Christian History Home > Issue 64 > Spiritual Pragmatists
Spiritual Pragmatists
For the desert fathers, theology was not the study of God but the study of how to become like God.
Dennis D. Martin | posted 10/01/1999 12:00AM
After being released from conscription in the early 300s, a 20-year-old Egyptian named Pachomius became a disciple of an old hermit and learned the monastic life. When his older brother John heard of it, he traveled down the Nile to join him. As reported in the Life of Pachomius, "They practiced together a great ascesis [discipline], carrying the cross of Christ according to the word of Paul, 'At all times we carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.'"
They gave away everything, shared a single tunic and mantle between them, barely slept, and kept only enough food on hand for a single day.
"Thus they fulfilled the word of the Gospel, 'If anyone wants to come after me let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me,'" the Life summed up.
Early desert monks, like Pachomius (the founder of communal monasticism) and his brother, practiced a spiritual theology, a practical plan for personal spiritual growth—in contrast to the more ... To view this item, you must be a member of ChristianHistory.net.
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