halvor nödvändigheten av att hängivet sträva efter stillheten Eifring, ed., Meditation in Judaism, Christianity and Silentium Apophthegmata 2, (Sturefors: Silentium, 2010). Islam: Cultural Histories (London: Continuum) (forthcoming). “The Use of Scripture in Apopthegmata Patrum in Light of the Ergasia Pattern”, in J. Baun, A. Cameron, Presentations and M. Edwards & M. Vinzent, (eds.), Studia Patristica 45, Participation at conferences (Leuven: Peeters, 2010), 35‒42. February 2010: “Meditation and the Bible in the Letters (ed. with Britt Dahlman) Paradiset: Ökenfädernas of Barsanuphius and John”. Education and Literary Pro- tänkespråk, den systematiska samlingen. Vol III, Om duction in Early Palestinian Monasticism, Jerusalem.

20 Early Monasticism and Classical Paideia

The Apophthegmata Patrum Database (APDB)

During the first year of the research program it was feature of the database, that it does not only work as realized that a database of the transmission of the an archive from which material can be retrieved, but Apophthegmata Patrum, a material of major im- also as a personalized tool to test interpretations and portance to all projects and central to at least two hypotheses during work on manuscripts and text- of them, would be of great value. The complexity transmission, is now being tested. The database has of the material, preserved in hundreds of manus- been presented at a workshop on digital humanities cripts in many languages, constantly rearranged and in Leuven in April 2012 and will be presented in more transformed combined with an ambition to make the detail in a workshop in Uppsala in June 2012. The database a powerful tool that could be adapted to the development of the database has also initiated a close individual needs of the individual scholar, made the relation to a research program housed at King’s Col- development of the database a major challenge. lege, London, and financed by the EU, called Sharing Ancient Wisdoms. The development of the database has been made with the help of an external consultant (IT-architect Ken- The essential task of inserting material into the da- neth Berg) and input from the digital humanities tabase has made it necessary to employ temporarily laboratory of Lund University. It was further realized two research assistants and one researcher. M.Phil that a major condition for the success of the project Benjamin Ekman has worked part time from January would be the direct involvement of the Academy of 2011 to June 2012 and M.Phil Claes Dahlman is wor- Sciences in Göttingen and the active contribution of king full time from March 2012, partly funded from Prof. Faraggiana di Sarzana of Bologna University, other sources. The establishment of the database has who was invited as guest scholar for three months likewise made it necessary to include the extensive in 2011. Negotiations are currently being conducted Latin tradition, which was not intended to be studied with the Academy for a formal long-term agreement within the program at the outset due to our geo- to secure the database. graphical limitation. In order to do so an additional researcher, Dr. Elin Andersson, has been employed The architecture of the database was finalized in the for one year from March 2012. first months of 2012, and most of the edited versions of the AP have now been inserted. The special

21 Early Monasticism and Classical Paideia

Conferences AND SESSIONS organized by the program:

Education and Literary Production in Early Annual Meeting of the Society for Biblical Palestinian Monasticism, Jerusalem, Literature, San Fransisco, CA, November 21, 2011 February 23-25, 2010 Session: From Paideia to Monastic Spirituality Conference in collaboration with the research of Egypt with the group, Christianity in Egypt: program directed by Professor Brouria Ash- Scripture, Tradition, and Reception, directed by kelony, Institute for Advanced Studies, Hebrew Associate professor Lois Farag. University. Apophthegmata, Uppsala, 7-8 June, 2012 Sixteeenth International Conference of A workshop on Greek and Arabic collections of Patristic Studies, Oxford, August 9, 2011 apophthegmata, sponsored by Sharing Ancient Workshop: Early Christian Monasticism and Wisdoms (Kings College London, U. of Vienna, Classical Paideia Newman Institute) Ars Edendi Research Program- me (Stockholm University) and Early Monasticism and Classical Paideia (Lund University).

22 Early Monasticism and Classical Paideia

Workshops:

Workshop, Lund, May 26-27, 2009 Workshop, Uppsala, 14-15 October, 2010

“The use of cognitive science in the study “Catenae and Scholiae in Late Antiquity”, with of early monastic texts” Associate professor Denis Searby, Associate pro- Guest scholar: Dr. Hugo Lundhaug, fessor Witold Witakowski and Mr Eric Cullhed. Oslo University. Workshop, Lund, January 31-February 1, 2011 Workshop, Lund, October 5-6, 2009 “Early Syriac translations of Greek collections “Education in early Syriac tradition” of apophthegmata” Guest scholar: Professor Susan Ashbrook Harvey, Guest scholar: Dr. Sebastian Brock, Oxford. Brown University. Workshop, Lund, March 4, 2011 Workshop, Lund, 7-9 June, 2010 “The Use of Databases for Classical Florilegia” “The literary character of early Egyptian Guest scholar: Associate professor Denis Searby, monastic texts” Stockholm University. Guest scholar: Professor James E. Goehring, University of Mary Washington. Workshop, St. Andrew’s Abbey, Valyermo, CA, 22-24 November, 2011 Workshop, Göttingen, September 21-23, 2010 “The Pedagogical Use of Psalms in Early Mo- “The Status of research on the Apophthegmata nasticism”. Guest scholar and host: Dr. Luke Patrum” with Professor Ekkehart Mühlenberg, Dysinger, OSB. Dr. Chiara Fraggiana di Sarzana and Ms Natia Gabrichidze, Tbilisi.

Britt Dahlman reading her paper at the SBL session. Seated next to her: Samuel Rubenson, Lillian Larsen and Henrik Rydell Johnsén.

23 Contact information

Project director Website: Samuel Rubenson www.monasticpaideia.org [email protected]

Telephone: Researchers +46-46–222 90 30 Elin Andersson [email protected] Mailing address: Britt Dahlman [email protected] Centrum för Teologi och Religionsvetenskap Bo Holmberg [email protected] Box 201 221 00 Lund Henrik Rydell Johnsén Sweden [email protected] Lillian Larsen [email protected] Visiting adress: David Westberg Lund University [email protected] Centre for Theology and Religious Studies Allhelgona Kyrkogata 8 SE-223 62 Lund Research assistants Sweden Benjamin Ekman [email protected] Claes Dahlman [email protected]