A course in desert spirituality : fifteen sessions with the famous Trappist monk

Intro Title Page Copyright Dedication Contents Foreword Editor's Prologue Preface Lecture 1: Early Christian Spirituality (First and Second Centuries) Spirituality in the Age of the Martyrs The Ideal of Virgins and Ascetes Lecture 2: Aberrations in the Early Centuries Hatred of the Flesh Montanism Neoplatonism Gnosticism Lecture 3: The Christian Teachers of Alexandria Clement of Alexandria Origen Lecture 4: St. Anthony of the Desert Enter St. Anthony The Doctrine of Anthony The Later Life of Anthony Lecture 5: St. Pachomius and the Cenobites Cenobites vs. Hermits St. Pachomius's Life BrieflyThe Rule of Pachomius Lecture 6: St. Basil of Caesarea His Life Briefly The Writings of St. Basil Basilian Cenobitism Lecture 7: Other Cappadocian Fathers: The Two Gregories St. Gregory Nazianzen St. Gregory of Nyssa Gregory of Nyssa's Writings Lecture 8: Palestinian Monasticism and St. Jerome St. Jerome Other Controversies in the Life of Jerome Jerome's Monastic Doctrine Lecture 9: The Community of St. Melania St. Melania St. Melania the Younger Roman Monasticism in Palestine Her Monastic Life in the East Lecture 10: Monasticism in Mesopotamia and SyriaThe Stylites Hermits of Nitria and Scete Characteristics of Desert Spirituality Lecture 11: St. Macarius and Pseudo-Macarius St. Macarius Messalianism Pseudo-Macarius Lecture 12: Evagrius Ponticus on Prayer Importance of Evagrius What Does Evagrius Mean by Prayer? Degrees of Prayer Summary Lecture 13: Master of the Spiritual Life: Cassian Cassian's Error Cassian's Life and Background Abbot Pinufius The Desert of Scete-and Nitria The Origenist Conflict Constantinople and Gaul Lecture 14: The Conferences of Cassian Conference 1: "On the Purpose and Goal of the Monk"Conference 2: "On Discretion" Conference 4: "On the Desire of the Flesh and of the Spirit" by Abbot Daniel Conferences 9 and 10: "Abbot Isaac on Prayer" Lecture 15: Philoxenos of Mabbug Foundations of the Spiritual Life What Is Simplicity? Letter to a Converted Jew Letter to a Novice Vocation to the Desert On Fornication Group Discussion Topics, Questions, and Additional Readings Editor's Notes Index 2020 Association of Catholic Publishers first place award in spirituality Thomas Merton's sessions with the young monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani showcase Merton's brilliant ability to survey the key figures and synthesize their writings, inspiring his listeners and readers with what it means for the spiritual life. Like its companion volume, A Course in Christian Mysticism , this book is a collection of fifteen lectures that get to the heart of Merton's belief that monastic wisdom and spirituality are applicable for everyone. This compact volume allows anyone to learn from one of the twentieth century's greatest Catholic spiritual teachers. The study materials at the back of the book, including additional primary source readings and thoughtful questions for reflection and discussion, make this an essential text for any student of Christian desert spirituality. Thomas Merton’s sessions with the young monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani showcase Merton’s brilliant ability to survey the key figures and synthesize their writings, inspiring his listeners and readers with what it means for the spiritual life. Like its companion volume, A Course in Christian Mysticism, this book is a collection of fifteen lectures that get to the heart of Merton’s belief that monastic wisdom and spirituality are applicable for everyone. This compact volume allows anyone to learn from one of the twentieth century's greatest Catholic spiritual teachers. The study materials at the back of the book, including additional primary source readings and thoughtful questions for reflection and discussion, make this an essential text for any student of Christian desert spirituality. $c --From publisher's description