Customer Reviews

Athanasius and Asceticism

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This book is a reworking of Brakke's doctoral dissertation. As such, it is steeped in scholarly detail. At the same time, it is very readable by ordinary people, because of the excitement with this Brakke presents his subject matter.

Athanasius is little known to many people today, yet he was, by some estimations, the most influential person in the fourth century. Brakke's book focuses on Athanasius' central objective: to bring the independent monasteries of Egypt under the control of the bishops. In the process of conveying this highly political goal by someone usually considered a "theologian," Brakke shows how religion and politics are never separate endeavors. He presents clearly and effectively the key issues that were at stake in Athanasius' battle with the "Arians" as well as in his production of "The Life of Anthony," the Egyptian monk.

Brakke's work is focused tightly on his subject matter, leaving for others the exploration of Athanasius' engagement with emperors (see, e.g., Athanasius and Constantius: Theology and Politics in the Constantinian Empire. It is not every day that a doctoral dissertation translates into exciting historical reading, but Brakke has succeeded in making this a reality. Highly recommended.

Yes, this is the same book published in hardcover as "Athanasius and the Politics of Asceticism," from Oxford. I appreciate changing the title, because some chapters aren't as much about politics.