Book description
The Desert Fathers were the first Christian monks, living in solitude
in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. In contrast to the
formalised and official theology of the "founding fathers" of
the church, the Desert Fathers were ordinary Christians who chose to
renounce the world and live lives of celibacy, fasting, vigil, prayer
and poverty in direct and simple response to the gospel. Their sayings
were first recorded in the 4th century and consist of spiritual advice,
anecdotes and parables. The Desert Fathers' teachings and lives have
inspired poetry, opera and art, as well as providing spiritual
nourishment and a template for monastic life. Benedicta Ward is a
Reader in the History of Early Christian Spirituality at the Theology
Faculty in Oxford. She is the author of An Introduction to Christian
Spirituality (SPCK, 1999) and Miracles and the Medieval Mind
(Pennsylvania UP, 1987). She has translated The Prayers and Meditations
of St Anslem for Penguin Classics.
