Asceticism and the Other: Angels and Animals in the Egyptian Ascetic Tradition by Daniel Becerra Graduate Program in Religion Duke University Date:_______________________ Approved: ___________________________ J. Warren Smith, Supervisor ___________________________ Ellen Muehlberger ___________________________ Maria Doerfler ___________________________ Jennifer Knust ___________________________ Zlatko Pleše Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate Program in Religion in the Graduate School of Duke University 2019 ABSTRACT Asceticism and the Other: Angels and Animals in the Egyptian Ascetic Tradition by Daniel Becerra Graduate Program in Religion Duke University Date:_______________________ Approved: ___________________________ J. Warren Smith, Supervisor ___________________________ Ellen Muehlberger ___________________________ Maria Doerfler ___________________________ Jennifer Knust ___________________________ Zlatko Pleše An abstract of a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate Program in Religion in the Graduate School of Duke University 2019 Copyright by Daniel Becerra 2019 Abstract The study of Christian asceticism in late antiquity has traditionally been anthropocentric, meaning there is a pervasive focus on ascetic practice as experienced and undertaken by humans in pursuit of a more holy self. More recent scholarly efforts have begun to examine the role of non-human agents in this process, a methodological turn consonant with larger “Post-Humanist” trends in scholarship which seek to redefine humanity’s place in the world as merely one life form among many. To date, however, the majority of these works have been limited in scope and have dealt primarily with the ways in which non-humans, such as angels and animals, were participants in the ascetic lives of humans in various capacities (for example, as companions, guardians, exemplars, food, etc.), to the neglect of how they were also portrayed as beneficiaries of their involvement. This dissertation more fully situates non-humans within scholarly narratives of Christian asceticism by investigating the ways in which late ancient Christian authors implicated non-humans—specifically angels and animals—as beneficiaries of their involvement in the lives of human ascetics. I limit my analysis to literary works associated with the Egyptian ascetic tradition, meaning those which espouse ascetic ideals, inculcate ascetic practices, or model the ascetic lives of Christians living in Egypt during approximately the third through sixth centuries C.E. I make a historical argument which 1) articulates the most prominent discourses relating to non-human benefaction, 2) places these discourses within their social and theological contexts, and 3) attends to the possible reasons for their similarities and particularities across time and space. I argue iv that ascetic life was understood by some ancient Christians to provide a context in which both humans and non-humans could advance toward a more ideal state of being. By tracing how authors depict positive changes in the nature and circumstances of non- humans in ascetic contexts, a portrait of early Christian ascetic life emerges in which humans are neither the sole practitioners nor beneficiaries. v For Emily vi Contents Abstract………………………………………………………………………………….. iv List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………..xi Acknowledgments……………………………………………………………………….xii CHAPTER 1 | Introduction……………………………………………………………….1 1.1 Setting the Stage ……………………………………………………………...1 1.2 Individuality and Relationality in the Study of Ancient Christian Asceticism..6 1.2.1 The Individualized Model……………………………………………...7 1.2.2 The Relational Model…………………………………………………10 1.2.2.1 Angels in Ascetic Contexts..……………………………………..15 1.2.2.2 Animals in Ascetic Contexts……………………..………………19 1.3 Purposes and Method of this Study………………………………………….22 1.4 Preview of Findings………………………………………………………….31 1.4.1 Part One: Angel Beneficiaries…………………………………….......31 1.4.2 Part Two: Animal Beneficiaries………………………………………33 CHAPTER 2 | Origen and Angels……………………………………………………...36 2.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………..36 2.2 Origin, Destiny, and Responsibilities of Angels……………………………..39 2.3 Angelic Benefaction………………………………………………………….45 2.3.1 Nutritive Benefits………………………………………………………..45 2.3.1.1 Spiritual Food and Human Attentiveness to Scripture………..…46 2.3.1.2 Sacrifice and Feasting in Heaven…………………………...........54 2.3.2 Eupathetic Benefits………………………………………………….......60 2.3.2.1 Spectators, Sowers, and Reapers…………..…………………….62 vii 2.3.2.2 Affection for Humans and Sympathy with God’s Eupathy……...66 2.3.3 Animative Benefits……………………………………………………...68 2.3.3.1 Angelic Negligence and Indifference………………………..