Book details

  • Genre:religion
  • Sub-genre:Christian Living / Spiritual Growth
  • Language:English
  • Pages:148
  • eBook ISBN:9798317810184

Institutes of Christian Perfection

of Macarius the Egyptian Called The Great

By Institutes of Christian Perfection

Overview

Originally written in Greek in the 4th century by St. Macarius the Great, Institutes of Christian Perfection offers spiritual wisdom from an experienced monk and desert dweller of the Egyptian desert at the dawn of monasticism. In this text, St. Macarius presents a different way of seeing the world—a different way of being. This book is extremely deep, and requires a slow and thoughtful approach. The saint writes in a slow, meditative and poetic style, that weaves intricate theological concepts with Scripture, revealing mystical realities about God and the other world. This edition was translated from the Greek by Granville Penn and was originally published in London in 1816. This text is one of the earliest examples of the "sayings of the Desert Fathers" that offers insights into the contemplative tradition of early Christianity.
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Description

Originally written in Greek in the 4th century by St. Macarius the Great, Institutes of Christian Perfection offers spiritual wisdom from an experienced monk and desert dweller of the Egyptian desert at the dawn of monasticism. In this text, St. Macarius presents a different way of seeing the world—a different way of being. He proposes a way of life that is antithetical to modern life, which means he is offering a road map away from the world, and a path towards God—the way of healing and nourishing the soul. This book is extremely deep and complex, and requires a slow and thoughtful approach. St. Macarius does not write to keep you on the edge of your seat, nor is he trying to entertain with stories or fanfare. The saint writes in a slow, meditative and poetic style, that weaves intricate theological concepts with Scripture, revealing mystical realities about God and the other world. This edition was translated from the Greek by Granville Penn, the grandson of William Penn (founder of the Province of Pennsylvania) and was originally published in London in 1816, and has been out of print since. This text is one of the earliest examples of the "sayings of the Desert Fathers" that offers insights into the contemplative tradition of early Christianity.
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About The Author

Saint Macarius lived in fourth-century Egypt, and was the son of a priest. When he was young, he married in obedience to his parents wishes, but soon after, his wife died. After selling all his possessions and giving the proceeds to the poor, he eagerly disappeared into the Egyptian desert west of the Nile River. In the desert he was among many early ascetics such as Anthony the Great and Abba Sisoes. He spent sixty years in the harsh desert in isolation, toil and struggle, both physical and spiritual. He ate and slept very little, and concerned himself with study, contemplation, watchfulness, fasting and prayer. He took great care in purifying his mind from evil thoughts and his heart from evil desires, and this is reflected throughout his writings. Through the years his renown increased, and overtime there grew a community of men near him who wished to live like him, and learn from him. He advanced in spiritual practice and self-mastery, and his love for the Lord grew to such a degree that divine knowledge and illumination seemed to become normal for him. It is during this period that we believe we wrote the Institutes of Christian Perfection.
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