John Cassian was only twenty years old when he set off to Bethlehem with his friend Germanus. Germanus was older, although how much older is unknown. I imagine that John was a pious and enthusiastic young man, attracted, like many were, by the stories of monasticism, especially Egyptian monasticism, that circulated in his native Scythia. … Continue reading John Cassian
Tag: Christian history
Thomas Bray
When Thomas Bray was born in 1656, England was under the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell. The theaters were closed, public entertainment was severely limited, and church-going was mandatory. Much of the public was still illiterate, and national and political news mostly came from the pulpit. Clergy had a privileged place in society. They were among … Continue reading Thomas Bray
KPB Stevens 