DOCSLIB.ORG

A Short History of Monks and Monasteries

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Short History of Monks and Monasteries A Short History of Monks and Monasteries Alfred Wesley Wishart The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Short History of Monks and Monasteries by Alfred Wesley Wishart This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: A Short History of Monks and Monasteries Author: Alfred Wesley Wishart Release Date: August 17, 2004 [EBook #13206] Language: English Character set encoding: ASCII *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF MONKS AND MONASTERIES *** Produced by Christine Gehring, Charlie Kirschner and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. A SHORT HISTORY OF MONKS AND MONASTERIES _By_ ALFRED WESLEY WISHART Sometime _Fellow_ in _Church History_ in _The University of Chicago_ ALBERT BRANDT, PUBLISHER TRENTON, NEW JERSEY MDCCCC 1900 PREFACE The aim of this volume is to sketch the history of the monastic institution from its origin to its overthrow in the Reformation period, for although the institution is by no means now extinct, its power was practically broken in the sixteenth century, and no new orders of importance or new types have arisen since that time. A little reflection will enable one to understand the great difficulties in the execution of so broad a purpose. It was impracticable in the majority of instances to consult original sources, although intermediate authorities have been studied as widely as possible and the greatest caution has been exercised to avoid those errors which naturally arise from the use of such avenues of information. It was also deemed unadvisable to burden the work with numerous notes and citations. Such notes as were necessary to a true unfolding of the subject will be found in the appendix. A presentation of the salient features of the whole history was essential to a proper conception of the orderly development of the ascetic ideal. To understand the monastic institution one must not only study the isolated anchorite seeking a victory over a sinful self in the Egyptian desert or the monk in the secluded cloister, but he must also trace the fortunes of ascetic organizations, involving multitudes of men, vast aggregations of wealth, and surviving the rise and fall of empires. Almost every phase of human life is encountered in such an undertaking. Attention is divided between hermits, beggars, diplomatists, statesmen, professors, missionaries and pontiffs. It is hoped the critical or literary student will appreciate the immense difficulties of an attempt to paint so vast a scene on so small a canvas. No other claim is made upon his benevolence. There is a process of writing history which Trench describes as "a moral whitewashing of such things as in men's sight were as blackamoors before." Religious or temperamental prejudice often obscures the vision and warps the judgment of even the most scholarly minds. Conscious of this infirmity in the ablest writers of history it would be absurd to claim complete exemption from the power of personal bias. It is sincerely hoped, however, that the strongest passion in the preparation of this work has been that commendable predilection for truth and justice which should characterize every historical narrative, and that, whatever other shortcomings may be found herein, there is an absence of that unreasonable suspicion, not to say hatred, of everything monastic, which mars many otherwise valuable contributions to monastic history. The author's grateful acknowledgment is made, for kindly services and critical suggestions, to Eri Baker Hulbert, D.D., LL.D., Dean of the Divinity School, and Professor and Head of the Department of Church History; Franklin Johnson, D.D., LL.D., Professor of Church History and Homiletics; Benjamin S. Terry, Ph.D., Professor of Medieval and English History; and Ralph C.H. Catterall, Instructor in Modern History; all of The University of Chicago. Also to James M. Whiton, Ph.D., of the Editorial Staff of "The Outlook"; Ephraim Emerton, Ph.D., Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History in Harvard University; S. Giffard Nelson, L.H.D., of Brooklyn, New York; A.H. Newman, D.D., LL.D., Professor of Church History in McMaster University of Toronto, Ontario; and Paul Van Dyke, D.D., Professor of History in Princeton University. A.W.W. Trenton, March, 1900. CONTENTS Page PREFACE, . 5 BIBLIOGRAPHY, . 13 I MONASTICISM IN THE EAST, . 17 The Hermits of Egypt, . 33 The Pillar Saint, . 51 The Cenobites of the East, . 57 II MONASTICISM IN THE WEST: ANTE-BENEDICTINE MONKS, 340-480 A.D., . 71 Monasticism and Women, . 106 The Spread of Monasticism in Europe, . 115 Disorders and Oppositions, . 124 III THE BENEDICTINES, . 131 The Rules of Benedict, . 138 The Struggle Against Barbarism, . 148 The Spread of the Benedictine Rule, . 158 IV REFORMED AND MILITARY ORDERS, . 173 The Military Religious Orders, . 197 V THE MENDICANT FRIARS, . 205 Francis Bernardone, 1182-1226 A.D., . 