Evagrius Ponticus

by Augustine M. Casiday

Presenting many texts available for the very first time, this new volume in the successful Early Church Fathers series showcases full translations of Evagrius' letters, notes on various books of the bible, his treatises and his 'chapters'. Augustine Casiday's material is both accurate and refreshingly approachable, and the work is prefaced by a solid introductory essay that presents Evagrius, his work and influences, and modern scholarship in an easy-to-understand way for beginners. For students dealing with Evagrius for the first time, they could not find a better book to begin their exploration of this figure in late-ancient history and theology.

Genres: Theology

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Eggtown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best introduction to the writings of the ascetic-desert theologian par excellence Evagrius Ponticus. It manages to both encapsulate and show the scope and breadth of his works, influence, and intellect.

Augustine M. Casiday gives us a little bit of everything: full translations of some of Evagrius' most important letters, treatises, scholia (notes on Scriptures) and 'chapters' ('kephalion' - pithy sayings).

Evagrius' instruction on how to fight the demonic thought of avarice:

[...] Let us suppose the thought of avarice is sent by him. Analyse this into the mind that received it, the concept of gold, the gold as such, and the avaricious passion; finally, ask which of these is the sin. Is it the mind and, if so, how? For the mind is the icon of God. Is it the concept of gold, then? Who in his right mind would say that? So is the gold as such a sin? Then why was it created? It follows, then, that the cause of the sin is the fourth, which is neither a thing that subsists in essence, nor a concept of a thing, nor yet a bodiless mind; instead, it is a certain misanthropic pleasure born from self-determination which forces the mind to use God’s creations badly and which the law of God has been entrusted to excise. [...]

- On Thoughts, 19

This is great stuff!

Together with Sinkewicz's translation of Evagrius' Greek ascetic writings - it becomes a very good springboard to dive into Evagrius more advanced teachings, like the Gnostic Chapters (Kephalaia Gnostika).

Highly recommend it!

[Harry Allagree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not knowing much about one of the great early Church Fathers, Evagrius Ponticus, I chose this book to get a basic understanding of his history & to sample some of his main writings. Augustine M. Casiday, of the University of Durham, is an able editor. The explanations to each section of writings, though somewhat technical, were helpful, as was his account of Evagrius' life. For a man who wasn't well-liked, apparently, for some of his positions, he's no less profound than many of the other early Christian writers. I was drawn to his idea of "apatheia", translated as "imperturbability", as a desirable trait in one who pursues the spiritual life. And, of course, I appreciate one of his most famous sayings: "If you are a theologian, you will pray truly, and if you pray truly, you will be a theologian."