The rise of monasticism – Part One PDF

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Th er i s eo fmo na s t i c i s m–Pa r tOn e

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Wh a t i st hep e r f e c tCh r i s t i a nl i f e ?Tobef u l l yChr i s t i a n , i si tn e c e s s a r yt owi t hd r a wf r o m s o c i e t y ?o rmu s tt h o s ei n t e n to nt h ec o mp l e t eCh r i s t i a nl i f es e e ki ti nc o mmu n i t ywi t h ot h e r s ?l i f ei nc o mmu n i t yi sn e c e s s a r y , c a nt h e r ebeac ommu ni t y , ah u ma ns oc i e t y , whi c h wi l lf ul l ye mb o dyt h eCh r i s t i a ni d e a l ?b yCh r i s t i a nsf r o mt h eou t s e ta n dh a v ebe e n r e c u r r e n ta c r o s st h ec e n t u r i e s . Asweh a v es e e n ,t h ee a r l yCh r i s t i a n swe r eas ma l lmi n o r i t yo ft hep op u l a t i o noft he Ro ma nEmp i r ea n dt oal a r g ed e g r e eh e l da l o o ff r o mt hes o c i e t ya b o u tt h e m, s e e ki n gt o r e a l i z et h ei d e a li nt hes ma l lc ommu n i t i e swh i c ht he nma d eu pt h eCh u r c h. mi d d l eo ft h et h i r dc e nt u r yt h o us a n d swe r ep o ur i n gi n t ot heChu r c h . Th eg r e a tpe r s e c u t i o n so ft hes e c o n dh a l fo ft h et h i r dc e n t ur ya ndt hefir s t q u a r t e ro ft h e f o u r t hc e nt u r yo n l yc l o s eo ft h efif t hc e n t ur yt heo v e r wh e l mi n gma j o r i t yoft h ec i t i z e n so f t h eRo ma nEmp i r ewe r ep r o f e s s i n gt h e ms e l v e st ob eCh r i s t i a n s , h a db e e nb a p t i z e d , a n d we r eme mb e r so fo n eora n o t h e roft h eb o d i e swh i c hb or et h eCh r i s t i a nn a me . l a s tc h a pt e r , wi t ht h ep r o gr e s so ft h ema s sc o n v e r s i o nt hed i s c i p l i n eoft h eCh u r c hwa s be i n gr e l a x e da n dt h eg a pb e t we e nt h ei d e a la n dt h ep e r f o r ma nc eo ft h ea v e r a g eCh r i s t i a n f e c t i o nt h a tmo n a s t i c i s ma r o s e . a g a i n s tt h eor g a ni z a t i ono ft heCa t h o l i cCh u r c h , r e g i me n t e da st h a twa su n d e rt hebi s ho p s I n d e e d ,a tt i me si t sme mb e r swe r eq ui t eu n s ub mi s s i v et ot h ebi s ho p sa n dwe r eMa n y bi s ho p sl o o k e dI nt h ei n i t i a ld e c a d e so fmo n a s t i c i s mn u mb e r sofmo n ks , l a y me nl i v i n g a l o ne , s e l d o mpa r t o o ko ft h eEu c h a r i s t . c e n t u r ymo n a s t i c i s mh a ds p r e a ds owi d e l yt h a ti th a db e c o mec ha r a c t e r i s t i co ft he Ca t h o l i cChu r c h . I twa sb e i n gr e g a r d e da st h ep r e f e r r e dwa yt o wa r d st h ep e r f e c tCh r i s t i a nl i f ea n da ss u c hi t wa sa t t r a c t i n gma n yo ft h emo s ta r d e n tCh r i s t i a ny ou t h . i nt h ec h u r c h e swhi c he mb r a c eama j o r i t yo ft h os ewh or e g a r dt h e ms e l v e sa sCh r i s t i a n s . I ts oc a p t u r e dt hec h ur c he st h a ti nt h eEa s te v e n t ua l l yt h eb i s h o p swe r en o r ma l l y ,i n d e e d bi s ho p swe r emo n ks . Be f o r et h ee n doft h es i x t hc e n t u r yPop eGr e g o r yI ,o