INTRODUCTION

According to Catholic.com, monasticism is simply the act of living alone. It comes from the Greek word
“monachos” which means “solitary” or “alone”. This is because the first monks lived in extreme solitude.

But the main idea behind monasticism is not just to live a solitary life. It’s to live a life dedicated to God.
It’s born out of a desire to renounce worldly desires and pursue a life of prayer, self-abnegation, and
communal existence.1

The origins of and inspiration for monasticism, an institution based on the Christian ideal of perfection,
have traditionally been traced to the first apostolic community in Jerusalem—which is described in the
Acts of the Apostles and to Jesus’ sojourn in the wilderness. In the early church, monasticism was based
on the identification of perfection with world-denying asceticism and on the view that the perfect
Christian life would be centred on maximum love of God and neighbour.

Certain writings that captured the spirit of monasticism were essential for the development of this way of
life in the church. Athanasius of Alexandria, the 4th century’s most significant bishop spiritually and in
terms of ecclesiastical politics, wrote the Life of St. Antony, which described the eremitic (hermit) life in
the desert and the awesome struggle of ascetics with demons as the model of the life of Christian
perfection. The Life had a profound impact on its many readers and was one of the first great testimonials
praising the emerging monastic tradition.2

Monasticism is a religious practice whose members devote their lives to their religion. Members, referred
to as monks, commit their lives to spiritual work and living by strict rules, such as celibacy or isolation.
Christian groups first used monasticism. Now, it is used to describe other similar religious practices in
Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

A person might choose to become a monk because they seek to find spiritual perfection. They might be in
search of salvation and redemption from their societal life. They might want to be of service to their
communities through education, religious institutions, or other means to improve society. 3

HISTORY OF MONASTICISM

Monasticism, Institutionalized religious movement whose members are bound by vows to an ascetic life
of prayer, meditation, or good works. Members of monastic orders are usually celibate, and they live
apart from society either in a community of monks or nuns or as religious recluses. The earliest Christian
monastic communities were founded in the deserts of Egypt, most notably by the hermit St. Anthony of
Egypt (251–356). It was given its more familiar cenobitic form by St. Pachomius (c. 290–346). St. Basil

1
How It All Started: The History of Monasticism https://laycistercians.com/history-of-monasticism/,
2
Monasticism, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christianity/Monasticism, Accessed 4th October, 2023.
3
Andrea Mauer, What is Monasticism?, https://study.com/learn/lesson/monasticism-overview-history-
orders.html, Accessed 4th October, 2023
the Great composed a very influential rule for the Eastern Church, and John Cassian (360–435) helped
spread monasticism to Western Europe. The Benedictine order, founded by St. Benedict of Nursia in the
6th century, called for moderation of ascetic practices and established worship services at regular hours.
Throughout the middle Ages, monasticism played a vital role not only in spreading Christianity but also
in preserving and adding to literature and learning. It underwent periodic reforms, notably by the Cluniacs
in the 10th century and the Cistercians in the 12th century, and saw the founding of mendicant orders
such as the Dominicans and Franciscans. Monasticism has also been important in Eastern religions. In
early Hindu times (c. 600–200 BCE) there were hermits who lived in groups (ashrams), though they did
not lead a strictly organized communal life. Jainism may be the first religion to have had an organized
monastic life, which was characterized by extreme asceticism. Buddhist monks observe a moderate rule
that avoids extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification. 4

In 313 CE, Constantine the Great (272 – 337 CE) ended the sporadic-yet-terrifying Christian persecutions
under the Roman Empire with his “Edict of Milan,” and brought the Christian church under imperial
protection. Not surprisingly, public social activities and normative culture changed, quite dramatically
and favorably, for the early Christians. Previously, early Christians faced dangers from outside of the
faith and often had to “worship underground,” in order to avoid both physical dangers and social
oppression from various Pagan and Jewish factions in the first three centuries of the faith. However, after
Constantine's imperial endorsement and favoritism for Christian leaders and the laity, a new cultural
permissiveness and secularism arose within the faith; and pious believers began to worry more about
inner church immorality, abuse, and vice.5

Pre-Christian Monasticism

As I’ve said, monasticism is not exclusive to Christians and Catholics. Even before Jesus started his
ministry, several forms of monasticism had already been practiced by believers of some ancient religions.

In Pre-Buddhist India, for instance, hermitages already existed. During this time, the rishis (Vedic seers)
had already been living in communities removed from society. And in around the 5th to 6th BCE,
Buddhist sanghas started to emerge. The first sanghas were composed of celibate monks who conformed
to a very strict set of rules. These rules bear great resemblance to the monastic rules that emerged in
Europe several centuries after.