208 The Franciscan Orders, . 226 Dominic de Guzman, 1170--1221 A.D., . 230 The Dominican Orders, . 241 The Success of the Mendicant Orders, . 242 The Decline of the Mendicants, . 253 VI THE SOCIETY OF JESUS, . 258 Ignatius de Loyola, 1491-1556 A.D., . 261 Constitution and Polity of the Order, . 265 The Vow of Obedience, . 266 The Casuistry of the Jesuits, . 272 The Mission of the Jesuits, . 276 Retrospect, . 284 VII THE FALL OF THE MONASTERIES, . 286 The Character of Henry VIII., . 290 Events Preceding the Suppression, . 293 The Monks and the Oath of Supremacy, . 301 The Royal Commissioners and their Methods of Investigation, . 308 The Report of the Commissioners, . 316 The Action of Parliament, . 319 The Effect of the Suppression Upon the People, . 322 Henry's Disposal of Monastic Revenues, . 328 Was the Suppression Justifiable? . 331 Results of the Dissolution, . 347 VIII CAUSES AND IDEALS OF MONASTICISM, . 354 Causative Motives of Monasticism, . 355 Beliefs Affecting the Causative Motives, . 365 Causes of Variations in Monasticism, . 371 The Fundamental Monastic Vows, . 375 IX THE EFFECTS OF MONASTICISM, . 386 The Effects of Self-Sacrifice Upon the Individual, 390 The Effects of Solitude Upon the Individual, . 393 The Monks as Missionaries, . 398 Monasticism and Civic Duties, . 399 The Agricultural Services of the Monks, . 403 The Monks and Secular Learning, . 405 The Charity of the Monks, . 410 Monasticism and Religion, . 412 APPENDIX, . 425 INDEX, . 433 * * * * * LIST OF PORTRAITS SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, DYING, is CONVEYED TO THE CHURCH OF SAINTE MARIE DE PORTIUNCULE, . _facing title_. After the painting by J.J. Weerts. Originally published by Goupil & Co. of Paris, and here reproduced by their permission. [Jean Joseph Weerts was born at Roubaix (Nord), on May 1, 1847. He was a pupil of Cabanel, Mils and Pils. He was awarded the second-class medal in 1875, was made Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1884, received the silver medal at the Universal Exposition of 1889, and was created an Officer of the Legion of Honor in 1897. He is a member of the "Societe des Artistes Francais," and is _hors concours_.] SAINT BERNARD, . 192 After an engraving by Ambroise Tardieu, from a painting on glass in the Convent of the R.P. Minimes, at Rheims. [Ambroise Tardieu was born in Paris, in 1790, and died in 1837. He was an engraver of portraits, landscapes and architecture, and a clever manipulator of the burin. For a time he held the position of "Geographical Engraver" to the Departments of Marine, Fortifications and Forests. He was a member of the French Geographical and Mathematical Societies.]--_Nagler_. SAINT DOMINIC, . 230 From a photograph of Bozzani's painting, preserved in his cell at Santa Sabina, Rome. Here reproduced from Augusta T. Drane's "History of St. Dominic," by courtesy of the author and the publishers, Longmans, Green & Co., of London and New York. ["Although several so-called portraits (of St. Dominic) are preserved, yet none of them can be regarded as the _vera effigies_ of the saint, though that preserved at Santa Sabina probably presents us with a kind of traditionary likeness."]--_History of St. Dominic_. [In the "History of St. Dominic," on page 226, the author credits the portrait shown to "Bozzani." We are unable to find any record of a painter by that name. Nagler, however, tells of a painter of portraits and historical subjects, Carlo Bozzoni by name, who was born in 1607 and died in 1657. He was a son of Luciano Bozzoni, a Genoese painter and engraver. He is said to have done good work, but no other mention is made of him.] IGNATIUS DE LOYOLA, . 261 After the engraving by Greatbach, "from a scarce print by H. Wierz." Originally published by Richard Bentley, London, in 1842. [W. Greatbach was a London engraver in the first half of the nineteenth century. He worked chiefly for the "calendars" and "annuals" of his time, and did notable work for the general book trade of the better class.] [A search of the authorities does not reveal an engraver named "H. Wierz." This is probably intended for Hieronymus Wierex (or Wierix, according to Bryant), a famous engraver, born in 1552, and who is credited by Nagler, in his "Kuenstler-Lexikon," with having produced "a beautiful and rare plate" of "St. Ignaz von Loyola." The error, if such it be, is easily explained by the fact that portrait engravers seldom cut the lettering of a plate themselves, but have it engraved by others, who have a special aptitude for making shapely letters.] BIBLIOGRAPHY ADAMS, G.B.: Civilization during the Middle Ages. ARCHER, T.A., and KINGSFORD, CHARLES L.: The Crusaders. BARROWS, JOHN H., (Editor): The World's Parliment of Religions. BLUNT, I.J.: Sketches of the Reformation in England.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Atlas of American Orthodox Christian Monasteries