…..68 2.3.3.2 Stirred out of Stasis and More Efficient Ministration………..…..71 2.3.4 Pistic Benefits…………………………………………………………...74 2.3.4.1 Faith, Knowledge, and the Face of God……………......………..75 2.4 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………...80 CHAPTER 3 | Angels and the Egyptian Desert………………………………………...82 3.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………..82 3.2 Antony………………………………………………………………………..84 3.2.1 Antony, Origen, and Angels…………………………………………....85 3.2.2 Sacrifice, Askesis, and Angelic Benefaction…………………..………..89 3.2.3 Animative Benefits………………………………………..………........91 3.2.4 Reposeful Benefits………………………………………………..…….93 3.3 Ammonas…………………………………………………………………….98 3.3.1 Ammonas on Angels…..………………………………………………..99 3.3.2 Eupathetic Benefits…………………………………..………………..102 3.4 Evagrius…………………………………………………………………….106 3.4.1 Angelic Mobility and Benefaction………...…………………………...107 3.4.1.1 Eupathetic Benefits….………………………………………….109 3.4.1.2 Assistive Benefits…….…………………………………............111 3.4.2 Angelic Stability and Benefaction…...…………………………...114 3.5 Sayings of the Desert Fathers………………………………………………120 3.5.1 Eupathetic Benefits...…………………………………………………..123 3.5.2 Olfactory Benefits…………………………………………...…………125 viii 3.5.3 Intercessory Benefits...…………………………………………………129 3.6 Conclusion………………………………………………………………….133 CHAPTER 4 | Athanasius and Animals………………………………………………139 4.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………139 4.2 Animals in Athanasius’ Corpus…………………………………………….144 4.2.1 Athanasius among the Philosophers………………………………..…144 4.2.2 Animals in the Life of Antony……………………………………........154 4.3 Irenic Benefits………………………………………………………………164 4.3.1 Fasting…………………………………………………………...……..165 4.3.2 Ethic of Non-violence……………………………………………...…..170 4.4 Conclusion………………………………………………………………….176 CHAPTER 5 | Animals and the Egyptian Desert…………………….……………….179 5.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………179 5.2 Life of Paul…………………………………………………………………182 5.2.1 Animals in the Life of Paul………………………………...……….....184 5.2.2 Intercessory Benefits……………………………………...…………...190 5.3 Sayings of the Desert Fathers………………………………………………195 5.3.1 Animals, Eden, and Human Exceptionalism…………………......…...194 5.3.2 Nutritive Benefits……………………………………………..……….203 5.4 The Histories: History of the Monks in Egypt and Lausiac History………..206 5.4.1 Nutritive Benefits……...………………………………………………207 5.4.2 Healing Benefits………………………………………………..……...212 5.4.3 Irenic Benefits………………………………………………………....217 5.5 Life of Aphou………………………………………………………………..222 5.5.1 Irenic Benefits…..……………………………………………………..227 ix 5.6 Conclusion………………………………………………………………….229 CHAPTER 6 | Conclusion…………………………………………………………….232 6.1 Asceticism and the Other…………………………………………………...232 6.2 Avenues for Future Inquiry…………………………………………………237 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………244 Biography…………………………………………………………………………….....273 x List of Tables Table 1: Jewish Feasts and Attendant Sacrifices………………………………………...58 Table 2: Origen, Antony, and Angelic Benefaction……………………………………..97 Table 3: Origen, Antony, Ammonas, and Angelic Benefaction………………………..105 Table 4: Moral Mobility and Angelic Benefaction……………………………………..133 Table 5: Angelic Benefits………………………………………………………………136 xi Acknowledgements I would like to thank Duke University, the Gurney Harriss Kearns Fund, the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, and the Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center for their financial support. I am also grateful to my committee members, who have both contributed to my formation as a scholar and have helped shape this dissertation. Warren Smith has provided me with years of academic and spiritual guidance, has been generous with his time, and has modeled in both his scholarship and personal life a commitment to “live wisely.” Maria Doerfler is a force to be reckoned with. Her persistent faith in my abilities and encouragement to push myself beyond my comfort zone has made me a better scholar and person. I am grateful to Zlatko Pleše for all of his intellectual midwifery, especially his involvement in teaching me Coptic and for helping me to be a more attentive reader of ancient philosophical texts and monastic literature. Ellen Muehlberger has instilled in me not only a greater confidence in myself but a desire to always think bigger. She represents the kind of mentor I aspire to be. Jennifer Knust’s insights into the ancient Christian world and modern historiography have been instrumental as I have formulated and revised this project. I have been also fortunate throughout my training to have other thoughtful colleagues and mentors who taken interest in my work and intellectual formation. These include but are certainly not limited to: Mike Chin, Elizabeth Clark, Luke Drake, Bart Ehrman, Ben Franklin, Carl