The Word in the Desert
Scripture and the Quest for Holiness in Early Christian Monasticism
Douglas Burton-Christie
Reviews and Awards
Winner of the College Theology Society's 1993 Annual Book Award
"Highly recommended for all serious collections of patristic church history, Christian spirituality, and fourth-century Roman mentality."--Choice
"An excellent book that focuses attention on hermeneutical questions."--Brother Ray McManaman, FSL, Lewis University
"[An] excellent scholarly work, superbly lucid as well as careful and thorough. A necessary addition to all collections of church history and a fine text for an advanced course on the same. Or a specialized course in early Christendom."--Richard Simon Hanson, Luther College
"A valuable textbook for both the study of monasticism and the history of exegesis, as well as an important reminder of the centrality of scripture to early monastic and later medieval spirituality."--Wanda Cizewski, Marquette University
"An excellent introduction to the role of Scripture in early monasticism, an essential, though often neglected, aspect of the history of asceticism. I recommend it highly."--Bernard McGinn, University of Chicago