Ascetic Theology and the Making of a Monk in Late Antiquity (CH2519A)

Content

Through a study of the primary texts relating to the early monastic movement in the Late Roman Empire, this unit will give students an overview of the spiritual teachings of some of the monastic fathers, such as Pachomius, Basil of Caesarea and John Cassian concerning spiritual perfection and ascetic paideia.

Learning outcomes

Unit sequence

Prohibited combinations: Only one of CH1510A, CH1519A, CH2510A & CH2519A may be taken

Pedagogy

lectures, discussion of select texts, and class discussion.

Indicative Bibliography

• Acts of Thecla* (from the Ante-Nicene Fathers, 1871).
• Apophthegmata Patrum*, in Benedicta Ward, trans. and ed. The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection Kalamazoo, 1984.
• Coptic Life of Saint Macarius of Scetis*, in Tim Vivian, trans. and ed. St. Macarius the Spiritbearer. Coptic Texts Relating to Saint Macarius the Great. New York, 2004.
• Emmel, Stephen, Shenoute’s Literary Corpus 2 vols., CSCO 599, 600, Leuven, 2004.
• Historia Monachorum in Aegypto*, in Norman Russell, The Lives of the Desert Fathers. The History of the Monks of Egypt. Kalamazoo, 1981.
• Institutes and Conferences*, by John Cassian (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Ser. II vol. VI.)
• Lausiac History*, by Palladius, in Robert Meyer, trans. and ed. Palladius: The Lausiac History, New York, 1965.
• Life of Hilaria*, in J. Drescher, trans and ed., Three Coptic Legends: Hilaria, Archellites, and the Seven Sleepers. Cairo, 1947.
• Life of Onnophrius*, in E. A. W. Budge, Coptic Martyrdoms etc. in the Dialect of Upper Egypt, London, 1914.
• Life of Pachomius*, in Armand Veilleux, trans. and ed. Pachomian Koinonia, 3 vols., Kalamazoo, 1981-1982.
• Life of Shenoute*, by Besa, in David Bell, trans. and ed. Besa, the Life of Shenoute. Kalamazoo, 1983.

Articles that are compulsory weekly readings will be made available online [in PDF format].

Assessment