An early form of monasticism had also existed in Alexandria and Roman Judea. From the Dead Sea
scrolls, we learn about the ascetic lifestyle practiced by the Essenes. A lifestyle shared by the Therapeutae
people whose days are also centered in prayer and voluntary poverty. Many people theorize that this form
of early monasticism is the precursor to Christian monasticism. One author had even said that the Dead

4
Monasticism Summary, https://www.britannica.com/summary/monasticism, Accessed 5th October 2023
5
John s. knox, The Monastic Movement: Origin and Purpose,
https://www.worldhistory.org/article/930/the-monastic-movement-origins--purposes, Accessed 5th October 2023
Sea discipline closely mirrors the characteristics of monastic brotherhood introduced in the Rule of St.
Benedict.

Another example of early monasticism is narrated in the Bible itself. Saint John the Baptist, according to
the Bible, lived alone in the desert and even started his ministry there. Even though he died before
Christianity was instituted, many early Christians would eventually find themselves living a kind of
ascetic existence similar to his.6

THE BEGINNING OF THE CHRISTIAN MONASTIC MOVEMENT

The distinction of being the first monk goes to an Egyptian called Isaac. The texts state that he was
travelling along a road near the village of Karanis in north Egypt with a deacon called Antoninus in the
year 324 when they met a fellow- traveler called Aurelius who was being attacked by robbers. They
helped and cared for him. This event is reported in a contemporary chronicle and the use of this suggests
that Isaac, a monk, had a recognised place in the church, alongside priests and deacons. 7 The word monk
or monachos is derived from the Greek monos, which has various shades of meaning to do with
singleness—alone, forsaken, unique, bereft or solitary. It has been used, from the 4th century, to describe
those who chose to dedicate themselves in a single-minded way to a life of prayer. At the time when Isaac
carried out his act of compassion for the traveller, in 324, the ascetic, Anthony, was attracting visitors and
followers to a mountain in the east of Egypt. He was over 70 years old and he was to live a further 35
years. He had lived an eremitic form of ascetic life in a tomb near his village for forty years, then had
travelled with a group of camel traders into more remote parts of the desert. Here, he had settled at the
foot of a mountain called Clysma where he remained until his death at the age of 105. His life was written
by Athanasius who described Anthony’s influence and writes that he ‘persuaded many to take up the
solitary life. So from then on there were many monasteries in the mountains and the desert was made into
a city by the monks’.8 Many of those who followed this way of monastic or solitary living settled in the
desert south of Alexandria, where the settlements of Nitria and Cellia became home to ascetics who
followed a solitary life of struggle.9

This way of life could be followed by those living in community as well as those living alone. About the
same time, a soldier called Pachomius had been briefly in prison, where he had received the support of
local Christians. When he was discharged from the army and was baptised, he determined to follow the
faith of those who had cared for him. He settled in Upper Egypt, and he too lived a life of asceticism.
Disciples joined him and eventually a network of communities grew up. 10 Unlike the informal settlements

6
https://laycistercians.com/history-of-monasticism/
7
Judge, E. A., The Earliest Use of the word “Monachos” for Monk (P. Coll. Youtie 77) and the Origins of
Monasticism. Jahrbuch für Antike und Christentum(1977), 20: 72–89
8
Athanasius, Life of Antony. Translated by Robert Gregg. Classics of Western Spirituality. (London: SPCK.,
1980), 14.
9
Chitty, Derwas, The Desert A City, ( Oxford: Mowbrays. 1966),55
10
Rousseau, Philip, Pachomius, (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1995), 55
of hermits in the north, Pachomius’ communities were large and carefully regulated. They provided a
secure if simple way of life for hard pressed peasants who lived, worked, worshipped and studied
together. They became known as coenobia, a word derived from the Greek, meaning common life. There
were further examples of ascetic living in other parts of the Christian world. Julian Saba, meaning the Old
Man, came from Osrhoene in eastern Syria and was becoming known for his ascetic life. By the time of
his death in 367 he was the centre of a community of a hundred followers. Syria became known for its
extreme and unconventional forms of ascetic life. Stylites spent long periods living on the top of pillars,
while boskoi or grazers led a wandering life living off wild plants. Some ascetic practices were seen as
subversive and heretical, and became causes of scandal. These became known as Messalians, or those
who prayed. A church council was convened at Gangra sometime before 341 which legislated against
these socially subversive practices, such as the cases of women who deserted their husbands and dressed
in male clothes, and slaves who used their ascetic commitment as an excuse to leave their masters.
Messalians were also accused of avoiding regular worship in church, preferring solitary prayer and their
own assemblies. These various forms of life are a reminder that monastic life, and Christian discipleship,
does not conform to the standards and values of secular society, and should always challenge and disturb.
Ascetic communities could be set up in cities as well as in desert. The career of Basil who later became
bishop of Caesarea, often known simply as Basil the Great, shows how asceticism could adapt to urban
life. Basil was born in 330 and as a young man he studied under philosophers in Constantinople and
Athens. He also went to Egypt, Syria and Mesopotamia to visit the ascetics, and these lives made a deep
impression on him. When he returned home to Pontus in Asia Minor he settled on his family estate where
he lived a secluded philosophical life. Later, when he became bishop of Caesarea in 370, he drew on these
mixed influences and founded a set of buildings which were known as the Basileiados, at the edge of the
city. This was both a place where the ascetic life could be lived and also where the sick and needy could
be cared for. Thus he adapted the ascetic life he had seen in Egypt and Syria so that it became become
part of the ministry of the church in his city diocese. Basil preferred the name of spoudaioi, or the
zealous, rather than monks, for the members of his community, so showing that he considered the
monastic life as a normal way of life for those seeking deeper commitment. The context for these new
movements was a newly acquired freedom for the church. Before he went into battle against his rival
Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge, the Emperor Constantine saw a vision of a cross in the heavens with the
words ‘in this sign conquer’. This led to his decision to become Christian and to the adoption of a new
official policy of toleration for all religions.11 This marked the ending of state persecution of the Christian

