Barsanuphius and John: Letters, vol. 2
Overview
The second volume of the Letters of Barsanuphius and John completes the collection of these monastic writings, which provided both spiritual and practical advice to a variety of sixth-century interlocutors from diverse walks of life. The two anchorites, having settled in an isolated location near Gaza, were in demand as trusted counselors, responding to questions on topics ranging from relationships within monasteries to problems of municipal taxation. Barsanuphius, the “great old man,” and John, the “other old man,” fulfilled their time-honored role as resident holy men in their locality, leaving behind a wealth of monastic wisdom as well as inspiration for all Christians.
Distinctive to this volume are many colorful letters that will attract the interest of historians of this period. Some of these are responses to inquiries about specific problems of mundane life, such as veterinary treatment for a horse, the leprous disease of a household servant, and vandalism in a vineyard. Of broader applicability is the advice regarding such issues as the replacement of an unworthy bishop, the management of alms donated for the poor, and the quality of public entertainment in faraway Constantinople. The religious diversity of the Gaza region at this time, a century before the advent of Islam, generated questions about how Christians should interact with Jewish, pagan, and Manichaean fellow citizens.
Abundant also are insights into the human heart. Barsanuphius and John offer timeless teachings on the inner warfare against resentful thoughts, temptations, doubts, anxieties, and reluctance to surrender oneself trustfully to God. They examine the human foibles arising from relationships among monks, and between monks and abbots, with a serene clarity resulting from these holy men’s long experience with the introspective asceticism of the desert.
For The Fathers of the Church series in its entirety, see Fathers of the Church Series (127 vols.).
Key Features
- Practical and spiritual advice from key leaders
- Content provides background on both the authors and the era
- One of 127 published volumes in a well-respected series on the Church Fathers
Top Highlights
“Since you said and thought: ‘Why is it that some of the fathers accept the Gnostic Chapters of Evagrius?’ it is true that certain brothers, who regard themselves as knowledgeable, accept these writings; but they have not asked God whether they are true. And God has left them to their own knowledge on this matter. Nevertheless, it is neither my role nor yours to pursue these matters; for our time is given us to examine our passions, as well as to weep and mourn for them.” (Page 183)
“‘Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is unspiritual and demonic.’22 This teaching is from the devil, leading to eternal hell those who pay attention to it. Anyone who is preoccupied with this teaching becomes a heretic; anyone who believes in it has deviated from truth; anyone who adheres to it is alienated from God’s way.” (Page 182)
“Brother, your weeping and compunction are not genuine at this time; rather, they come and go. For genuine weeping, which comes with compunction, becomes like a servant submitted to us without separation; and a person who possesses this does not experience warfare. It even wipes away one’s former faults and washes away all spots. Moreover, in the name of God, it continually protects the person who has acquired it. It also expels laughter and distraction, while at the same time unceasingly maintaining one’s mourning. For weeping is a large shield that deflects all of the fiery arrows of the devil. The person who possesses it experiences absolutely no combat, whether that person is with others or even with prostitutes! [Such a gift] is always with us and fights for us.” (Page 75)
- Title: Barsanuphius and John: Letters, Volume 2
- Authors: Joseph Priestley, Barsanuphius
- Series: The Fathers of the Church
- Volume: 114
- Publisher: Catholic University of America
- Print Publication Date: 2007
- Logos Release Date: 2014
- Pages: 361
- Era: era:byzantine
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Spiritual life › Orthodox Eastern Church; Asceticism › Orthodox Eastern Church; Monastic and religious life
- ISBNs: 9780813201146, 0813201144, 9780813201139, 0813201136
- Resource ID: LLS:LETTERSVOLUME2
- Resource Type: text.monograph.letters
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:12:39Z
About the Translator
John Chryssavgis studied theology in Athens and Oxford. He taught at St Andrew’s Theological College in Sydney and at Holy Cross School of Theology in Boston. His writings have focused on the early ascetic literature of Egypt, Palestine, and the Sinai Peninsula.