n eo ft h es t r o n g e s tme nt os i tont h e t h r on eo fPe t e r , wa sd r a wn, r e l u c t a n t ,f r o mh i smona s t e r yóa l t h o u g hi ti sn o tc e r t a i nt h a t hee v e rt o o kmon a s t i cv o wsóa n ds i nc et h e nma n ymo n k swh i c ht h ev i t a l i t yo ft h e Ch r i s t i a nf a i t hh a sf o u n de x p r e s s i o n . Toac e r t a i nd e gr e emo n a s t i c i s mr e p r e s e n t e dt h et r i u mp ho fi d e a swh i c ht h eCa t h o l i c Ch u r c hh a dd e n o u nc e da sh e r e t i c a l . I nt h et r i u mp hofmon a s t i c i s m,t h e r e f or e , b a s i ca t t i t u d e sa n db e l i e f swona c c e p t a n c e wh i c hi no t h e rf o r mst h eCa t h o l i cCh u r c hh a db r a n d e da sc o n t r a r yt ot h eg e n i u soft h e Ch r i s t i a nf a i t h . Mo r e o v e r , a ti t si n c e p t i o n , a n dt os o med e g r e ei ni t sl a t e rh i s t o r y , mo n a s t i c i s mwa sn o t mi s s i o n a r y , i nt hes e n s et h a ti td i dn o te n d e a v o u rt owi nno n Chr i s t i a ns . Ye td i s t i n c t i v e l yCh r i s t i a ne l e me n t swe r ei nt h eOnr e n o u n c i n gt h e i rp o s s e s s i on st h e a s p i r a n t st ot h emo n a s t i cl i f eHu n d r e d so fmo n k s , i n c l u di n gt h emo s tf a mo u so ft h e pi o n e e r s , g a v es p i r i t ua lc o u n s e lt ot h o s ewhoc a met ot h e m.

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I nl a t e rc e n t u r i e s , e s p e c i a l l yi nt h eWe s t , ma n ymon a s t i cor g a n i z a t i o nsb e c a memi s s i o n a r y ord e v o t e dt he ms e l v e st oI n d e e d , f r o mt h es i xt hc e nt u r yo n wa r dmo s toft h emi s s i o n a r i e s oft h eRo ma nCa t h o l i ca n dEa s t e r nCh u r c h e swe r eme no rwo me nwh oh a dt a k e n mo n a s t i cPr e mo n a s t i cCh r i s t i a na s c e t i c i s m. Al t h o u g hi tha sb e e np r o mi n e n ti nt h ec h u r c he si nwh i c ht h ema j o r i t yo fCh r i s t i a n sh a v e be e ne n r o l l e d , mo n a s t i c i s m wa su n kn o wni nt h efir s tt woc e n t u r i e so fCh r i s t i a n i t y . La t e rg e ne r a t i o n sb e l i e v e dt h a tt he yf o u ndc omma n dsa n dp r e c e d e n tf o rt h ea s c e t i cl i f ei n t h et e a c h i n g sa n de x a mp l eofJ e s u sa n di no t he rwr i t i n g si nt h eNe wTe s t a me n t ,b u tt h a t hewh owo u l db e c omeh i sdi s c i p l emu s ts u r r e n d e ra l lt h a th eh a d ,i no n en o t a b l ei n s t a nc e c o mma n d e dawe a l t h yy o u n gma nt os e l la l lt h a th epo s s e s s e da n dg i v et ot h ep o o r , Ba p t i s t , wh owa sc l e a r l ya na s c e t i c ,J e s u s , a sh ehi ms e l fr e ma r k e d , c a meb o t hì e a t i n ga n d Pa u l , wh of a v o u r e dc e l i b a c y , kn e wofn oe x p r e s sc o mma n df r o mJ e s u st oWh i l e c o mmu n i t yo fg o o d swa sp r a c t i s e df o rat i mei nt h ee a r l yd a y so ft h eor i g i na lCh r i s t i a n c h u r c hi nJ e r u s a l e m, t h eg i v i n go fo n e ' sp o s s e s s i o nst ot h ec o mmono fp r o p e r t ys e e mst o ha v eb e e nn o r ma la mo n gChr i s t i a n s . Te s t a me ntt h o s ewh of o r b a deCh r i s t i a n st oma r r ya n dc o mma n d e dt he mt oa b s t a i nf r o m s o meki n d so ff o o dwe r ed e e me du nt r u et ot h ef a i t h . r e c o gn i t i o n, n oo n ewa se n r o l l e da ss u c hb e f or es i xt yy e a r so fa g ea n dt h ey o u n g e r wi d o wswe r ec o mma nd e dt oma r r ya n dr e a rc h i l d r e n . Ho we v e r , l o n gb e f o r emo n a s t i c i s m,a nd , i n d e e d , f r o mt h efir s td a y so ft h eCh u r c h, Wi d o wswh od i dn o tr e ma r r ya ndwh od e v ot e dt h e ms e l v e st op r a y e ra n dt h es e r v i c eo ft h e Ch u r c hb e c a mec us t oma r y . e a r l yp r i z e db yt h eCh u r c h . Ch r i s t i a nwi do wso rwi d o we r st or e ma r r y , t h e ywo u l dì g a i ng r e a t e rh o n o u ra n dgl o r yo f Wh i l et h eCa t h o l i cCh u r c hd i dn o th a v et h a tr e q ui r e me n tf o rme mbe r s h i p , i n30 5as y n o d i nEl v i r a , i nSp a i n , de ma n d e dc e l i b a c yo ft h eb i s h op sa ndo t h e rc l e r g y . t h ec u s t o mh a db e e ne s t a b l i s h e dt h a tab i s ho p , ap r i e s t ,o rad e a c o ns h o u l dn otma r r yi fh e c l e r g ys e e mt oh a v ea r i s e no u to fagr o wi n gc us t o ma n dt oh a v er e i n f o r c e di tr a t he rt h a n We s tf o rt h ec e l i b a c yo fde a c on s , pr i e s t s , a n db i s h o p s , a n di nt h eEa s tc e l i b a c yf ort h e bi s ho p s ,b u tma r r i a g eb e f o r eo r d i n a t i o nf o rd e a c o n sa n dpr i e s t s . I n3 8 5Po peSi r i c i use n j o i n e dc ha s t i t yu p ona l lp r i e s t s , s a y i n gt h a tt h e i rd a i l yoffe r i n go f t h es a c r i fic eo ft heb i s h o ps , p r i e s t s , a n dd e a c o n s . No tf a rf r o mt hemi d d l eo ft h efif t hc e n t u r yPo p eLe ot h eGr e a te x t e n d e dt os u b d e a c o ns t h er ul eofc l e r i c a lc e l i ba c y . c e n t u r yac o u nc i li nt h eEa s tc o nd e mn e dt h os ewh or e g a r d e da su nl a wf u lr e c e i v i n gt h e Eu c h a r i s tf r o mt h eh a n d sofama r r i e dp r i e s t . Ca t h o l i cCh u r c hd e c l a r e dt h a ta n ywh owi s h e dmi g h tb ema r r i e db e f o r eo r d i na t i o na s s u b d e a c o n , d e a c o n , orp r i e s t , b u tn oo n es ho u l dd os oa f t e ro r d i n a t i o n , a n dama r r i e dma n Th eb e g i nn i n go fmo n a s t i c i s m. Th e s et r e n dsi nCh r i s t i a n i t ypr e p a r e daf e r t i l es e e db e df o rmona s t i c i s m. o n eha n d, t h el e v e lo ft hemo r a l i t yo ft h ea v e r a g eCh r i s t i a na p p e a r e dt ob es i n ki n ga ndt h e Ont h eo t h e rh a n d, Chr i s t i a n sh a dl o n gh o n o u r e da n dma n yo ft h e mh a dpr a c t i s e d v o l u n t a r ypo v e r t y , f a s t i n g , a n dc e l i b a c y . Bu twh ys h ou l di th a v eb e e nmo n a s t i c i s mr a t h e rt h a no t h e rf o r mso fa s c e t i c i s mwh i c h a r o s ea n dflo u r i s h e do nt h i ss o i l ?I twa si nt h et h i r dc e n t u r ya n di nEg y p tt h a t

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mo n a s t i c i s ms p r a n gupo nt h egr o u ndf r o mt h eo u t s e tCh r i s t i a nmo n a s t i c i s mh a sd i ffe r e d ma r k e d l yf r o ma n yp r e v i o u sa s c e t i c i s mo rr e l i gi o u sc o mmu n i t y . Or i g e n , an a t i v eo fAl e x a n d r i a ,g a v ea ne x a mp l eo fe x t r e mea s c e t i c i s mi ns e l f mu t i l a t i o n a n di na u s t e r i t yi nf oo d , d r i n k,s l e e p , a n db o di l yc o mf o r t s , a ndh eh a dap r o f o u n d i n flue n c eu p onma n yo fh i spu p i l swh ob e c a mep r o mi ne n ti nt h eCh u r c hi nEg y p t . Mo n t a n i s t swe r ef o un di nEg y p ta n dma yh a v ec o n t r i b u t e dt ot h el a t e rd e v e l o p me n t s . Ye tf a c t o r so t h e rt h a nt h o s eofCh r i s t i a np r o v e na n c ema yh a v eb e e nr e s p o n s i b l ef o rt h e bi r t ho fmo na s t i c i s mi nEg y p tr a t h e rt ha ni ns o meot h e rl a n d . c o n t e mp l a t i v el i f ewe r ei nn o n Ch r i s t i a nc i r c l e si nEg y p t , i nc l u di n gt h eNe o p l a t o n i s m wh i c hh a di t so r i g i nt h e r e ,a n dt h e yma yh a v es t i mul a t e dt h a tp h a s eo ft h emo n a s t i cl i f e . Ma n i c hÊi s mma yh a v ec o n t r i b u t e d , a l t ho u g hp r o b a b l y ,i fa ta l l , l a t e r . t h i r da ndf o u r t hc e n t u r i e sma yh a v eb r e das e n s eo fi n s e c ur i t ywh i c hi mp e l l e dma n yt o mo n a s t e r i e sa r o s ei np a r tf r o md i s g us twi t hc i t yl i f e , wi t hi t sd u s t , c r o wd s , no i s e , a ndt h e mo n a s t i cmo v e me nth a ds p r e a dt ot he m. Th eg e o g r a p h ya n dc l i ma t eo fEg y p tf a v o u r e dt h el i f eo ft hemo n k ,whe t h e rs o l i t a r yo ri n c o mmu n i t y . c o u l dl i v ea l o n ea n dwi t hl i t t l es h e l t e r , wi t hs u c hs l i g h tf o o da sh en e e de df r o mv i l l a g e s ne a ra tha n dorr a i s e do nh i so wnl i t t l ep l o to fg r o un d . Be f o r et h et h i r dc e n t u r ywa sou t ,Ch r i s t i a nh e r mi t swe r eb e g i n n i n gt ob es e e ni nEgyp t . mo r en ume r o u s , b e g a nl i v i n gi ns o l i t ud ea sa s c e t i c sn e a rv i l l a g e si nh ut sb u i l tb y t h e ms e l v e sa n dt h e r eg a v et h e ms e l v e st op r a y e ra n dc o n t e mp l a t i o n . Th emos tf a mo u so ft h ee a r l ymo n kswa sAn t h o n y . ab i o g r a p h ywh i c hi sa t t r i b ut e dt oAt ha n a s i us , t hegr e a tBi s h o po fAl e x a n d r i a ,n o t e df o r s t i mu l a t et h es p r e a doft h emo n a s t i cl i f e . f a rf r o mt h ey e a r2 5 0 ,o fwe l l t o d oChr i s t i a np a r e n t s , a n dwa sr e a r e di nt h e i rf a i t h . h ewa sa b o u te i g h t e e no rt we n t yy e a r so fa g eh i spa r e n t sd i e d ,l e a v i n gh i m wi t ht h ec a r e On ed a y , wh i l ei nc hu r c h , h eh e a r d, i nt h er e a d i n go ft heGo s pe l ,t h eGo i n go u tf r o mt h e c h u r c h ,h ei mme d i a t e l yg a v eh i si n h e r i t e da c r e st ot h evi l l a g e r s , s o l dLa t e rh e a r i n gi n c h u r c ht hei n j u nc t i o no fJ e s u s , ì b en o th i ss i s t e ri nt h ec a r eo fac o mmun i t yo fv i r g i n s . p o o r , v i s i t i n gt h eh e r mi t so fwho mh eha dhe a r d , a ndl e a r n i n gf r o mo neo ra n o t h e ro f bu i l tt h e ms e l v e sc e l l si nt h emou n t a i n sa n de mu l a t e dh i mi nt h es o l i t a r yl i f e . t h e yf o r me daki n do fc o mmu n i t y . Du r i n gon eoft h ep e r s e c u t i o n se a r l yi nt h ef ou r t hc e n t u r yheHei ss a i dt oh a v ed i e di n 35 6a tt h ea g eof1 0 5y e a r s . An t h o n yr e pr e s e nt e dt wot y p e so fmo n a s t i c i s m. t h ee r e mi t i c a ll i f e , wh e r ee a c hmo n kl i v e di ns ol i t u d e . t h ewa yo ft h eh e r mi t , i nwh i c ht h emo nksh a di n di vi d u a ld we l l i n g sóac e l l , ac a v e , a Th e ymi g h te v e nh a v eo v e rt h e maf e l l o wmo n ka saki n do fd i r e c t or . At h i r dt y p eo fmo n a s t i c i s mwa st h ec e n o b i t i c ,i nwh i c ht h emo nk sl i v e di nac o mmu ni t y , ormo n a s t e r y , g o v e r n e db yah e a dmon ka n db yr u l e s . b a c kt oa st h egr e a tp i on e e ro ft h a tki n do fl i f ewa sPa c h o mi u s ,ay o u n g e rc o n t e mp o r a r y i nEgy p t , a tt h ea g eo ft we n t yPa c h omi u swa sf o ras h or tt i mei nt h ei mp e r i a la r my . h ewa si mp r e s s e dwi t ht het ho u g ht f u lki nd n e s so fChr i s t i a n si nb r i n gi n gf o o da n ddr i n kt o So met i mea f t e r wa r d sh eb e g a namo n a s t e r y , a n di tb e c a mePa c h o mi u sr u l e do v e rt h e m f r o mac e n t r a lmo n a s t e r y .

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Ru l e swe r eg r a d u a l l yd e v e l op e df o rt h eo p e r a t i o no ft h ec ommu n i t y . t h ef o u r t hc e nt u r yt h ePa c h omi a ns y s t e mwa sf a i r l yma t u r ea n ds t a b i l i z e d . Wi t h i nt h i swa l lt h e r ewe r et h eh o u s e si nwh i c ht h emo n k sWi t h i ne a c he n c l o s u r et h e r e we r ea l s oac h u r c h, ar e f e c t o r y , al i b r a r y , aki t c h e n , aba k e r y , as t o r eh o u s ef o rf o o d , v a r i o u swo r k s ho p s ,a n da ni n fir ma r y . Al lt h emo n a s t e r i e swe r eu nd e ras u pe r i o r g e n e r a lora r c h i ma n d r i t ewh oa p p o i n t e dh i s o wns u c c e s s or . o ft h emo n ksa sr e s i de n th e a d . I ne a c hh ou s ewe r epl a c e d , s of a ra sp o s s i bl e , t h os ewi t hI ne v e r yh o u s et h emon kswe r e r a n k e db yo r d e rofs e ni o r i t y . Ea c hd a yh a di t sr e g u l a rt i me sf orgr o u pp r a y e r sb yh o u s e s . T wi c eay e a rt he r ewe r ea s s e mb l i e so fa l lt h emo n k s , a n da to n eo ft h e s et h eMo n ks di s c o u r a g e d , a l t h o u g hs o meo ft h emon k sf o l l o we dav e r ya u s t e r ed i e to rmi g h tgr e a t l y Twi c eawe e kt h e r ewe r ec ommu n i t yf a s t s . Ea c hmo n a s t e r yh a dbe t we e nt woa n dt h r e eh u n d r e dmon k sa n dt h et o t a lb yt het i meo f t h ede a t ho fPa c h o mi u si ss a i dt oh a v eb e e nt h r e et h o u s a n d ....