Monk
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the conditioning of mind and body in favor of the spirit. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many religions.
Contents |
Etymology
The term monk comes from the Greek monachos (μοναχός), commonly translated as solitary, one living alone. In the Greek language, the term can apply to men or women, but in English, it usually applies only to men, while nun is more commonly used to refer to female monastics.
Related terms
Other terms such as hesychast, solitary, hermit, anchorite, ascetic are usually interchangeable with monk. Although ascetics existed in various religions prior to Christianity, the term “monk” is of Christian invention.
History of Christian monasticism
Monasticism drew its origin from the examples of the Prophet Elias and John the Baptist who both lived alone in the desert. Jesus himself dwelt in solitude in the desert for forty days, and the Gospels record other times in which he retired for periods of solitary prayer. In the early church, individuals would live ascetic lives, though usually on the outskirts of civilization. Communities of virgins are also mentioned by early church authors, but again these communities were either located in towns, or near the edges of them.
The first famous Christian known to adopt the life in a desert was St. Anthony the Great (251 - 356), sometime in the latter part of the 3rd century. He lived alone as an anchorite in the Egyptian desert until he attracted a circle of followers, after which he retired further into the desert to escape the adulation of men. In the beginning, St. Anthony had an experienced ascetic who gave him advice, but he also lived near the town. St. Anthony was the first to go out into the desert for the sole purpose of pursuing God in solitude. As the idea of devoting one's entire life to God grew, more and more monks joined him, even in the far desert. Under St. Anthony's system, they each lived in isolation.
The Monk
The Monk is a Gothic novel by Matthew Gregory Lewis that first appeared in 1796. It was written before he turned 20, in the space of 10 weeks.
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
