RLG100Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Desert Fathers, Purgatory
Document Summary
Institutional christianity via the church was very sought after in political context but often led to corruption. Many seats (cid:449)anted to go (cid:271)a(cid:272)k to the (cid:862)original(cid:863) christianity. Leads to the parallel path or branch of monasticism: people live their lives strictly according to certain virtues: e. g. celibacy, austerity etc. Fist generations know as desert fathers, mainly men who left to the harsh desert to practice austerity and asceticism and contemplate christianity: beginning of monasticism, benedict 5th century: referred to as the founder of monasticism. Brought together a group of monks and together lived a life of virtues e. g. frugality etc: his sister, scholastic did this with nuns. Both referred to as founders of monasticism. Eventually the church blesses monasticism and monastic groups become different styles of. Christian practice: benedict order, franciscans order francis of assisi, dominicans order. Monasticism is a very significant party of christianity because it represents critique and change in the church.
