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Desert Fathers and Mothers : Early Christian Wisdom Sayings--Annotated and Explained by Christine Valters Paintner (2012, Trade Paperback)

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Desert Fathers and Mothers : Early Christian Wisdom Sayings - Annotated & Explained, Paperback by Paintner, Christine Valters, ., ISBN 1594733732, ISBN-13 9781594733734, Brand New, Free shipping in the US Be inspired by the writings of ordinary Christians who chose to renounce the world in order to individually follow God's call. Insightful commentary and historical background illustrates how you can use this wisdom in your own spiritual quest.

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Product Identifiers

PublisherLonghill Partners, Incorporated

ISBN-101594733732

ISBN-139781594733734

eBay Product ID (ePID)111792832

Product Key Features

Book TitleDesert Fathers and Mothers : Early Christian Wisdom Sayings--Annotated and Explained

Number of Pages192 Pages

LanguageEnglish

TopicChristian Life / General, Christian Theology / General, Christianity / History, Christian Life / Spiritual Growth, Christianity / General

Publication Year2012

GenreReligion

AuthorChristine Valters Paintner

Book SeriesSkylight Illuminations Ser.

FormatTrade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Height0.4 in

Item Weight8 Oz

Item Length8.5 in

Item Width5.5 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2012-022524

ReviewsDuring the fourth and fifth centuries, the workshops for Christian monasticism were in Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and Arabia. Many of these desert communities emphasized drawing closer to God through silence, solitude, and prayer. These monks and hermits were spiritual athletes who practiced fasting, renunciation, and other forms of asceticism. Christine Valters Paintner, a Benedictine Oblate and author of five books including The Artist's Rule, has annotated and explained the early Christian wisdom sayings of the desert fathers and mothers in this paperback in the Skylight Illumination series. In her absolutely brilliant introduction to the desert fathers and mothers, Paintner does a wonderful job explaining the desert as a place of deep encounter; the significant figures in this monastic tradition; the spiritual importance of the cell and the heart; the value of surrender and humility in relationship to the unceasing presence of God; and the challenges of viewing the wisdom sayings of the desert fathers and mothers as Zen koans - "texts to be pondered and chewed on slowly and then integrated into your life." Paintner has divided these early Christian wisdom sayings, translated by Sister Benedicta Ward, into thematic sections: - Give Me a Word - Your Cell Will Teach You Everything - Heart-Centered Spirituality - Thoughts, Desires, and Passions - Humility, Simplicity, and the Beginner's Heart - Spiritual Elders and Soul Friends - Tears of Compunction - The Necessity of Practice - Virtues, Charity, and the Service of Love - Solitude, Silence, and Hesychia - Three Essential Things - Prayer and Differing Gifts - How to Become a Monk In her engrossing commentaries on these sayings, Paintner shares how they have influenced her life, such as her listening for a word from the world of nature; her adoration of trees and their connection with saints; her role as an urban monk; her frighteningly close encounter with death; her love of books and her sense of the shadow side of them; and the need to be very honest with herself as a teacher, writer, and spiritual director. This is one of the brightest and best resources on the desert fathers and mothers., "Provides not only a wonderful introduction to a fascinating world (the opening chapter alone is worth the price of the book), but an invitation to seek our own 'word' from the abbas and ammas of Christian antiquity.... Offers one of the best guidebooks I've seen for those who've been called to the contemplative life." --Paula Huston, author, The Holy Way and Simplifying the Soul "Offers the reader a good drink from the clear stream of desert wisdom. She honors the tradition while making it entirely relevant to our times." --Mary C. Earle, writer and Episcopal priest; author, The Desert Mothers: Spiritual Practices from the Women of the Wilderness and Celtic Christian Spirituality: Essential Writings--Annotated and Explained "A splendid introduction to one of the most essential periods of the Western contemplative tradition.... Offers insight into the austere and wondrous spirituality of the desert ... and why their pithy teachings remain so essential for the study and practice of Christian spirituality today. [The] commentary makes the wisdom of the desert come alive." --Carl McColman, author, The Big Book of Christian Mysticism and Answering the Contemplative Call, During the fourth and fifth centuries, the workshops for Christian monasticism were in Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and Arabia. Many of these desert communities emphasized drawing closer to God through silence, solitude, and prayer. These monks and hermits were spiritual athletes who practiced fasting, renunciation, and other forms of asceticism. Christine Valters Paintner, a Benedictine Oblate and author of five books including The Artist's Rule, has annotated and explained the early Christian wisdom sayings of the desert fathers and mothers in this paperback in the Skylight Illumination series. In her absolutely brilliant introduction to the desert fathers and mothers, Paintner does a wonderful job explaining the desert as a place of deep encounter; the significant figures in this monastic tradition; the spiritual importance of the cell and the heart; the value of surrender