Living with the Desert Fathers and Mothers | 1. They were a grassroots movement of the Coptic peasantry 2. They sought to address some of the existential problems of this Coptic peasantry
3. They successfully embodied the values of the emerging Christian movement in the post-martyrdom era, renewing what was becoming institutionalized; teaching and practicing: 4. That the heart (i.e. personal transformation) was the first movement of the Christian life 5. That this heart-religion had to be expressed in the body 6. That love was the goal of this heart-religion and was realized in relationships 7. They were essentially a practical, embodied meditation on the Gospels and the words of Jesus particularly:
8. The orientation to love made charity, hospitality and community important 9. The desire not to judge made discretion and patience vital 10. The focus on the body made self-control, fortitude and sober living essential 11. The desire for personal transformation was the driving force behind unceasing prayer, the quest for silence and their cautious attitude to dramatic spiritual experiences 12. Their belief in new life and dying with Christ made obedience, humility and awareness of sin central to their practice 13. Work and economic self-sufficiency perfectly integrated with spiritual practice more crucial. This protected them from control and manipulation by the rich and powerful 14. The Fathers, especially, developed a heroic spirituality where men could engage in physical struggle in a safe, contained and meaning-rich environment 15. The Mothers, on the other hand, focused on a more communal experience, although this was also present amongst the Fathers. 16. Their genius was systematized by theologians such as Evagrius and Pelagius. This risked preferencing the mind over the heart and losing its responsiveness 17. They were institutionalized by monastics such as Cassian and Benedict. This risked replacing love with dull obedience and oppressive authority 18. There charism them has periodically reemerged in movements such as Celtic Christianity and Desert Spirituality |