    Atlas of American Orthodox Christian Monasteries Atlas of Whether used as a scholarly introduction into Eastern Christian monasticism or researcher’s directory or a travel guide, Alexei Krindatch brings together a fascinating collection of articles, facts, and statistics to comprehensively describe Orthodox Christian Monasteries in the United States. The careful examina- Atlas of American Orthodox tion of the key features of Orthodox monasteries provides solid academic frame for this book. With enticing verbal and photographic renderings, twenty-three Orthodox monastic communities scattered throughout the United States are brought to life for the reader. This is an essential book for anyone seeking to sample, explore or just better understand Orthodox Christian monastic life. Christian Monasteries Scott Thumma, Ph.D. Director Hartford Institute for Religion Research A truly delightful insight into Orthodox monasticism in the United States. The chapters on the history and tradition of Orthodox monasticism are carefully written to provide the reader with a solid theological understanding. They are then followed by a very human and personal description of the individual US Orthodox monasteries. A good resource for scholars, but also an excellent ‘tour guide’ for those seeking a more personal and intimate experience of monasticism. Thomas Gaunt, S.J., Ph.D. Executive Director Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) This is a fascinating and comprehensive guide to a small but important sector of American religious life. Whether you want to know about the history and theology of Orthodox monasticism or you just want to know what to expect if you visit, the stories, maps, and directories here are invaluable.
    [Show full text]
  • John Cassian and the Creation of Early Monastic Subjectivity
    University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 1-1-2019 Exercising Obedience: John Cassian and the Creation of Early Monastic Subjectivity Joshua Daniel Schachterle University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the History of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Schachterle, Joshua Daniel, "Exercising Obedience: John Cassian and the Creation of Early Monastic Subjectivity" (2019). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1615. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1615 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. Exercising Obedience: John Cassian and the Creation of Early Monastic Subjectivity A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology Joint PhD Program In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Joshua Daniel Schachterle June 2019 Advisor: Gregory Robbins PhD © by Joshua Daniel Schachterle All Rights Reserved Author: Joshua Daniel Schachterle Title: Exercising Obedience: John Cassian and the Creation of Early Monastic Subjectivity Advisor: Gregory Robbins PhD Date: June 2019 Abstract John Cassian (360-435 CE) started his monastic career in Bethlehem. He later traveled to the Egyptian desert, living there as a monk, meeting the venerated Desert Fathers, and learning from them for about fifteen years. Much later, he would go to the region of Gaul to help establish a monastery there by writing monastic manuals, the Institutes and the Conferences.
    [Show full text]
  • Byzantine Critiques of Monasticism in the Twelfth Century
    A “Truly Unmonastic Way of Life”: Byzantine Critiques of Monasticism in the Twelfth Century DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Hannah Elizabeth Ewing Graduate Program in History The Ohio State University 2014 Dissertation Committee: Professor Timothy Gregory, Advisor Professor Anthony Kaldellis Professor Alison I. Beach Copyright by Hannah Elizabeth Ewing 2014 Abstract This dissertation examines twelfth-century Byzantine writings on monasticism and holy men to illuminate monastic critiques during this period. Drawing upon close readings of texts from a range of twelfth-century voices, it processes both highly biased literary evidence and the limited documentary evidence from the period. In contextualizing the complaints about monks and reforms suggested for monasticism, as found in the writings of the intellectual and administrative elites of the empire, both secular and ecclesiastical, this study shows how monasticism did not fit so well in the world of twelfth-century Byzantium as it did with that of the preceding centuries. This was largely on account of developments in the role and operation of the church and the rise of alternative cultural models that were more critical of traditional ascetic sanctity. This project demonstrates the extent to which twelfth-century Byzantine society and culture had changed since the monastic heyday of the tenth century and contributes toward a deeper understanding of Byzantine monasticism in an under-researched period of the institution. ii Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my family, and most especially to my parents. iii Acknowledgments This dissertation is indebted to the assistance, advice, and support given by Anthony Kaldellis, Tim Gregory, and Alison Beach.
