John Cassian: Studies in Primitive Monasticism

by Owen Chadwick

John Cassian is a study of the fifth-century monk who was one of the founders of western monasticism. Christian monasticism flowered in Egypt during the fourth century. Cassias spent several years in Egypt and his writings are important evidence of the earliest period of monastic life. Later in life Cassian came to Provence and adapted the Egyptian ideals and methods for Latin use. The Benedictine Rule owes much to his influence. Benedictine monks still look back upon Cassian as an authority for their way of life. He was the first guide to the contemplative ideal in the history of western thought. Cassias questioned the doctrine of predestination taught by Augustine. Dr Chadwick shows how this argument gave him an ambiguous reputation in medieval history. The first edition of this book was published in 1950. It established itself as a contribution to the history of monasticism and to the origins of the contemplative ideal in Christianity. This is a reprint of the 1968 second edition in which Dr Chadwick made changes to take account of important work published since the first edition.

213 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1950

About the author

William Owen Chadwick, OM, KBE, FBA, FRSE, was a British Anglican clergyman, academic, writer and prominent historian of Christianity. He was also a rugby union player. He was Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge, from 1956 to 1983, Dixie Professor of Ecclesiastical History from 1958 to 1968, and Regius Professor of History from 1968 to 1983.

Reviews

[И~N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction of Cassian's works and the background it flourishes upon.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

This introduction to John Cassian suffers a couple sharp defects.

1. Despite being short, it delves into some very specific territory in some chapters that seem out of place. At other times, themes and ideas that seem important get passed over with a sentence or two.

2. Worst of all, much of the book (50% would not be far off) is not about Cassian at all, but his contemporaries or social circumstances of the era. Any good biography should put the subject in context, but Chadwick neglects his subject for context.

[David Mosley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read:
5 August 2011