{"product_id":"desert-fathers-and-mothers-early-christian-wisdom-sayings-annotated-explained-skylight-illuminations","title":"Desert Fathers and Mothers: Early Christian Wisdom Sayings―Annotated \u0026 Explained (SkyLight Illuminations)","description":"Timeless and contemplative sayings from the earliest Christian sages of desert spirituality can be a companion on your own spiritual journey.\nThe desert fathers and mothers were ordinary Christians living in solitude in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Arabia who chose to renounce the world in order to deliberately and individually follow God's call. They embraced lives of celibacy, labor, fasting, prayer and poverty, believing that denouncing material goods and practicing stoic self-discipline would lead to unity with the Divine. Their spiritual practice formed the basis of Western monasticism and greatly influenced both Western and Eastern Christianity.\nTheir writings, first recorded in the fourth century, consist of spiritual advice, parables and anecdotes emphasizing the primacy of love and the purity of heart. Focusing on key themes of charity, fortitude, lust, patience, prayer and self-control, the Sayings influenced the rule of St. Benedict and have inspired centuries of opera, poetry and art.\nThis probing and personal SkyLight Illuminations edition opens up their wisdom for readers with no previous knowledge of Western monasticism and early Christianity. It provides insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that describes historical background, explains the practice of asceticism and illustrates how you can use their wisdom to energize your spiritual quest.\u003cbr\u003eASIN: 1594733732\u003cbr\u003eVSKU: BVV.1594733732.A\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Acceptable\u003cbr\u003eAuthor\/Artist:Christine Valters Paintner\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Notes\u003c\/b\u003e: The item is very worn but is perfectly usable. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Page edges may have foxing  age related spots and browning . May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Blue Vase Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44525096534077,"sku":"BVV.1594733732.A","price":11.71,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0589\/4225\/9261\/files\/1594733732-0.jpg?v=1794521677","url":"https:\/\/www.bluevasebooks.com\/products\/desert-fathers-and-mothers-early-christian-wisdom-sayings-annotated-explained-skylight-illuminations","provider":"Blue Vase Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}