The Sayings and Stories of the Desert Fathers and Mothers

"""Speaking to us over a distance of some 1700 years, Tim Vivian continues to bring to life the profound but truly human stories and personalities of the Desert Fathers and Mothers. With his fresh translation and extensive footnotes and commentary, this volume, like the first, provides nourishment for the mind and spirit and transports us to an exciting new place that is strangely compelling! �For those who are capable of understanding these words and keeping them, there is joy and great profit� (Barsanuphius of Gaza)."" Lisa Agaiby, St. Athanasius College, University of Divinity � ""In our time of division, fear, and constant moving, the desert mothers and fathers tell us otherwise. Sit in your place/cell. Don�t run here and there. Tim Vivian�s lucid translations and discerning commentary brings us the life-giving wisdom of these early monastics, a tremendous gift. We are in their debt, and his!"" The Rev. Michael Plekon, PhD, Professor Emeritus, The City University of New York - Baruch College � ""The early ascetics spoke of direction and signposts along the spiritual way. I could think of no better guide in the �sayings and stories� of the desert fathers and mothers than Tim Vivian. With meticulous veneration and observation, Vivian helps put together fundamental pieces of that distinctive, albeit intriguing puzzle of the fourth- and fifth-century Apophthegmata in a way that brings them to life for our admiration, education, and emulation in the twenty-first century."" John Chryssavgis, author of In the Heart of the Desert and Desert Wisdom for Everyday Life ""First-rate scholarship paired with a contemporary idiom. These enigmatic, provocative, and deeply perceptive �sayings��of the Desert Christians come to life in�Tim�Vivian’s work. Like reading graffiti on a subway wall and pondering the wisdom of the ages at the same�time.�The desert weaves through these pages with�characteristic ferocity and unexpected compassion. I love it."" Belden C. Lane, author of The Solace of Fierce Landscapes: Exploring Desert and Mountain Spirituality “Tim Vivian has accomplished something extraordinary: a technical translation that is also user-friendly for those studying the early Christian movement. He has enriched this resource with his discussions around important early monastic/desert themes; footnotes that often provide more than technical information; and his excursuses. This is a great resource. I highly recommend it.” Laura Swan, OSB, author of The Forgotten Desert Mothers � “A wonderful book. The introduction on its own ought to be required reading in all theological schools and for those interested in literature generally. This collection of�The Sayings and Stories of the Desert Fathers and Mothers�is an edition that is destined to become a classic standard. To situate his material, Tim Vivian offers a generous and reflective introduction to the desert tradition that is both scintillating in its intellectual brilliance and moving in its spiritual profundity. The scholarly translations are accompanied at every step by commentary and insight that demonstrate Vivian’s fluent mastery and his status as one of the world’s preeminent leaders in the field. It is a book that scholar and student alike will treasure.” V. Revd. Prof. John A. McGuckin, Faculty of Theology, Oxford University ""Tim Vivian’s translation of The Sayings and Stories of the Desert Fathers and Mothers offers both scholarly and pastoral insights using contemporary language. The annotations provide valuable revelations into the abstruse aphorisms, rendering it an essential resource for scholars and seekers alike. Vivian emphasizes the practical application of the sagacious wisdom of the desert fathers and mothers in everyday life, making it an indispensable volume for spiritual leaders seeking a profound understanding of early Christian spirituality."" Father Macarius Refela, Presbyter, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles and Hawaii �"