Download or read book Practical Spirituality According to the Desert Fathers written by Athanasius Iskander and published by St Shenouda Monastery. This book was released on 2011-03 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although the Bible tells what people need to do to reach perfection and earn eternal life, it does not tell how. Fr. Iskander borrowed methods and techniques from the Holy Fathers and provided wise instructions on how to practically apply them to the struggles faced by young Orthodox people living in the 21st century.
Download or read book Streams in the Wasteland written by Andrew Arndt and published by NavPress. This book was released on 2022-09-13 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What if our exhaustion, burnout, and pain are an invitation into a more vibrant faith?Christianity is fighting for its soul. We've enjoyed the benefits of power and privilege for so long that many of us have forgotten the radical way of Jesus. But we have been here before. And there is a way through. Within a few hundred years after the death and resurrection of Jesus, Christianity emerged as the dominant religion of the Roman Empire. Where it once took courage to be a Christian, suddenly it was easy, and the radical way of Jesus was being lost. Toward the end of the fourth century, a group of men and women began to withdraw from the halls of privilege and power into the desert to rediscover the essence of Jesus Christ. The stories and examples of these desert fathers and mothers are recorded for us. And their lives still speak by as they teach us: To embrace the disciplines of solitude, silence, and prayer; To pursue humility, generosity, and unity in rich relationship with others; To develop a keen eye for wisdom; and To lay down our rights for the good of others. The desert fathers and mothers found a way to live radically, humanly, and beautifully in a spiritually desolate and confusing time. So can we. Streams in the Wastelandis for all those who thirst for a better way--the radical way of Jesus amid the desert of our age.
Download or read book A Practical Spirituality written by Father J. J. Edward and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2009-03-16 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In "A Practical Spirituality," Father J.J. Edward, a Catholic priest and professor of philosophy at the National Seminary of Lahore, Pakistan, outlines how people can empower themselves by working toward humanism and peace. But to reach their full potential, people must work on their inner selves before they can think about social change and global transformation. Private victories must come before public victories. In the third millennium, only the spiritually fit will survive. Walk down a path that is faithful to your Christian ideals as you learn The basic elements of spirituality How spirituality ties into aging, a sense of mission, and work Ways to celebrate forgiveness The essentials of prayer The art of creating affluence And much more! Walk down a path that will help you become a better person and take steps to help the world become a more peaceful place in A Practical Spirituality.
Download or read book Practical Spirituality and Human Development written by Ananta Kumar Giri and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-09-28 with total page 483 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores varieties of spiritual movements and alternative experiments for generation of beauty, dignity and dialogues, in a world where the rise of the religious in politics and the public sphere is often accompanied by violence. It examines how spirituality can contribute to human development, social transformations and planetary realizations, urging us to treat each other, and our planet, with evolutionary care and respect. Trans-disciplinary and trans-paradigmatic to its very core, this text opens new pathways of practical spirituality and humanistic action for both scholarship and discourse and offers an invaluable companion for scholars across religious studies, cultural studies and development studies.
Download or read book Listen to the Desert written by Gregory Mayers and published by Liguori Publications. This book was released on 1996 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 1500-year-old wisdom of the "Desert Fathers & Mothers" is becoming a refreshingly attractive resource for coping with contemporary breakdowns in personal & cultural norms. "Desert Wisdom" refers to a spiritual philosophy that arose when the Roman Empire, after centuries of persecuting Christians, suddenly claimed earthly power in the name of Christ after the conversion of Constantine. Those who longed for the discipline & courage of the earlier martyrs migrated to the deserts of Egypt. These fourth-century desert mystics left a legacy of wisdom & a way of life that is relevant wherever society suffers a spiritual upheaval. Mayers presents the ancient thought & lifestyle through traditional Wisdom Stories in which characters, actions, & sayings address deep, universal human needs. This insightful collection draws from hermit monks & nuns ("abbas" & "ammas") known to history only as Moses, Poeman, Syncletica, Macarius, Ammonas, Evagrius, Sisoes the Theban, & Bessaron. Each chapter begins with a brief story that has been used for centuries to sharpen spiritual awareness & contemplative practice. Mayers follows with provocative interpretations of the lessons taught by the masters, & concludes with contemporary applications that blend psychology & spirituality. Readers with a special interest in the evolution of spiritual consciousness as well as those with little background in monastic spirituality will find much here that is both enlightening & nourishing.
Download or read book In the Heart of the Desert written by John Chryssavgis and published by World Wisdom, Inc. This book was released on 2008 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Father John's inspiring introduction to the spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers brings their words to life for the modern reader. These key figures of the early church chose lives of hardship and solitude, where they could point their hearts away from the outward world and toward an introspective path of God's calling in a deliberate and individual way. Contains a Foreword by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, the second highest ranking Orthodox Bishop in England.
Download or read book The Way of the Heart written by Henri J. M. Nouwen and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2016-07-12 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The modern classic that interweaves the solitude, silence, and prayer of the fourth- and fifth-century Egyptian Desert Fathers and Mothers with our contemporary search for an authentic spirituality
Download or read book Faith Based ACT for Christian Clients written by Joshua J. Knabb and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2022-07-12 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Faith-Based ACT for Christian Clients balances empirical evidence with theology to give mental health professionals a deep understanding of both the "why" and "how" of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for Christians. The new edition includes updated discussions in each chapter, more than 20 new and updated exercises, and new chapters on couples and trauma. The book includes a detailed exploration of the overlap between ACT and the Christian faith, case studies, and techniques that are explicitly designed to be accessible to both non-Christian and Christian (including evangelical Christian) counselors and therapists. Chapters also present the established research on Buddhist-influenced mindfulness meditation and newer research on Christian-derived meditative and contemplative practices and lay a firm theological foundation through the use of engaging biblical stories and metaphors.
