Five Models of Spiritual Direction in the Early Church

by George E. Demacopoulos

Overview

In late antiquity the rising number of ascetics who joined the priesthood faced a pastoral dilemma. Should they follow a traditional, demonstrably administrative, approach to pastoral care, emphasizing doctrinal instruction, the care of the poor, and the celebration of the sacraments? Or should they bring to the parish the ascetic models of spiritual direction, characterized by a more personal spiritual father/spiritual disciple relationship? /// Five Models of Spiritual Direction in the Early Church explores the struggles of five clerics (Athanasius, Gregory Nazianzen, Augustine of Hippo, John Cassian, and Pope Gregory I) to reconcile their ascetic idealism with the reality of pastoral responsibility. Through a close reading of Greek and Latin texts, George E. Demacopoulos explores each pastor's criteria for ordination, his supervision of subordinate clergy, and his methods of spiritual direction. He argues that the evolution in spiritual direction that occurred during this period reflected and informed broader developments in religious practices. /// Demacopoulos describes the way in which these authors shaped the medieval pastoral traditions of the East and the West. Each of the five struggled to balance the tension between his ascetic idealism and the realities of the lay church. Each offered distinct (and at times very different) solutions to that tension. The diversity among their models of spiritual direction demonstrates both the complexity of the problem and the variable nature of early Christianity. Scholars and students of late antiquity, the history of Christianity, and historical theology will find a great deal of interest in Five Models of Spiritual Direction in the Early Church. The book will also appeal to those who are actively engaged in Christian ministry.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780268063092
Publisher:	University of Notre Dame Press
Publication date:	11/15/2006
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

George E. Demacopoulos is assistant professor of historical theology at Fordham University, and is translator of St. Gregory the Great’s The Book of Pastoral Rule (2007).

Editorial Reviews

“[This is] an interesting and thought-provoking attempt to map a significant development within the life of the church as it grappled with the pressures of mass religion on the one hand, and an individualized spirituality on the other.” —Journal of Theological Studies

“Five Models of Spiritual Direction in the Early Church shows how, when monks left their monasteries to become priests and bishops in the cities of the late antique world, they were able to translate their spirituality into something appropriate for those who came under their pastoral care. . . . This is an extremely interesting book with a firm grasp of the scholarly literature.” —Commonweal

“The strength of this publication clearly lies in the meticulous and respectful examination of the style and policy adopted by key ecclesiastical officers as they considered methods of advocating for Christian polity. . . . This book is of critical importance and deserves attention. It will long appeal to scholars of late antiquity and medieval theology, and to students of the history of monasticism and spirituality, as well as to those actively engaged in pastoral aspects of contemporary Christian ministry.” —Logos: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies

“Five Models of Spiritual Direction in the Early Church puts spiritual direction on solid historical ground by showing its importance in the early centuries of the church as well as exploring the different ways spiritual direction was conceived by bishops and theologians. Using five prominent figures from the early church (Saints Athanasius, Gregory Nazianzen, Augustine, John Cassian, and Gregory the Great), Demacopolous crafts a nuanced study that shows how the widening gulf between monasticism and laity in the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries translated into different expressions of spiritual direction.” —Cistercian Studies Quarterly

From the Publisher