Harlots of the Desert: A Study of Repentance in Early Monastic Sources (Cistercian Studies Series, 106)

Benedicta Ward

ISBN 10: 0879076062 / ISBN 13: 9780879076061

Published by Cistercian Publications, 1987

The book does not look new and has been read but is in excellent condition. The cover and dust jacket if applicable may have very minimal or no wear. There are no missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no writing, highlighting or underlining of text. May have an author autograph or inscription from author. May have very minimal identifying marks inside cover. May have pale yellow pages. May have minimal light marks on page edges or a remainder mark. Fast Shipping, safe and secure mailers. Stock photo used. Seller Inventory # FWV.0879076062.VG

Synopsis:

Beauty consuming itself like incense burnt before God in solitude, far from the eyes of men, became the most stirring image of penance conceivable. Stories on conversion from extreme sinfulness to extreme holiness have always attracted humankind’s attention, and this was especially so among the monks of the ancient and medieval world. In the literature of fourth-century Egypt, alongside the wise sayings of the desert fathers and the stories illustrating their way of life, there are also the accounts of the lives of the harlots, Pelagia, Maria, Thais, Mary of Egypt, and a number of lesser figures, all of which were copied, translated, and retold throughout the Middle Ages. In this monograph, Benedicta Ward continues the work she began in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers and The Lives of the Desert Fathers, commenting on early monastic texts by discussing the theme of Christian repentance. She begins with May Magdalene, the archetypal penitent, and goes on to examine the desert tradition, concluding each chapter with new translations of those lives which were most influential in the early Church and on countless generations afterwards.

About the Author:

Benedicta Ward (1933-2022) was a Reader in the History of Christian Spirituality at the University of Oxford. Her most recent book was Anselm of Canterbury: His Life and Legacy (SPCK 2009). She was a member of the Anglican monastic community of the Sisters of the Love of God.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Harlots of the Desert: A Study of Repentance...
Publisher: Cistercian Publications
Publication Date: 1987
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: very_good