THE SPREAD OF MONASTICISM

11
Ehrman, Bart D., The Triumph of Christianity, (London: Oneworld, 2018), 219-221
In the 4th century CE, the monastic movement spread to the European continent when John Cassian (c.
360 – c. 430 CE), a “Desert Father” and friend of Saint John Chrysostom the “Golden-Mouthed” (c. 347 –
407 CE), founded this Egyptian-style monastery in Gaul (modern-day France). Cassian is somewhat
controversial because of his mentors and allegorical position on the Christian scriptures, and for his
mystical embrace of the three ways: Purgatio, Illuminatio, and Unitio. Nonetheless, Livingstone remarks,
“His Institutes sets out the ordinary rules for the monastic life and discusses the chief hindrances to a
monk's perfection; it was taken as the basis of many Western rules” (101).

One of the most famous monastics (if not the most famous) was Saint Benedict of Nursia (c. 480 – c. 543
CE). MacColloch writes, “Benedict is a shadowy figure who quickly attracted a good deal of legend,
lovingly collected into a life by Pope Gregory I [c. 540 – 604 CE] at the end of the sixth century” (317).
He is credited with creating a monastic rule of order (although most scholars believe that Benedict
borrowed some or much of it from “The Rule of the Master” or “Regula Magistri”) that was instituted and
promoted as the standard for all of monasticism.

Yet, Benedict says of his new orders that it was “a little rule for beginners” and required “nothing harsh,
nothing burdensome” of the monks. Compared to other rules (such as the Augustinian model), it was
relatively flexible. His rule required monastic vows of stability (a lifelong commitment and permanence),
fidelity (one's character can be shaped), obedience (one is submissive to superiors), poverty (one gives up
all wealth entering into the community) and chastity (one forsakes all carnal knowledge and pleasure).
Monasteries under this order placed high emphasis on the spiritual benefits of laboring, prayer, and a
consistent schedule.12

CONCLUSION

The rich tradition of monasticism was created by the single-minded discipleship, the willingness to listen
to the call to discipleship and the creative response to the needs of the society of the time. Monasticism
has therefore been both old, in being faithful to ancient traditions, and new, in engaging with the
challenges of the age. The long story of monastic living, while rooted in the gospel message, is a series of
fresh initiatives and renewed revivals. New monastics belong within this tradition. They draw on the
resources of those who have gone before them while challenging fixed ideas and being ready to embrace
unexpected and risky ways of life. Like Antony and like countless others they seek to hear the message of
the gospel and to respond, single-mindedly and whole-heartedly, to the abundant promise of life and the
call to a radical discipleship.

12
https://www.worldhistory.org/article/930/the-monastic-movement-origins--purposes/,
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Andrea Mauer, What is Monasticism?, https://study.com/learn/lesson/monasticism-overview-history-

orders.html, Accessed 4th October, 2023

Athanasius. Life of Antony. Translated by Robert Gregg. Classics of Western Spirituality. London:
SPCK. 1980.

Chitty, Derwas. The Desert A City. Oxford: Mowbrays. 1966.

Ehrman, Bart D. The Triumph of Christianity. London: Oneworld. 2018.

How It All Started: The History of Monasticism https://laycistercians.com/history-of-monasticism/,

https://laycistercians.com/history-of-monasticism/

https://www.worldhistory.org/article/930/the-monastic-movement-origins--purposes/.

Johns. knox, The Monastic Movement: Origin and Purpose,

https://www.worldhistory.org/article/930/the-monastic-movement-origins--purposes, Accessed 5th
October 2023

Judge, E. A. The Earliest Use of the word “Monachos” for Monk (P. Coll. Youtie 77) and the Origins of
Monasticism. Jahrbuch für Antike und Christentum(1977), 20: 72–89

Monasticism Summary, https://www.britannica.com/summary/monasticism, Accessed 5th October 2023

Monasticism, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christianity/Monasticism, Accessed 4th October, 2023.

Rousseau, Philip. Pachomius. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1995.

 TABLE OF CONTENT

INTRODUCTION

HISTORY OF MONASTICISM

THE BEGINNING OF THE CHRISTIAN MONASTIC MOVEMENT

THE SPREAD OF MONASTICISM

CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY