Desert Christians: An Introduction to the Literature of Early Monasticism, (Paperback)

Those who teach courses in early monastic history have longed for a book like this. Some of us have though about writing it ourselves. Now the task has been done. Harmless has applied his considerable energy and pedagogical experience to developing a book that is informative and filled with resources for ongoing, in-depth study. He also navigates very complex historiography with clarity, candor, and respect. Surely, this superb contribution will remain thestarting point and essential reference work on Egyptian monasticism for some time to come. We owe its author deep thanks for making the work of both teacher and researcher considerably easier." --Theological Studies"...an indispensable work for anyone interested in ancient Christian monasticism, early Christian history and literature, and indeed the general examination of spiritual impulses that shape religion. This book is an outstanding acheivement in presenting and analyzing major works, interwoven with the diversity of scholarship that has blossomed in this area in the past thirty years." --Spiritus"...comprehensive, absolutely current with respect to research, and deeply sympathetic to the monastic enterprise. Desert Christians belongs in every monastic library and would be well placed in the hands of every monk who wishes to know his or her tradition."--Cistercian Studies Quarterly"It is the rare book that can introduce a literature and a field of study intelligently and thoroughly and make a significant scholarly contribution in its own right. This book does just that. It will become required reading for anyone interested in the world of early Christian monasticism."--CHOICE"Why waste words? This is a thoroughly admirable book... An accomplished and unassuming piece of scholarship." --Scripta Classica Israelica"There is no other volume on the desert Christians that is so generous with the facts and so reliable a key to modern debate on so many topics, great and small."--Times Literary Supplement"Why waste words? This is a thoroughly admirable book... An accomplished and unassuming piece of scholarship." --Scripta Classica Israelica"Those who teach courses in early monastic history have longed for a book like this. Some of us have though about writing it ourselves. Now the task has been done. Harmless has applied his considerable energy and pedagogical experience to developing a book that is informative and filled with resources for ongoing, in-depth study. He also navigates very complex historiography with clarity, candor, and respect. Surely, this superb contribution will remain thestarting point and essential reference work on Egyptian monasticism for some time to come. We owe its author deep thanks for making the work of both teacher and researcher considerably easier." --Theological Studies"...an indispensable work for anyone interested in ancient Christian monasticism, early Christian history and literature, and indeed the general examination of spiritual impulses that shape religion. This book is an outstanding acheivement in presenting and analyzing major works, interwoven with the diversity of scholarship that has blossomed in this area in the past thirty years." --Spiritus"Every now and then a book comes along that fulfills the periodic need to sum up th research in a given field fo rthe general audience. This book does so for ancient Egyptian monasticism." --ABR"It is the rare book that can introduce a literature and a field of study intelligently and thoroughly and make a significant scholarly contribution in its own right. This book does just that. It will become required reading for anyone interested in the world of early Christian monasticism."--CHOICE"...comprehensive, absolutely current with respect to research, and deeply sympathetic to the monastic enterprise. Desert Christians belongs in every monastic library and would be well placed in the hands of every monk who wishes to know his or her tradition."--Cistercian Studies Quarterly"There is no other volume on the desert Christians that is so generous with the facts and so reliable a key to modern debate on so many topics, great and small."--Times Literary Supplement