Subjects / Christian monasticism
Best books to learn Christian monasticism, in order
Monasticism is one of the longest continuously running institutions in the world, and it is best approached the way it actually developed: from individual ascetics in the Egyptian desert, to a written rule that made communal life sustainable, to the vast landholding orders of the medieval West, to their violent dissolution in England, to a twentieth-century revival driven by people who came to it from outside.
Reading paths for christian monasticism
Christian monasticism: books to read, in order
Intermediate16books141 hrs4 stages
Popular christian monasticism books
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Frequently asked questions
- How should I approach learning christian monasticism?
- Monasticism is one of the longest continuously running institutions in the world, and it is best approached the way it actually developed: from individual ascetics in the Egyptian desert, to a written rule that made communal life sustainable, to the vast landholding orders of the medieval West, to their violent dissolution in England, to a twentieth-century revival driven by people who came to it from outside.
- What's a good book to start christian monasticism with?
- A strong starting point is A Time to Keep Silence by Patrick Leigh Fermor. The ordered reading paths above show exactly where it fits and what to read next.