    [Show full text]
  • The Monasteries of the Wadi Natrun, Egypt: a Monastic and Personal
    The American Benedictine review. [Atchison, KS, etc.] : American Benedictine Review, inc. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015077515172 Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#cc-by-nc-nd-3.0 This work is protected by copyright law (which includes certain exceptions to the rights of the copyright holder that users may make, such as fair use where applicable under U.S. law), but made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. You must attribute this work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). Only verbatim copies of this work may be made, distributed, displayed, and performed, not derivative works based upon it. Copies that are made may only be used for non-commercial purposes. Please check the terms of the specific Creative Commons license as indicated at the item level. For details, see the full license deed at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/. THE MONASTERIES OF THE WADI NATR UN, EGYPTA MONASTIC AND PERSONAL JOURNEY* Tim Vivian In January and February of 1996 I had the great good fortune of joining the team of American archeologists, faculty, and stu dents who went to Wadi Natrun, Egypt;1 we were there to exca vate the Monastery of Saint John the Little and study firsthand Coptic monasticism and Church history.2 Since I am a patristics scholar and third-order member of the Order of the Holy Cross (Anglican), and have been writing about early monasticism since my graduation from seminary in 1988, this trip was for me a per sonal monastic journey: an exciting chance to experience in the desert what I had learned from books, and an opportunity to par ticipate in the history and spirituality of Egyptian monasticism.
    [Show full text]
  • The Hermits 1 the Hermits
    The Hermits 1 The Hermits The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Hermits, by Charles Kingsley Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the header without written permission. Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is important information about your specific rights and restrictions in how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. **Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** **eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** *****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** Title: The Hermits Author: Charles Kingsley Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8733] [This file was first posted on August 5, 2003] Edition: 10 Language: English Character set encoding: US-ASCII The Hermits 2 *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE HERMITS *** Transcribed by David Price, email [email protected] THE HERMITS INTRODUCTION St. Paphnutius used to tell a story which may serve as a fit introduction to this book. It contains a miniature sketch, not only of the social state of Egypt, but of the whole Roman Empire, and of the causes which led to the famous monastic movement in the beginning of the fifth century after Christ.
    [Show full text]
  • New Monasticism
    A publication of the INTERCOMMUNITY PEACE & JUSTICE CENTER NO. 117 / WINTER 2018 New Monasticism The topic of this issue of A Matter of Spirit is the “New Monasticism.” What do you Living Monasticism think of when you hear the By Christine Valters Paintner journeying with others who are also strug- word “monastic?” Do you gling against busyness, debt and divisive- picture a solitary monk in a Over the last twenty years there has been ness. hermitage far from town? a great renewal of interest in the monastic The root of the word monk is monachos, Do you think of a medieval life, but this time from those who find them- which means single-hearted. To become a community reciting prayers in Latin? Or do you think of selves wanting to live outside the walls of the monk in the world means to keep one’s focus a group of millennials living cloister. It was this desire that led me fifteen on the love at the heart of everything. This is and working together today? years ago to become a Benedictine oblate. available to all of us, regardless of whether Each of these, and more, are Becoming an oblate means making a com- we live celibate and cloistered, partnered and expressions of the monastic mitment to live out the Benedictine charism raising a family or employed in business. impulse, a desire to connect in daily life, at work, in a marriage and fam- The three main sources I draw upon to deeply to a life of prayer and ily, and in all the other ways ordinary people sustain me in this path are the Rule of Bene- service in community with interact with the world on a daily basis.
