Five Models of Spiritual Direction in the Early Church - by George E Demacopoulos (Paperback)

About the Book

This book explores the struggles of five clerics to reconcile their ascetic idealism with the reality of pastoral responsibility.

Book Synopsis

In late antiquity the rising number of ascetics who joined the priesthood faced a pastoral dilemma. Should they follow a traditional, demonstrably administrative, approach to pastoral care, emphasizing doctrinal instruction, the care of the poor, and the celebration of the sacraments? Or should they bring to the parish the ascetic models of spiritual direction, characterized by a more personal spiritual father/spiritual disciple relationship? Five Models of Spiritual Direction in the Early Church explores the struggles of five clerics (Athanasius, Gregory Nazianzen, Augustine of Hippo, John Cassian, and Pope Gregory I) to reconcile their ascetic idealism with the reality of pastoral responsibility. Through a close reading of Greek and Latin texts, George E. Demacopoulos explores each pastor's criteria for ordination, his supervision of subordinate clergy, and his methods of spiritual direction. He argues that the evolution in spiritual direction that occurred during this period reflected and informed broader developments in religious practices. Demacopoulos describes the way in which these authors shaped the medieval pastoral traditions of the East and the West. Each of the five struggled to balance the tension between his ascetic idealism and the realities of the lay church. Each offered distinct (and at times very different) solutions to that tension. The diversity among their models of spiritual direction demonstrates both the complexity of the problem and the variable nature of early Christianity. Scholars and students of late antiquity, the history of Christianity, and historical theology will find a great deal of interest in Five Models of Spiritual Direction in the Early Church. The book will also appeal to those who are actively engaged in Christian ministry.

Review Quotes

"Five Models of Spiritual Direction in the Early Church puts spiritual direction on solid historical ground by showing its importance in the early centuries of the church as well as exploring the different ways spiritual direction was conceived by bishops and theologians. Using five prominent figures from the early church (Saints Athanasius, Gregory Nazianzen, Augustine, John Cassian, and Gregory the Great), Demacopolous crafts a nuanced study that shows how the widening gulf between monasticism and laity in the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries translated into different expressions of spiritual direction." --Cistercian Studies Quarterly

"Demacopolous is the first to examine the impact of ascetic bishops on pastoral practice. To address his concerns he presents literary studies of five figures: Athanasius, Gregory Nazianzen, Augustine, Cassian, and Pope Gregory I. . . . Mastery of a wide variety of sources is evident throughout Demacopolous's study . . . this book is solid and will be quite valuable to historical theologians, church historians, students of Christian spirituality and of the priesthood." --Theological Studies

"Following on the work done by Conrad Leyser, Andrea Sterk and Claudia Rapp on the role of bishops in Late Antiquity and the ways in which, by the end of the sixth century, culture was beginning to shift towards something more characteristic of the Middle Ages, this book studies five authorities whom the author believes to have been influential in that process. This is not a work in spirituality or in spiritual direction in the conventional sense of the term. Above all, he examines the techniques used in achieving pastoral goals." --The Downside Review

"George Demacopoulos . . . has rendered a stimulating investigation on spiritual direction in the early church. A focused study on the spiritual formation strategies of pastors, the work is driven by the underlying question: how was spiritual formation affected when ordained clergy became monks or when monks became ordained clergy? . . . Five Models of Spiritual Direction is a well-researched and well-written monograph on a largely neglected area of patristic studies. It should be listed as suggested reading in graduate-level patristics courses and seminars, especially for students studying early church pastoral mentoring and leadership." --Criswell Theological Review

"George E. Demacopoulos's excellent scholarly study of spiritual direction in the early church sheds new light on the role of the spiritual guide. That role has deep roots in monasticism. Five Models of Spiritual Direction in the Early Church shows how, when monks left their monasteries to become priests and bishops in the cities of the late antique world, they were able to translate their spirituality into something appropriate for those who came under their pastoral care. . . . This is an extremely interesting book with a firm grasp of the scholarly literature." --Commonweal

"Is the pastoral office primarily one of activity, administration, and busyness? Or is it one of contemplation, quietness, and prayer? Which of these ideals should predominate in the life of a parish pastor? What ideal should predominate in the lives of his flock? These are issues and struggles which permeate the work of pastors. Demacopoulos' book gives the opportunity to view that struggle in another time and place with perspectives and answers different than more current and familiar responses." --Concordia Theological Quarterly

"The author is to be commended for an excellent contribution to scholarship. Aside from the specific focus on spiritual direction, readers will find that each chapter also provides valuable introductions to the life and writings of the five patristic writers . . . this study will prove useful not only to the specialized researcher, but also to readers broadly interested in Late Antiquity, Patristic studies, and Pastoral Theology." --Journal of Eastern Christian Studies

"The book explores the growing tensions arising from the legalization of Christianity after Constantine between clerical and ascetic pastoral traditions. As long as we continue to protect our discipline as one that must remain essentially contemplative and trusting, we may perhaps grow in good ways through the challenges presented by Five Models of Spiritual Direction." --Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care

"The strength of this publication clearly lies in the meticulous and respectful examination of the style and policy adopted by key ecclesiastical officers as they considered methods of advocating for Christian polity. It explores spiritual direction in its wider-namely, more social and political-dimension by analyzing fundamental criteria for ordination by bishops, supervision of subordinate clergy, and ways of receiving spiritual guidance by clergy and laity alike. . . . This book is of critical importance and deserves attention. It will long appeal to scholars of late antiquity and medieval theology, to students of the history of monasticism and spirituality, as well as to those actively engaged in pastoral aspects of contemporary Christian ministry." --Logos: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies

"The subject matter of this book is the pastoral oversight exercised by the bishop, and the increasing influence of the monastic model on Episcopal practice in the fourth to sixth centuries . . . an interesting and thought-provoking attempt to map a significant development within the life of the Church as it grappled with the pressures of mass religion on the one hand, and an individualized spirituality on the other." --Journal of Theological Studies

About the Author

George E. Demacopoulos is assistant professor of historical theology at Fordham University.