How Did Egyptian Religion Affect Roman Culture

The early Egyptian ascetics entered the desert with a desire to assess, subdue and transform the internal state of the soul, which allows the ascetic to draw nearer to God’s presence by distancing them away from the distractions, temptations, and comforts of the world. The early Christians in Egypt believed that external temptations and the openly displayed depravities of the Roman Culture created obstacles, which impeded their ability to contemplate their own internal sinfulness, which ultimately affected their path toward God in the present as well as in the future upon Christ’s return. Trying to live in the shadow of the Roman culture, many found it difficult to live Christ-like lives. In later years of the Egyptian ascetic movement, Constantine's conversion
350 A.D., fueled the rise of the Christian faith within the Roman empire, creating a rift in the Church. Conversely, the surge in popularity of the Christian faith throughout the empire, especially among the wealthy, created an adverse effect within the Christian church, because Roman culture began to exert power and influence in the Church’s leadership and doctrine. This was viewed as an intrusion by many in the faith, which caused many believers desiring a more pious Christian faith to flee into the desert to “protest the church’s compromise and to start a countermovement of discipleship.” The believers who wanted to practice uninhibited asceticism sans the temptations of societal evils decided to practice the ascetic life in the desert, which offered them an environment that not only allowed them to surrender themselves to God but made surrender necessary due to the harshness of the desert. John Chryssavgis’ book In the Heart of the Desert, Revised describes the