4/11/2024 0 Comments Amma syncletica quote meanings![]() Only now in mid-life have I been presented with these great innovators of the Christian tradition and their surprisingly earthy teachings and practices. What unfolds in the writings is a rich Christian contemplative tradition that I was never taught in my formative years growing up in the church. Cynthia calls them “empiricists of the spirit,” experimenting with whatever worked. Rather than emphasizing belief in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross that secures our eternal salvation, the desert tradition seemed to be single-mindedly focused on the search for the abundant life in the here and now. However, the implicit code that these monastics seemed to adhere to is not the common perception of Christian doctrine, and certainly not the traditional message I received in my youth. ![]() From this moment on Christianity became intertwined with political power in the Mediterranean and Western world. In 313 CE the Emperor Constantine suddenly reversed historical course by making the formerly persecuted religion of Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. The burning question of my life in the last few years has been this: what is the role of spiritual practices in the quest to become a deeper, more aware, more compassionate human being? It was with this question in mind that I attended a 4-day silent retreat in Auckland, New Zealand in May with Cynthia Bourgeault in which we studied the 4th and 5th century writings of the Christian desert fathers and mothers.Ĭynthia explained that the writings of these desert mothers and fathers, who seemed to spontaneously head to the sands of Syria and Egypt in the early 4th century, emerged on the heels of a paramount moment in Christian history. When words and life correspond to one another they are together the whole of philosophy.'” -Richard Rohr Introduction For the former who lives rightly does good even by his silence but the latter does no good even when he speaks. ![]() Abba Isidore of Pelusia (5th century) said, ‘To live without speaking is better than to speak without living. “There were few ‘doctrines’ to prove at this time in Christianity, only an inner life to be experienced. (See end of the piece for a close-up of the image.) Our central image of the 4-day retreat: below the flame is a desert mother holding a scroll that reads, “Light the divine fire within yourself.”
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