The forgotten desert mothers : sayings, lives, and stories of early Christian women

Description

In The Forgotten Desert Mothers, Laura Swan introduces readers to the sayings, lives, stories and spirituality of women in the early Christian desert and monastic movement, from the third century on. In doing so, she finally sets the record straight that women played an important and influential role in early Christianity, indeed a role that has been long overshadowed by men. She begins with an exploration of the historical context and spirituality of the desert ascetics. Then she weaves together the sayings of the major desert ammas, or mothers, along with commentary that invites readers to reflect on their own spiritual journey as they share their wisdom. The book then journeys between desert, monastery and city to reveal the stories of ascetics and solitaries whose stories are rarely heard, organized in the author's own alphabetical collection. The Forgotten Desert Mothers demonstrates, like no other work, that women have long had a history of leadership in Christianity. This engaging, eye-opening and insightful work targets all faith seekers looking to reclaim the history and spirituality of the women who came before them, as well as to understand their own inner journey. It will be a welcome addition to courses on early church history, women's studies and religious studies. † Introduction...1 Chapter One: The World of the Desert Mothers...5 Chapter Two: Desert Spirituality...20 Chapter Three: The Sayings of the Desert Mothers...32 Chapter Four: Bright Stars in the Desert Sky: Lesser Known Desert Mothers...71 Chapter Five: Deaconesses of the Early Church...106 Chapter Six: Mentors of the Monastic Way: Communities and their Leaders...127 Epilogue: The Gift of the Desert...151 Timeline of the Forgotten Desert Mothers...170 Appendix: The Ordination Rite of Deacons...171 Notes...179 Glossary of Selected Terms...193 Ordo: A Calendar of Feasts of Holy Women...201 Selected Bibliography...205