and humility in relationship to the unceasing presence of God; and the challenges of viewing the wisdom sayings of the desert fathers and mothers as Zen koans -- "texts to be pondered and chewed on slowly and then integrated into your life." Paintner has divided these early Christian wisdom sayings, translated by Sister Benedicta Ward, into thematic sections: * Give Me a Word * Your Cell Will Teach You Everything * Heart-Centered Spirituality * Thoughts, Desires, and Passions * Humility, Simplicity, and the Beginner's Heart * Spiritual Elders and Soul Friends * Tears of Compunction * The Necessity of Practice * Virtues, Charity, and the Service of Love * Solitude, Silence, and Hesychia * Three Essential Things * Prayer and Differing Gifts * How to Become a Monk In her engrossing commentaries on these sayings, Paintner shares how they have influenced her life, such as her listening for a word from the world of nature; her adoration of trees and their connection with saints; her role as an urban monk; her frighteningly close encounter with death; her love of books and her sense of the shadow side of them; and the need to be very honest with herself as a teacher, writer, and spiritual director. This is one of the brightest and best resources on the desert fathers and mothers., During the fourth and fifth centuries, the workshops for Christian monasticism were in Egypt, Syria, Palestine and Arabia. Many of these desert communities emphasized drawing closer to God through silence, solitude and prayer. These monks and hermits were spiritual athletes who practiced fasting, renunciation, and other forms of asceticism. Christine Valters Paintner, a Benedictine Oblate and author of five books including The Artist's Rule, has annotated and explained the early Christian wisdom sayings of the desert fathers and mothers in this paperback in the Skylight Illumination series. In her absolutely brilliant introduction to the desert fathers and mothers, Paintner does a wonderful job explaining the desert as a place of deep encounter; the significant figures in this monastic tradition; the spiritual importance of the cell and the heart; the value of surrender and humility in relationship to the unceasing presence of God and the challenges of viewing the wisdom sayings of the desert fathers and mothers as Zen koans--"texts to be pondered and chewed on slowly and then integrated into your life." Paintner has divided these early Christian wisdom sayings, translated by Sister Benedicta Ward, into thematic sections: Give Me a Word Your Cell Will Teach You Everything Heart-Centered Spirituality Thoughts, Desires, and Passions Humility, Simplicity, and the Beginner's Heart Spiritual Elders and Soul Friends Tears of Compunction The Necessity of Practice Virtues, Charity, and the Service of Love Solitude, Silence, and Hesychia Three Essential Things Prayer and Differing Gifts How to Become a Monk In her engrossing commentaries on these sayings, Paintner shares how they have influenced her life, such as her listening for a word from the world of nature; her adoration of trees and their connection with saints; her role as an urban monk; her frighteningly close encounter with death; her love of books and her sense of the shadow side of them and the need to be very honest with herself as a teacher, writer, and spiritual director. This is one of the brightest and best resources on the desert fathers and mothers., "Provides not only a wonderful introduction to a fascinating world (the opening chapter alone is worth the price of the book), but an invitation to seek our own 'word' from the abbas and ammas of Christian antiquity.... Offers one of the best guidebooks I've seen for those who've been called to the contemplative life." -Paula Huston, author, The Holy Way and Simplifying the Soul "Offers the reader a good drink from the clear stream of desert wisdom. She honors the tradition while making it entirely relevant to our times." -Mary C. Earle, writer and Episcopal priest; author, The Desert Mothers: Spiritual Practices from the Women of the Wilderness and Celtic Christian Spirituality: Essential Writings-Annotated and Explained "A splendid introduction to one of the most essential periods of the Western contemplative tradition.... Offers insight into the austere and wondrous spirituality of the desert ... and why their pithy teachings remain so essential for the study and practice of Christian spirituality today. [The] commentary makes the wisdom of the desert come alive." -Carl McColman, author, The Big Book of Christian Mysticism and Answering the Contemplative Call, "Provides not only a wonderful introduction to a fascinating world (the opening chapter alone is worth the price of the book), but an invitation to seek our own 'word' from the abbas and ammas of Christian antiquity.... Offers one of the best guidebooks I've seen for those who've been called to the contemplative life." --Paula Huston, author, The Holy Way and Simplifying the Soul "Offers the reader a good drink from the clear stream of desert wisdom. She honors the tradition while making it entirely relevant to our times." --Mary C. Earle, writer and Episcopal priest; author, The Desert Mothers: Spiritual Practices from the Women of the Wilderness and Celtic Christian Spirituality: Essential Writings--Annotated & Explained "A splendid introduction to one of the most essential periods of the Western contemplative tradition.... Offers insight into the austere and wondrous spirituality of the desert ... and why their pithy teachings remain so essential for the study and practice of Christian spirituality today. [The] commentary makes the wisdom of the desert come alive." --Carl McColman, author, The Big Book of Christian Mysticism and Answering the Contemplative Call

