Issue #4: Desert Spirituality: The Beginnings of Monasticism
- Robert Falconer
- Sep 1
- 7 min read
Some of the most enigmatic personalities in Christian spirituality are the Desert Fathers. They were early Christian hermits and ascetics who were primarily active in the 3rd, 4th, and even the 5th centuries, but their legacy still lives on, shaping contemporary Christian spirituality. Although the Desert Fathers experimented with monasticism in Syria, Palestine, and Arabia, the geographic centre for their monasticism was Egypt.[1] You can read the wisdom of Anthony the Great, Macarius the Great, Paul the Great, Poemen the Great, and many other Desert Fathers in the alphabetical collection called The Sayings of the Desert Fathers. They had a profound influence on the development of Christianity. Thomas Merton[2] explains that:
The Desert Fathers declined to be ruled by men, but had no desire to rule over others themselves. Nor did they fly from human fellowship—the very fact that they uttered these “words” of advice to one another is proof that they were eminently social. The society they sought was one where all men were truly equal, where the only authority under God was the charismatic authority of wisdom, experience and love.
These monastic communities in the desert originated as informal gatherings of monks, most of whom were hermits, which laid the foundation for later monasticism. The monasticism of the Desert Fathers took on various forms. The first is the hermit life, where monks would retreat “further into the solitude of the desert.” These solitary hermits usually gathered around a spiritual father. This was common in lower Egypt, and St. Anthony the Great was its catalyst.[3]
The second form is coenobitic monasticism in Upper Egypt. This was a monastic tradition that focused on organized community life—“communities of brothers united in work and prayer.”[4] Even though these communities were in a less remote part of Egypt, they nevertheless broke away from society. Such communities of monks were established by Pachomius.[5]
A third form of monastic life developed “at Nitria, west of the Nile Delta, and at Scetis, forty miles south of Nitria.” These were groups of ascetic monks who lived together as disciples under an “Abba,” meaning father. What distinguished this form of desert monasticism from the hermits in the first group was that it was a more learned monasticism, influenced by the Greeks. The most famous of these monks was Evagrius Ponticus.[6]
A fourth group of Desert Fathers were those from Syria, who imposed extreme hardship upon themselves, such as wandering about naked in chains and eating whatever they found in the desert.[7] Believe it or not, some even lived for decades on top of high pillars. They were called “Stylite” saints.[8] It was said that “They chose to exist at the limits of human nature, close to animals, angels, and demons.”[9]
A fifth model of desert monasticism was found in Cappadocia, Asia Minor. This was “a more learned and liturgical monasticism developed within the heart of the city and the Church.” They were considered more “as theologians and writers than as monks in the Egyptian tradition.”[10] The primary figures were the Cappadocian Fathers: Basil the Great (Bishop of Caesarea), his younger brother Gregory of Nyssa (Bishop of Nyssa), and Basil’s friend Gregory of Nazianzus (Bishop of Constantinople). All three made profound contributions to Christian theology. We will learn more about them in a later lesson.
By the fifth century, a sixth form of monasticism developed in Palestine, which had become a major centre for monasticism, especially in the desert of Gaza. Here, the Desert Fathers continued the spiritual tradition they had inherited from the fathers in Egypt. Most of the Sayings of the Desert Fathers originate from this region.[11]
Desert spirituality was not something taught, but rather something caught. Think of it as a way of life, not a system of esoteric doctrines or rigid ascetical practices.[12] Monks would seek solitude by retreating to the desert as their first step in the spiritual life, living a radically simple life, and submitting to a spiritual father.[13] The Desert Fathers spoke from experience, always directing the body, mind, and soul of their followers towards God—“Prayer was not a daily activity but a continuous turning toward God.”[14]
While the Desert Fathers and monks certainly practiced asceticism, that was never their goal. Instead, they understood that charity and love were their way to God. It is said, “The gentle charity of the desert was the foundation of their way of life, the test of their spiritual discipline, and the essence of their work.”[15]
The spirituality of the Desert Fathers has had a profound influence on both Western and Eastern Christianity. In the Western Church, it provided inspiration and guidance for St. Benedict of Nursia and his monastic rule, which influenced almost all medieval monasticism and continues to form modern-day monastics. In Eastern Christianity, it had a significant influence on the monastic tradition at Mount Athos, still a bastion of Eastern Orthodoxy, not to mention the influence on Eastern Christian spirituality, such as the Hesychast movement, which we will explore in a later lesson. Even some evangelical movements and revivals have been influenced by the Desert Fathers.
Henri Nouwen, in his little book The Way of the Heart: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers[16]—yes, there were Desert Mothers too—explores how the wisdom of desert spirituality may shape our spiritual life today. He highlights three primary disciplines: solitude, silence, and prayer. These, he believes, are the foundation for a life deeply rooted in God, according to the Desert Fathers.