    [Show full text]
  • Sunday of the Myrrhbearing Women
    Welcome to St. Olympia Orthodox Church, a young and, God willing, growing community of worshipers. Our priest is Fr. Paul Fedoroff, Priest-in-Charge. You may reach him at [email protected] or 518-573-7987 (cell) Please join us for prayer and fellowship.** Upcoming Services: Sunday of the Myrrhbearing Women At the Norwood Church Sunday, May 16, 23 The angel came to the Myrrhbearing women Hours: 9:10am at the tomb and said: Divine Liturgy: 9:30am Myrrh is meet for the dead; Saturday, May 15, 22 but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption! Vespers: 5pm So proclaim: The Lord is risen, granting the world great mercy! Confessions: Saturday after Vespers, Sunday before You commanded the myrrhbearers to rejoice, O Christ! Liturgy, otherwise by By Your Resurrection, appointment. You stopped the lamentation of Eve, the first mother! You commanded them to preach to Your apostles: Coffee after Liturgy! The Savior is Risen from the tomb! **Social Distancing guidelines must be observed. St. Olympia Orthodox Church 34 North Main Street Norwood, NY, 13668 Mailing Address: St. Olympia Orthodox Church PO Box 122 Canton, NY 13617 Founders of Coenobitic Monasticism Venerable Pachomius the Great, May 15 Saint Pachomius the Great was both a model of desert dwelling, and with Saints Anthony the Great, Macarius the Great, and Euthymius the Great, a founder of the cenobitic monastic life in Egypt. Saint Pachomius was born in the third century in the Thebaid (Upper Egypt). His parents were pagans who gave him an excellent secular education. From his youth he had a good character, and he was prudent and sensible.
    [Show full text]
  • Being a Romanian Orthodox
    FINDING ONE’S WAY INTO GOD’S GARDEN: BEING A ROMANIAN ORTHODOX NUN By Iolanda Burtea Submitted to Central European University Department of Gender Studies In partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Arts in Gender Studies Supervisor: Professor Elissa Helms Second Reader: Professor Vlad Naumescu CEU eTD Collection Budapest, Hungary 2009 Abstract This thesis explores women’s Orthodox monastic life in contemporary Romania. The analysis presents the results of a three weeks long field research based on qualitative methods in two monasteries. It focuses on three main aspects: the connections between the monastic setting and the outside world, nuns’ everyday routines and religious experiences. The first part of the thesis describes the impact of the external realm on monastic life and shows how nuns negotiate their interactions with the profane space. The second and third parts deal with the ways in which nuns’ subjectivities are reshaped inside the monastery. The main argument is that nuns evolve between two sets of binaries: inside (monastic setting)—outside (external world) and interior (spirit)—exterior (body). These become essential in considering some broader problematics: women and postsocialism, daily practices in monastic life and the importance of bodily disciplines and voluntary will in reshaping one’s subjectivity. CEU eTD Collection i Table of Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1. From Socialism to Postsocialism:
    [Show full text]
  • Texts and IMAGES Ot'centhusian Foundation
    TExTs AND IMAGES oT'CEnTHUSIAN FoUNDATIoN JurmN M. Luxl'oRD Introduction This essayconsiders the interest which Carthusians of the late Middle Ages had in the concept of foundation; the foundation of their order in general, and that of individual charterhouses. A distinctive aspect of a more general order- consciousnesswhich pervades Carthusian discourse of the period, this founda- tion-awareness is revealed in both texts and images. I will discuss examples of both, although I do not aim to review all of the available evidence.l \X4rile I will look at m^teflal from both English and Continental charterhouses, my main interest lies in setting English survivals, which are comparatively few and have never been considered synoptically, in broadeÍ geogÍaphical and conceptual frameworks. Intrinsically import^nt and more voluminous though it is, the Continental evidence reviewed below is intended here primarily to supply con- text for what existed in pre-Reformation England. The discussion is in rwo parts. To begin with I examine two examples of text-image amalgamation relevant to the order as a whole and famisar to many 'Bruno who specialise in Carthusian history. The frst is the so-called cycle', a narrative sequence of images, usually annotated and based on a purely Carthu- sian tradition, which chronicles the foundation of the Grande Chartreuse by St Bruno and his companions in 1084. There are minor iconographic variations between surviving cycles, but the intention to communicate the circumstances and importance of the order's founders and foundation in an easily comprehen- sible way is constant. The second example to be considered is what I will cail Acknowledgement: I thank Marlene Vtlr-nlosos-HeNNgssv and Sara furcHsv for advice relating to this paper.
