Early Christian Lives (Penguin Classics)

Spirituality seems to be in vogue these days. These lives of early Christian monastic figures do a good job of showing the essentials of the Christian spiritual life as it has been lived through the millennia. Whether there is any validity to the Christian narrative of world history, it is indisputable that Christian spirituality has resolved the disquiet of soul felt by many men and women.Essentially, there is the idea that the human person is good but needs prayer, asceticism and good works to reform the soul into a perfect Christian. Those early Christians who were most affected by the need for spiritual growth tended to become monks or nuns.Thus, we have the biographies of St. Anthony, St. Martin of Tours and St. Benedict along with some others lesser known personages. The miracle stories will grate with many modern readers but, beneath them, the pith of the Christian ladder leading to heaven pervades these sketches.Not comparable in literary talent to the ancient biographers like Plutarch or Diogenes Laertius this volume is mostly of interest to those with an interest in the history of Christianity and western civilization. If these pique your interest Penguin has done a good job of assembling compelling lives of early Christian monasticism.

I enjoy reading about the lives of early Christians and what they had to go through to maintain their faith. Good reference book on the writings of early Christian leaders.

Great price wish i actually got to read this book, my teacher had us buy it and we used it twice

I wonder why cafe catholics don't bring attention to these miracles and the miracle workers. The catholics i meet-probably only catholic in name-only speak of mary and deadly sins. They're either bores or frauds to the public.

It ight.

This product was in good condition. My only complaint was that a sticker had been applied to the cover that was hard to remove.

Great book. Just as advertised. Thanks!

Yes

Very good.

Good history

A nice and interesting compilation

very superb

Excellent