Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Wisdom of the Desert with Nicholas Buxton cover art

The Wisdom of the Desert with Nicholas Buxton

By: Nicholas Buxton, Wise Studies
Narrated by: Nicholas Buxton
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £7.99

Buy Now for £7.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Sayings of the Holy Desert Fathers cover art
Bread & Water, Wine & Oil: An Orthodox Christian Experience of God cover art
The Thomas Keating Reader cover art
Practical Zen cover art
The Knowing Heart cover art
On Prayer cover art
Silent Compassion cover art
Radical Optimism: Practical Spirituality in an Uncertain World cover art
Medieval Wisdom for Modern Christians cover art
Reflections on the Unknowable cover art
The Imitation of Christ cover art
Heroes of the Desert: The Lives, Faith, and Teachings of the Church Fathers and Mothers cover art
Soul Feast cover art
A Theology of Love cover art
Invitation to Love 20th Anniversary Edition cover art
God as Nature Sees God: A Christian Reading of the Tao Te Ching cover art

Summary

The course begins by looking at the origins of Christian monasticism during the third century CE, when thousands of men and women renounced the world and withdrew to the deserts of Egypt, Syria, and Palestine to seek God in a life of solitude and prayer. What inspired them to do this? What were they trying to achieve? In seeking answers to these questions, we will examine the lives and sayings of the so-called "desert fathers", with a particular emphasis on the theological writings of Evagrius of Pontus (c. 345-399).

Evagrius was described as being one "skilled in the discernment of spirits". In his ascetical treatises, he elaborates a detailed programme for aspirants to the holy life comprising a foundation of stillness (hesychia), the cultivation of equanimity (apatheia), and, ultimately, unitive knowledge of the divine reality (gnosis). Particular attention will be given to his psycho-spiritual taxonomy of the "eight thoughts" and the practice of contemplative prayer, as expounded in texts, such as the FoundationsPraktikosEight Thoughts, and On Prayer.

  • Session One - Monks of the Desert: Historical origins of Christian monasticism; the story of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness; St Antony, the "first monk"; fleeing the world to face the self; life in the desert; Pachomius and the beginnings of institutional monasticism
  • Session Two - The Ascetic Rationale: The theology of Origen of Alexandria; principles of monastic asceticism; the importance of humility and purity of heart; Evagrius of Pontus, theologian of the desert; stages on the path of spiritual progress; the cultivation of apatheia (equanimity)
  • Session Three - The Eight Thoughts: On the subject of demons; the eight categories of obsessive thoughts: gluttony, lust, avarice, sadness, anger, acedia, vanity, and pride; the practice of the discernment of thoughts
  • Session Four - On Prayer: Types of prayer in the Christian tradition; prayer in the Bible and the teachings of Jesus; the nature of the mind; the notion of "pure prayer" in Evagrius; the legacy of the Desert Fathers

The Reverend Dr Nicholas Buxton is a Church of England priest in the Northeast of England and a founder of Just Meditation. He has a PhD in Buddhist philosophy from the University of Cambridge and is an experienced meditation teacher and retreat leader. Publications include The Wilderness Within: Meditation and Modern Life (Canterbury Press, 2014) and Tantalus and the Pelican: Exploring Monastic Spirituality Today (Continuum, 2009).

©2018 Wise Studies (P)2018 Wise Studies

What listeners say about The Wisdom of the Desert with Nicholas Buxton

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

deep, inspiring and excellently read by the author

Loved this and listened to in 2 or 3 sessions! A good sign. Crystal clear reader and content.
A great insight into the early church fathers eg the desert fathers particularly focussing on Evagrius Ponticus and Cassian though others too get a mention and some treatment eg Benedict of Nursia, Brother Lawrence and the classic Eastern guys.
A really good book for getting the vibe of deeper ancient prayer. The western way of meditation emphasised mental prayer as a door into contemplative prayer. In the east the desert fathers emphasized more short prayers, leading into "pure prayer" : transcending all forms and words. It is this latter the author focuses on. That's great and it has its place in the body of Christ. The eastern orthodox monks I know are all on this plane and they are beautiful people. This book will help you know about this pursuit of pure prayer and union with God in the ancient Church. The other is on a theoretical level more than a practical one in my opinion, but he is certainly no dry academic waffle bag either! (Theology has plenty of these types particularly in the west!) Some of his parallels that he draws to other religions reveals the academic, psychological and relativistic mindset proper to our sorry age in Christianity. However he does not labour or force these relativisms on us, just mentions them in passing! Good. I'm not looking for religious blended soup. But Ancient Christianity at its source. These lectures have plenty of that.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The most comprehensive and practical book on the Desert Fathers.

I think this is the most comprehensive and practical book on the Desert Fathers. The description of the Fathers’ practices is easily the most fascinating and helpful I have encountered. The author narrates the book and his friendly and gentle tone adds to the enjoyment of this really exceptional work.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!