Solitude
Nouwen contrasts solitude with loneliness. He argues that solitude isn’t an escape from the world as much as it is a place of transformation. Drawing from the Desert Fathers and Mothers, he explains that stepping away from the world’s distractions gives one an opportunity to face inner struggles and discover the presence of God. Therefore, solitude isn’t about isolation but about creating a space where one can listen to God and allow Him to transform one’s life. This helps us grow spiritually and develop spiritual depth, while also preventing burnout.
Silence
Silence is a powerful discipline that guards against our compulsive need to speak, to control our environment, and our felt need to always be entertained. Nouwen criticises our addiction to noise and words—today we might include media and social media. He explains that silence helps Christians to listen to God and others more intently. Silence allows us an opportunity to free ourselves from the chaos of life and make space for God’s voice. Similarly, the Desert Fathers saw silence to empty oneself of the world’s distractions and be filled with divine wisdom.
Prayer
Constant, simple prayer of the heart is characteristic of desert spirituality, Nouwen says. The Desert Fathers practiced the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” The repetition of the Jesus Prayer was a popular way for them to maintain communion with God. This became a significant part of Hesychast spirituality and is still practiced at Mount Athos and in Eastern Orthodoxy today. I pray it myself every day—it is certainly a powerful way to draw into Jesus’s presence. The prayer cultivates a deep sense of humility and dependence on God. It helps one move beyond intellectual engagement to a deep faith and lived experience of God’s presence.
Nouwen urges us—especially Christian leaders and ministers—to dedicate ourselves to these three disciplines of solitude, silence, and prayer. He believes that they are necessary for nourishing the Christian life and sustaining spiritual vitality and effective service.
The first Desert Father was Paul of Thebes, but the most well-known was the Egyptian St. Anthony the Great, who came to the desert somewhere between 270 and 271 AD. Anthony set out on a life of purity, self-denial, extreme fasting, and constant prayer and communion with God. He is considered the founder of monasticism, “blazing a trail for future monastics and inspiring millions of Christians.” The battle with demons is a frequent theme in his mystical experiences, as recorded by the theologian and bishop St. Athanasius, who knew him personally. Anthony also had the gift of infused knowledge and performed various miraculous signs. Eventually, other hermits came to St. Anthony seeking his counsel and spiritual direction, which soon developed into a loose community of hermits. St. Anthony continues to be a role model for monastics, mystics, and contemplatives.[17]
He died in 356 AD, and by then, thousands of desert monks and nuns followed St. Anthony’s example by retreating to the desert to live out their Christian spirituality. Perhaps one might define desert spirituality as being “in true relationship with God, standing before Him in every situation—this was the angelic life, the spiritual life, the monastic life. It was a life oriented entirely toward God.” [18]
Task
For this unit’s task, read The Life of Saint Anthony by St. Athanasius, freely available here, and write a 500-word essay answering the following questions:
Withdrawal from Society: Explore St. Anthony’s decision to withdraw from society. What motivated him to choose a life of solitude, and how does Athanasius portray this decision in the text?
The Significance of Silence: Analyse the role of silence in Anthony’s spiritual practice. How does silence contribute to his contemplation, inner transformation, and deepening relationship with God?
The Role of Prayer: Discuss the centrality of prayer in Anthony’s life. How does Athanasius depict the power and effectiveness of Anthony’s prayer, and what does it reveal about his spiritual maturity?
Conclude your essay with a personal reflection on how you might integrate the disciplines of solitude, silence, and prayer into your own spiritual life.
AI Disclaimer:
This article has been edited for grammar, clarity, and readability using AI-assisted tools. The core content, theological insights, and personal reflections remain my original work.
[1] The Desert Fathers, The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, trans. Benedicta Ward, Revised edition (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1975), xvii.
[2] Thomas Merton, The Wisdom of the Desert: Sayings from the Desert Fathers of the Fourth Century (New York: New Directions Books, 1960), 5.
[3] The Desert Fathers, The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, xvii–xviii.
[4] The Desert Fathers, xviii.
[5] The Desert Fathers, xviii.
[6] The Desert Fathers, xviii.
[7] The Desert Fathers, xix.
[8] The Desert Fathers, xix.
[9] The Desert Fathers, xix.
[10] The Desert Fathers, xix.
[11] The Desert Fathers, xix.
[12] The Desert Fathers, xxi.
[13] The Desert Fathers, xxiii.
[14] The Desert Fathers, xxi.
[15] The Desert Fathers, xxiv.
[16] Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Way of the Heart: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers (San Francisco: HarperOne, 2009).
[17] St. Anthony of the Desert: The Father of Monasticism, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS0dxUzQq20.
[18] The Desert Fathers, The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, xxvi.
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