Introduction to St Evagrius of Pontus (1970)

Source: Fr Athanasius F. George (translator), St Evagrius of Pontus (1992) (PDF)

Arabic PDF

Evagrius of Pontus (345–399 CE) was an ascetic theologian whose writings have exerted immense influence on Christian monasticism for centuries. He is perhaps best known for his famous dictum, “If you pray, you are theologian, and a theologian is one who prays.” While Evagrius died in good standing with the Church, his memory was tarnished by the Origenist controversies that erupted after his death, such that despite being widely revered as a spiritual master, he is not considered a saint in the Chalcedonian churches. Among the Oriental Orthodox churches however, particularly the Armenians and the Copts (among whom he is known as Mar Oughris), his memory appears to have remained relatively unscathed.

Introduction

The study of patrology (the study of the fathers and their writings) covers a great deal of ascetic literature, including ascetic treatises and monastic organisation, writings that treat of the lives of monks and ascetics, and sayings aimed at the practice of the ascetic virtues uttered by those who had lived and experienced them, and spoken of them to us.

The Church of Egypt is an ascetic and patristic church, for Coptic monasticism is truly Egypt’s greatest gift to the world, on account of which it is viewed in a sacred light, as place to which many have fled in order to practice the angelic life. St Evagrius of Pontus (Mar Oughris) is considered one of the spiritual leaders of the ascetics who came to the Egyptian desert in order to learn from the fatherhood and system of the Egyptian fathers and to seek virtue through great struggle.

In your hands, beloved, you are holding the biography of Mar Oughris of Pontus and his sayings which bring delight to the soul. They are filled with practical knowledge and lived experience.

— 5 —

Although they are products of an educated milieu, they are far removed from any philosophic spirit, proceeding from the practices and dispensations which were lived by the man whose biography it is, and who offered us the asceticism according to the Gospel that we might inherit the early Christian doctrine which we will not derive from any temporal doctrine.

For this reason, you will feel as though St Evagrius himself is speaking to you. For the fathers were not like the poets or great writers who discoursed on matters that have nothing to do with reality, nor like the moralist writers. Instead, they lead us along the royal road which is the art of arts and the science of sciences, on the path to the Lord. They spoke to us out of their rich experience and what they have truly apprehended; and after walking the passages of the spiritual life, they recorded for us the landmarks along the way.

The life of the Desert Fathers is described as Paradise, and the Desert Fathers themselves are described as heavenly men and earthly angels. Anyone who reads them imitates them sanctifies his mind, so that his thoughts become their thoughts, without the loss of any individuality.

— 6 —

The goal of this patristic series of ΙΧΘΥΣ is that those who love the fathers might derive some benefit from their heavenly teachings which are sweeter than the Tablets of Testimony, acquiring unto themselves spiritual and psychological treasures to help them along the road in their spiritual struggle, amid many opposing currents.

The Fathers are a living, breathing gospel, written in blood, sweat and struggle: if we lost the Gospel, we would find it alive in them, both in text and in spirit. St Oughris is considered the founder of the science of Christian spirituality: despite the accusations which some level against him of rationalism and speculative, intellectual arrogance built on Greek philosophy, he revealed to us the evangelical character of monastic life in its thought and its perspectives, as well as its goal of a joyful, angelic, paradisiacal life. In addition to his asceticism and miracles, he also defended the faith against heresy.

For the biography of St Mar Oughris, I have relied for the most part on what was published in al-Kiraza magazine — issue 5, volume 5 (2 November 1974), as well as Johannes Quasten’s Patrology, the Lausiac History of Palladius.[1]Evagrius’ life is covered in chapter 38 of the Lausiac History (CCEL).

— 7 —

Many thanks are due to the honourable father Hegumen Tadros Yacoub, professor of patrology who gave me the first push to carry out this work, and also to the honourable father Hegumen Athanasius Mikhail, professor of Church History, who has encouraged and supported me in publishing this series.

I place this fragrant Life, which embodies the deepest spirituality in the world, in the hands of Christ our Good Saviour and Lover of Mankind who saves to the uttermost those who approach the Father through Him, in order that it might become a cause of blessing to all who read it. Through the pleadings of the great saints of the desert and the prayers of the monk-pope and pope-monk, a true teacher of godliness, who opens to the shepherds and to the flock of Christ that they might enter in and find the Shepherd of Life, Pope Shenouda III, an inciter of monastic revival in our age, and his partner in the apostolic ministry the venerable Anba Benyamin, the papal representative. Glory and honour be to the blessed Holy Trinity for ever, Amen.

Nativity Fast 1992

— 8 —

Notes:

Notes:
↑1 Evagrius’ life is covered in chapter 38 of the Lausiac History (CCEL).

How to cite this text (Chicago/Turabian):

George, Athanasius Fahmy. “Introduction,” in St Evagrius of Pontus [al-Qiddīs Īvājryūs al-Bunṭī]. (Cairo: Anba Rueiss/Alexandria: Church of St Mark and Pope Peter, 1992): 5–8. Translated by Samuel Kaldas. in Archive of Contemporary Coptic Orthodox Theology. Sydney, NSW: St Cyril’s Coptic Orthodox Theological College. https://accot.stcyrils.edu.au/afg-evag-1992/.

(For more information, see Citation Guidelines)