Download or read book The Desert of the Heart Daily Readings with the Desert Fathers written by Sister Benedicta Ward SLG and published by SLG Press. This book was released on 2016-09-27 with total page 62 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fairacres Publications 179 The way of life of the fourth-century Desert Fathers, with its emphasis on solitude, silence and unceasing prayer, has inspired many modern spiritual writers. Why do the Desert Fathers have so much to say to us? To answer this question, Sister Benedicta presents some of the best and most illuminating stories and sayings from the desert. Readers will find spiritual wisdom, along with sharp humour and startling insight into human nature.
Download or read book A Mind at Peace written by Mary Margaret Funk and published by Lion Books. This book was released on 1999 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What are the thoughts that matter? They are the seemingly uncontrollable, idle thoughts (‘If she wasn’t married’, ‘I hate that guy...’) that can annihilate what is good in us, what is godly, and do real damage in our world. Thoughts about food, sex, things, anger, dejection, acedia (weariness of soul), vainglory and pride. The fourth-century monk John Cassian described a method of training the mind not unlike that found in Eastern religions. In this book, a Benedictine nun and head of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue interprets this method in a contemporary way suitable for all serious about the spiritual life, devoting a chapter to each of the areas of thought that can prevent us achieving peace with God.
Download or read book Balance of the Heart written by Lois Farag and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2012-11-06 with total page 283 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Desert spirituality speaks to the mind and heart. It is a spirituality that helps us balance our work and daily obligations and figure out our priorities and the place of God in our lives. Desert spirituality addresses our most intimate thoughts and helps us analyze the roots of our spiritual setbacks. Its essence is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matt 22:37). Starting in fourth-century Egypt, desert spirituality has become a global phenomenon. It has endured through the centuries because it is practical and simple; it tells us how to live out Scripture in our daily lives. It is also profound; it is deeply rooted in the theology of the incarnation and the renewal of creation by the resurrection. The desert fathers and mothers left us short wisdom sayings, revealing their inner experience in their long journey toward being with God. They speak about Scripture and prayer, but also about how to love our neighbors, discern our thoughts, and evaluate our daily activities. Come, learn from these desert dwellers as they teach us about the examination of thoughts, the discernment of the soul, and the balance of the heart.
Download or read book The Desert Fathers written by and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2003-03-27 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book The Word in the Desert written by Douglas Burton-Christie and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 1993-02-04 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The growing scholarly attention in recent years to the religious world of late antiquity has focused new attention on the quest for holiness by the strange, compelling, often obscure early Christian monks known as the desert fathers. Yet until now, little attention has been given to one of the most vital dimensions of their spirituality: their astute, penetrating interpretation of Scripture. Rooted in solitude, cultivated in an atmosphere of silence, oriented toward the practical appropriation of the sacred texts, the desert fathers' hermeneutic profoundly shaped every aspect of their lives and became a significant part of their legacy. This book explores the setting within which the early monastic movement emerged, the interpretive process at the center of the desert fathers' quest for holiness, and the intricate patterns of meaning woven into their words and their lives.
Download or read book Desert Fathers and Mothers written by Christine Valters Paintner and published by SkyLight Paths Publishing. This book was released on 2012 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book A Course in Desert Spirituality written by Thomas Merton and published by Liturgical Press. This book was released on 2019-03-05 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book The Disciple s Handbook written by David L. Hall and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2020-02-05 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Twenty years ago, God led me to the writings of the church fathers and then on a journey that changed my life. I discovered the amazing spiritual depth throughout all the eras of the church and began to realize that I was settling for scraps when God had prepared a banquet. This handbook was written as an aid to Christians from all traditions to help them hit the ground running to discover even greater depth and passion in their walk with Christ.
Download or read book Discernment in the Desert Fathers written by Antony D. Rich and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2007-04-01 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Discernment in the Desert Fathers' is a study of discernment (Diakrisis) in the life and thought of the fourth- and fifth-century Egyptian Desert Fathers. Rich argues that their understanding of Diakrisis was based upon a practical application of biblical Diakrisis in general and not, as has been argued, primarily a development of the gift of discernment of spirits. He begins with an examination of Scripture and goes on to consider the philosophical and theological background of the period as represented by Plotinus and Origen respectively. An examination of the works of the first theologians of the desert, Evagrius and Cassian, who lived among these first Christian monks and nuns, provides an early interpretation of the sayings of the Desert Fathers or Apophthegmata Patrum. The Greek, Latin, and Coptic sayings that survive are then examined in detail, some of them translated into English for the first time. This indepth analysis (including the comprehensive list of crossÐreferences which will be a valuable resource for scholars researching the subject in the future) provides many insights into the lives of these early Christians and demonstrates how Diakrisis touched every aspect of their inward and outward lives. Rich concludes that Diakrisis was a critical faculty and charism central to the spiritual and practical life of these early monks and nuns in their mystical search for God, for purity of life, and knowledge of him.