    [Show full text]
  • New Camaldoli Hermitage in the QUIET
    New Camaldoli Hermitage ADVENT/CHRISTMAS 2019 IN THE QUIET 62475 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920 • 831 667 2456 • www.contemplation.com In the Quiet Thoughts from the Editor Lisa Benner, Oblate, OSB Cam. The holidays are upon us! From Thanksgiving to Christmas, In This Issue we experience a blur of gatherings and events, shopping and spending, eating and drinking, perhaps indulging too. 2 Thoughts from the Editor It’s loud and fun, it’s a festive and bright time, and for some Lisa Benner, Oblate, OSB Cam. it’s very chaotic and busy. 4 The Desert, the Silence, and the Mother of Ten Thousand Things In between all of this, Prior Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam. the church offers us this short season of Advent. 6 Into the Quiet A reminder of the need Paula Huston, Oblate, OSB Cam. for quiet, to be still amidst the festivities. 7 Finding Our True Selves in the Poverty of Silence These four weeks lead- Br. Martin Herbek, Novice OSB Cam. ing up to the feast of 9 Seeking Quiet Christmas are tucked in Dr. Greg Giuliano between all the glitter and décor to ask us, to 10 Reflections on Quiet urge us, to ponder and Fr. Raniero, OSB Cam.; John Marheineke, Oblate, OSB Cam.; become quiet. Lorienne Schwenk; Marilyn Buehler, Oblate, OSB Cam. A definition of Advent 12 Oblate Community and Peer Mentoring is “the arrival of a dis- Fr. Steve Coffey, OSB Cam. tinguished person or 13 Development Update Winter 2019 event.” Scripture tells of Jill Gisselere the quest of Mary and Joseph, the journey they 15 Activities and Visitors undertook because they heard and followed the 15 What the Monks Are Reading voice of God.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sayings of the DESERT FATHERS
    The Alphabetical Collection Translated, with a foreword by Benedicta Ward, SLG Preface by Metropolitan Anthony The fourth-century ascetic flight to the desert indelibly marked Christianity. The faithful who did not embrace the austerity of the desert admired those who did and sought them out for counsel and consolation. The 'words' the monks gave were collected and passed around among those too far away or too feeble to make the trek themselves - or lived generations later. Previously available only in fragments, these Sayings of the Desert Fathers are now accessible in its entirety in English for the first time. 'We have a great deal to learn from their integrity and their unrelenting courage, from their vision of God - so holy, so great, possessed of such a love, that nothing less than one's whole being could respond to it,' wrote Archbishop Anthony of Sourzah in the preface. 'If we wish to understand the sayings of the Fathers, let us approach them with veneration, silencing our judgements and our own thoughts in order to meet them on their own ground and perhaps to partake ultimately - if we prove to emulate their earnestness in the search, their ruthless determination, their infinite compassion - in their own silent communion with God.' Benedicta Ward graduated from Manchester University with a degree in history and received a D. Phil, from Oxford University. Among her many books and articles are Miracles and the Medieval Mind, the Prayers and Meditations of Saint Anselm, and two companion volumes to the present work: The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers, a translation of the shorter Anonymous Series of apophthegmata, and The Harlots of the Desert, a translation of the lives of penitents and study of contrition in the early Church.
    [Show full text]
  • The Monastery in the Methodist Eye: Rev. Merton S. Rice of Detroit and St
    The Monastery in the Methodist Eye: Rev. Merton S. Rice of Detroit and St. George of Choziba Matthew T. Herbst, Ph.D. Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of History, University of Michigan Historian/Archivist, Detroit Annual Conference-United Methodist Church (Forthcoming in Methodist History, late 2005) What connects the Monk and the Methodist? Monasticism has not – historically speaking – been a customary topic in Methodist circles. In The Methodist Review, for example, from ante-bellum America to the Second World War, while a wide variety of studies from antiquity to the present appeared, monasticism was ignored. The rare emergence of this theme only tangentially engaged it. One study, for example, portrayed John Wesley as a new St. Francis, while another presented the life of Francis as a role model, but added the qualification that the essence of Francis’s teaching was valuable, but the “monkish ideal is gone forever.”1 The monastic contribution to the development of theology, its artistic and literary achievement, its preservation of classical and Christian texts (including the Bible), its missionary activity, and its emphasis on community in often hostile terrain – was overlooked. If the theme marginally surfaced, it was presented not as perpetuating and preserving Christianity, but as part of the Catholic tradition that perverted it. This study examines the depiction of monasticism by one of the most influential voices of American Methodism in the first half of the twentieth century, Rev. Merton S. Rice of Metropolitan Episcopal Church in Detroit.2 For thirty years (1913-1943), Reverend Rice was a towering figure in the Detroit pulpit.
    [Show full text]