The Church in Fourth Century : from Constantine to Augustine Class #7: The Rise of Christian Monasticism, Part 1

Christian Monasticism Begins in the 4 th century Origin linked to the cessation of persecutions & in opposition to the slow rise of popularity, bureaucracy, corruption of the church. Began in Egypt & spread north and west Continued as a strong & influential institution until the Reformation, & even continues to this day in Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

NonChristian Monasticism Far-Eastern Religions Practiced for 6-7 centuries before Christ Have all but developed/perfected the discipline/practice & all of which was “borrowed” and incorporated into those professing the Christian faith. The West Greek pagan monastic societies

NonChristian Monasticism Judaism – religious expressions Scriptural – Nazarites NonScriptural – Essenes (Pharisees & Sadducees) Islam Borrowed, in turn, from Christian monasticism

Why Do This? “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Lk. 10:41-42, ESV)

Why Do This? The superiority of a contemplative life of a disciple as opposed to a practical life. The pursuit of the highest form of holiness/communion with God. The aggressive, physical demonstration of the rejection of the world and all its distractions: body, family, and state.

Why Do This? A higher morality: not one that seeks to transform the world but one that chooses to abandon the world. A total renunciation of sin, marriage, family, individual property & wealth requiring total and absolute obedience as soldiers in a spiritual army.

Why Do This? “The example of the sister of Lazarus proves only, that the contemplative life may dwell in the same house with the practical, and with the other sex, but justifies no separation from the social ties.” (Schaff)

1 Timothy 4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

Christian Monasticism With Constantine in the 4 th century the ascetic becomes the new martyr. A voluntary self-sacrifice: self-denial, self-torture mortification of physical needs and desires a religious suicide in order to achieve a crown of glory as the martyrs had been able to gain. Seeds first sprout in mid-2 nd century Some exercises of fasting & celibacy Decian persecution drives some to flight into the wilderness for safety

Christian Monasticism A reaction, to be noted by history, against the mixture of the church with the state. A statement for: the purity of Christian love for God and the call to true discipleship. A statement against: adopting an essentially heathen society by the church, the influence of moral corruption, the continuing despotism and slavery, extravagant luxury vs. hopeless poverty, and “the decay of all productive energy in science and art” (Schaff)

Catholic Aim: purification of body and spirit Conflict between spirit and flesh is moral, driven by humility and a love for God and man. Gnostic Dualism Aim: annihilation of body and spiritual absorption of soul into the Divine. Pagan, heretical Jewish, Gnostic, Manichaean Conflict between mind and matter, driven by an intellectual pride and a spiritual superiority Christian Monasticism

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