Mondays are for Church History
6/24/24
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter IV. The Rise and Progress of Monasticism." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 1908-1993). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (through section 47)
"§38. Pachomius and the Cloister Life." (pp. 1956-1959).
After the mid-fourth century Schaff considers monasticism in a cloister to have become more common. He notes the relative dangers of isolation as a hermit and the fact that a monastic community can be of more service to the church as a whole (Schaff 2014, p. 1956). Pachomius, a former soldier and a close contemporary of Saint Anthony, in 325 established a monastic community on an island in the Nile. By his death in 348 there were multiple such communities and a growing community of several thousand monks (Schaff 2014, p. 1957). The monks in community practiced spiritual exercises and engaged in occupations which supported their community and cared for the poor and sick. Concurrently, similar communities of women developed (Schaff 2014, p. 1958). Systems of cloisters grew quickly through the 4th century .Schaff describes continued growth of monasticism in the 5th century as well, particularly in the East (Schaff 2014, p. 1959).
"§39. "Fanatical and Heretical Monastic Societies in the East." (pp. 1959-1960).
While monasticism was typically orthodox in its theology, Schaff does observe all the heresies which gained traction in society as a whole also found adherents within monastic life (Schaff 2014, p. 1959). There were also a number of heresies which sprang from the monasteries. He notes the Eustathians who held that marriage would bar one from salvation, similarly the Audians, who also insisted on recognizing Easter on the 14th of Nisan. The Euchites, or Messalians, were mendicant enthusiasts who rejected "physical labor, the moral law, and the sacraments and boasted themselves perfect" (Schaff 2014, p. 1960).
6/24/24
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter IV. The Rise and Progress of Monasticism." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 1908-1993). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (through section 47)
"§38. Pachomius and the Cloister Life." (pp. 1956-1959).
After the mid-fourth century Schaff considers monasticism in a cloister to have become more common. He notes the relative dangers of isolation as a hermit and the fact that a monastic community can be of more service to the church as a whole (Schaff 2014, p. 1956). Pachomius, a former soldier and a close contemporary of Saint Anthony, in 325 established a monastic community on an island in the Nile. By his death in 348 there were multiple such communities and a growing community of several thousand monks (Schaff 2014, p. 1957). The monks in community practiced spiritual exercises and engaged in occupations which supported their community and cared for the poor and sick. Concurrently, similar communities of women developed (Schaff 2014, p. 1958). Systems of cloisters grew quickly through the 4th century .Schaff describes continued growth of monasticism in the 5th century as well, particularly in the East (Schaff 2014, p. 1959).
"§39. "Fanatical and Heretical Monastic Societies in the East." (pp. 1959-1960).
While monasticism was typically orthodox in its theology, Schaff does observe all the heresies which gained traction in society as a whole also found adherents within monastic life (Schaff 2014, p. 1959). There were also a number of heresies which sprang from the monasteries. He notes the Eustathians who held that marriage would bar one from salvation, similarly the Audians, who also insisted on recognizing Easter on the 14th of Nisan. The Euchites, or Messalians, were mendicant enthusiasts who rejected "physical labor, the moral law, and the sacraments and boasted themselves perfect" (Schaff 2014, p. 1960).
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