Monasticism in Early Church

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[ellethekitten]

These are great lectures for a non-religious person interested in intellectual history. In addition to content, the delivery is great.Great speaking voice, pace, etc... Thanks for sharing these.

[longhaulconvert]

There are still hermits and cenobitic monasteries (Mt. Athos, the 'Holy Mountain', is the most famous) throughout the World. There are many Orthodox Monasteries in the United States. My Parish visits a woman's monastery in the Arizona desert twice a year. Our young people love to visit! Visiting monasteries has always been a common practice everywhere. At the monastery we keep the hours of prayer (compline, vespers etc.). Often elderly widowed clergy or widows of Priests live out the rest of their lives at monasteries.

[Rahner]

Great introduction. I am a graduate student in historical theology who specializes in early monasticism

[rasputin]

"Eremetical" derives from the word "heremos" (έρημος) which means "desert". It comes from the hermits of old that used to actually roam alone in the desert, such as St. John the Baptist or st Anthony . The term took a more general meaning for monks living simply alone, but not necessarily only in deserts. I.e. Monks not living together in monasteries.

[IzzyGalipo]

Thank you for these enlightening and entertaining lectures. So much knowledge that my Pentecostal church did not focus on when I was a child which could have kept me interested, at least on an intellectual level. There is some irony in my indulging in much coffee and home-made macadamia-hazelnut mylk hot-chocolate while learning about the life of hermits and early monks...

[aristotle]

It was believed that demons roamed desert arid places. Eremos being the Greek word for desert, the Eremites went into the desert to face the demons and battle with them. So it was not just the desire for solitude.

[nickphillips]

Thank you, Dr. Reeves. Wonderful series of lectures, most appreciated

[teklomtesfaslasea]

Thank Ryan, all your lectures are great, they inspired me .It is the first time for me to get detail information about Christianity from apostolic Church to all the way Great Constantine, Nicaea and the great schism

[danielw]

as a history junkie, love the upload.

[juniorxeastny]

St. Anthony! My confirmation name and middle name! Of course, half my class in Catholic school had that middle name.

[LilSirAxolotl]

My great uncle was a monk at the Westmalle beer and cheese factory in Belgium

Because he was ordered to complete silence for years he'd breathe heavily in-between sentences when speaking to me

Such a good man... So much to say... So little time... He gave me my first beer against the wishes of my parents... With them in the room... "Oh c'mon! He's 13 years old already!"

[lottietunes]

Thank you for your lectures, through which I am learning much religious history and world history that I would never have taken time to read. Your voice and delivery are very comfortable to follow. Now there is an incentive for me to buy or borrow from the library certain books that you have cited as references... SUBSCRIBED !!!
Also, at 26:57, wherein you refer to the Monastic Houses of the West becoming "lazy" following the rise of Protestantism:
1: When the Vikings began to RAID and PILLAGE the Monasteries, they were drawn there because of the Opulent furnishings and decorations of Gold, Silver, and Bronze.
2: When I visited some of the Western European Cathedrals in the 20th Century, their Gold, Silver and Bronze decorations were Dazzling ..and.. distracting from the mood of Worship.
It left me wondering if the Monasteries were not actually a society of Indulgence and Gluttony, more so than a place of Piety and Penance.

[caseyshaneperkins]

"The couch potato in us all must be forced to submit." Great way of explaining it.
:-)

[taroplus]

i stumble upon your channel. i subbed it because you have academic background. some theological channels are not academically reliable.

[danhaag]

Excellent review of the basics of monasticism. He did however not mention the Irish monks, who although modeled on the Egyptian monks, yet later served a very important mission in the spread of Christianity throughout the British Isles and Europe. The importance of the Irish monks as missionaries and not just as scholars, also points out the basic weakness of monasticism, which the speaker does not mention. The mission of the church is missions. Christ sent His Apostles out as missionaries not monks.

[thothheartmaat]

the thing about deserts is that they aren't necessarily barren wastelands. some have lots of life in them. plants, different things. lots of animals.

[jjroseknows]

Was there any other place in the New Testament that says "sell all your possessions and follow God...". If you are talking about the single instance that I know of, it is the story of the rich young ruler. You must admit that he didn't tell everyone that, as if that were the way. He just knew what that guy could not possibly give up, so there would be no surrender for him as long as he was clinging to his riches.

[dlwatib]

It's clear from the archeological finds at Qumran and since, that Christian monasticism was in many ways a continuation of Jewish ascetic practices. John the Baptist may have served as the primary inspiration for Christian monasticism, but John the Baptist himself was not alone within Judaism as leading an extremely ascetic life.

[rasputin]

Μόνος (monos) in Greek means "one" or "single" or "left by himself". Correctly, "Monk" or "alone" is "monachos" which is the proper word for monk. Nevertheless the root of this word is still "monos". However the proper translation for monk is "monachos" (μοναχός) which has for ever been the proper term. There also is another more colloquial word in Greek, "kalogeros" meaning "good old man" that is also synonymous to "monk".

[Awurabena]

Monasticism as a way to sidestep cravings of this world - lust of eyes and flesh and the pride of life.

Matthew 19:21Amplified Bible (AMP)

21 Jesus answered him, If you would be perfect [that is, [a]have that spiritual maturity which accompanies self-sacrificing character], go and sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; and come, [b]be My disciple [side with My party and follow Me].