Commentaries byPaintner, Christine Valters

Edition DescriptionAnnotated edition

Table Of ContentIntroduction ix Give Me a Word 3 Your Cell Will Teach You Everything 7 Heart-Centered Spirituality 27 Thoughts, Desires, and Passions 37 Humility, Simplicity, and the Beginner's Heart 57 Spiritual Elders and Soul Friends 85 Tears of Compunction 93 The Necessity of Practice 101 Virtues, Charity, and the Service of Love 111 Solitude, Silence, and Hesychia 119 Three Essential Things 125 Prayer and Differing Gifts 129 Conclusion: How to Become a Monk 137 Notes 144 Suggestions for Further Reading 146

SynopsisBe inspired by the writings of ordinary Christians who chose to renounce the world in order to individually follow God's call. Insightful commentary and historical background illustrates how you can use this wisdom in your own spiritual quest., Timeless and contemplative sayings from the earliest Christian sages of desert spirituality can be a companion on your own spiritual journey. The desert fathers and mothers were ordinary Christians living in solitude in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Arabia who chose to renounce the world in order to deliberately and individually follow God's call. They embraced lives of celibacy, labor, fasting, prayer and poverty, believing that denouncing material goods and practicing stoic self-discipline would lead to unity with the Divine. Their spiritual practice formed the basis of Western monasticism and greatly influenced both Western and Eastern Christianity. Their writings, first recorded in the fourth century, consist of spiritual advice, parables and anecdotes emphasizing the primacy of love and the purity of heart. Focusing on key themes of charity, fortitude, lust, patience, prayer and self-control, the Sayings influenced the rule of St. Benedict and have inspired centuries of opera, poetry and art. This probing and personal SkyLight Illuminations edition opens up their wisdom for readers with no previous knowledge of Western monasticism and early Christianity. It provides insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that describes historical background, explains the practice of asceticism and illustrates how you can use their wisdom to energize your spiritual quest.

LC Classification NumberBR67.P355 2012