Christian History Home > Issue 64 > Exorcizing the Desert
Exorcizing the Desert
The stories of desert fathers' skirmishes with demons pointed to a larger struggle—and victory.
Diana Severance | posted 10/01/1999 12:00AM
Athanasius tells us that Antony, locked in his cell, repeatedly battled noisy, foul-smelling demons that took the shapes of lions, bears, leopards, bulls, serpents, asps, scorpions, and wolves. Many visitors approaching Antony's fortress reported hearing sounds of riotous crowds inside, wailing, shrieking, and crying, "Get out of our domain! What business have you in the desert?"—which they later surmised was the noise of demons.
We have such stories not only about Antony but other desert fathers as well. What do they mean?
To begin with, we need to understand the genre in which we find such stories. Athanasius's Life of Antony, for example, which became a model for saints' lives, is not a modern history or biography; rather it is a panegyric, a form of eulogistic praise common in ancient pagan literature. Panegyrics of ancient pagan prophets and philosophers routinely included miraculous tales that raised them to the status of superstars.
In early Christian circles, we find many second- ... To view this item, you must be a member of ChristianHistory.net.
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