John Cassian: Conferences
Overview
John Cassian’s Conferences is a study of the fourth and fifth century Egyptian ideal of the monk. At the turn of the sixth century the Roman rule that formed the bedrock of civil order was in decline. During the chaos of those years, there arose in the deserts of Egypt and Syria monastic movements that offered men and women a radical Christian alternative to dominant Roman society. Learn more about this important period of history and deepen your understanding of the history of the church.
For a massive collection including over a hundred and twenty of the volumes in this series, see the Classics of Western Spirituality Bundle (126 vols.).
Key Features
- A clear presentation of John Cassian’s thoughts on spirituality in an accessible form
- Fully integrates and cross references with other resources from your Logos library
- This traditional theology informs modern practice and enriches the worship of modern Christians
Top Highlights
“‘Everything we do, our every objective, must be undertaken for the sake of this purity of heart. This is why we take on loneliness, fasting, vigils, work, nakedness. For this we must practice the reading of the Scripture, together with all the other virtuous activities, and we do so to trap and to hold our hearts free of the harm of every dangerous passion and in order to rise step by step to the high point of love.” (Page 41)
“‘As we have said, the aim of our profession is the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. But our point of reference, our objective, is a clean heart, without which it is impossible for anyone to reach our target. If we keep to this point of reference we will proceed with all assurance, as though along a carefully drawn line. If our minds wander a little from this we can come back to it again and keep our eye on it, using it as a standard by which to give ourselves sure guidance. This standard will draw all our efforts toward the one point and will serve as a warning to us if our minds waver even a little from the proposed route.” (Pages 39–40)
“‘In the same fashion the objective of our life is the kingdom of God, but we should carefully ask what we should aim for. If we do not look very carefully into this we will wear ourselves out in useless strivings. For those who travel without a marked road there is the toil of the journey—and no arrival at a destination.’” (Page 39)
“‘Therefore, we must follow completely anything that can bring us to this objective, to this purity of heart, and anything which pulls us away from it must be avoided as being dangerous and damaging. After all, it is for the sake of this that we undertake all that we do and all that we endure.” (Page 40)
Praise for the Print Edition
Like the rule of St. Benedict, his work was a protection against excess and a constant recall to that primitive simplicity where eastern spirituality met western.
—Owen Chadwick, professor of history, University of Cambridge
- Title: John Cassian: Conferences
- Authors: John Cassian, Colm Luibheid
- Series: The Classics of Western Spirituality
- Publisher: Paulist Press
- Print Publication Date: 1985
- Logos Release Date: 2016
- Pages: 224
- Era: era:nicene
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Monastic and religious life
- ISBN: 080912694
- Resource ID: LLS:JHNCSSNCNFRNCS
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:07:55Z
About the Author
John Cassian (AD 360–435), also known as John the Ascetic, or John Cassian the Roman, was a monk and ascetic who first introduced eastern monastic ideas to the West. His works are collected in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Second Series, Volume XI.