In the study of Christian history, the institution of monasticism seems to present one of the most interesting cases for examination. From its beginnings, other Christians have revered monasticism as a particularly demanding lifestyle, one that is emblematic of the highest level of devotion to God. The sacrifices that monks make are undertaken with the specific intent of achieving closer communion with God through a rejection of the outer, human world. Yet, from its beginnings, monasticism has been noted to contain certain paradoxes, most notably that of the contrast between community and solitude. Indeed, monks are noted for their devotion to solitude and inner contemplation, yet at the same time they are often gathered together during daily life in communities known as monasteries. In addition, they seek to achieve the highest levels of communion with God, yet some of the virtues that will allow them to reach this level are charity and humility, attributes that require the presence of others in order to be practiced. Hence, one of the most provocative and interesting topics that can be studied about monasticism is the question: if Christian monks were supposed to flee from the "world", why did they inevitably end up reflecting and supporting it?
In order to best address the question, it is first necessary to limit the range and scope of the topic under examination. The institution of monasticism in the Christian religion has been in existence for over 1500 years, in many different forms, yet all forms have wrestled with the paradox of community versus solitude. Therefore, perhaps it is best to turn to an examination of the origins of the monastic tradition, both in its solitary and communal traditions. The origins of both traditions can be traced back to fourth-century Egypt under Roman rule, to the two key figures of St. Antony and St. Pachomius.
Antony is credited with establishing and bringing recognition to the
Bibliography: Brakke, David. "The Making of Monastic Demonology: Three Ascetic Teachers on Withdrawal and Resistance." Church History 70 (March 2001): 19-48. Burton-Christie, Douglas. The Word in the Desert: Scripture and the Quest for Holiness in Early Christian Monasticism. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. Gould, Graham. "Pachomius of Tabennesi and the Foundation of an Independent Monastic Community." Studies in Church History 23 (1986): 15-24. Lacarrière, Jacques. Men Possessed by God: The Story of the Desert Monks of Ancient Christendom. Translated by Roy Monkcom. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1964. Mohler, James A.. The Heresy of Monasticism. Staten Island, N.Y.: Alba House, 1971. Nugent, Andrew. "Towards a Pathology of Community Life." American Benedictine Review 48 (1997): 199-211. Palladius. Palladius: The Lausiac History. Translated by Robert T. Meyer. London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1965. Paphnutius, Saint. Histories of the Monks of Upper Egypt, and the Life of Onuphrius. Translated by Tim Vivian. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1993. Rousseau, Philip. Pachomius: The Making of a Community in Fourth Century Egypt. Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1985. Russell, Norman, trans. The Lives of the Desert Fathers: the Historia Monachorum in Aegypto. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1981.