Reviews

"Highly recommended for all serious collections of patristic church history, Christian spirituality, and fourth-century Roman mentality."--Choice
"An excellent book that focuses attention on hermeneutical questions."--Brother Ray McManaman, FSL, Lewis University
"[An] excellent scholarly work, superbly lucid as well as careful and thorough. A necessary addition to all collections of church history and a fine text for an advanced course on the same. Or a specialized course in early Christendom."--Richard Simon Hanson, Luther College
"A valuable textbook for both the study of monasticism and the history of exegesis, as well as an important reminder of the centrality of scripture to early monastic and later medieval spirituality."--Wanda Cizewski, Marquette University
"An excellent introduction to the role of Scripture in early monasticism, an essential, though often neglected, aspect of the history of asceticism. I recommend it highly."--Bernard McGinn, University of Chicago
"Highly recommended for all serious collections of patristic church history, Christian spirituality, and fourth-century Roman mentality."--Choice
"An excellent book that focuses attention on hermeneutical questions."--Brother Ray McManaman, FSL, Lewis University
"[An] excellent scholarly work, superbly lucid as well as careful and thorough. A necessary addition to all collections of church history and a fine text for an advanced course on the same. Or a specialized course in early Christendom."--Richard Simon Hanson, Luther College
"A valuable textbook for both the study of monasticism and the history of exegesis, as well as an important reminder of the centrality of scripture to early monastic and later medieval spirituality."--Wanda Cizewski, Marquette University
"An excellent introduction to the role of Scripture in early monasticism, an essential, though often neglected, aspect of the history of asceticism. I recommend it highly."--Bernard McGinn, University of Chicago
"Burton-Christie has written a beautifully crafted study of the collected sayings of the Desert Fathers, among the richest and most loved of early Christian monastic literature. With a firm mastery of the scholarship and uncommon sensitivity to the voices of early Christian Egypt, he opens to us the world of the ancient desert holy men and women. Burton-Christie explicates the profound appropriation of Scripture into the lived reality of these ascetics....The
power of language--written, spoken, sought, tended, and given--is here laid forth with clarity and compassion."--Susan Ashbrook Harvey, Brown University
"I have read The Word in the Desert with great interest and pleasure. Burton-Christie's approach to ancient asceticism is fresh and insightful. This is a fine piece of work, carefully researched, well-organized, cogent, and timely."--Robert Wilken, University of Virginia
"The author has, better than anyone else before him, illuminated the secret realm of these holy hermits, explaining how attentive listening and silent meditation upon the word of God inspired and animated every aspect of their lives. The aphorisms which survived the Fathers are nothing less than the living echo of the divine voice resonating in them. The accomplishment of Burton-Christie lies in having recaptured the authentic spirit of the Desert Fathers
without sacrificing scientific rigor."--Fr. Lucien Regnault, Abbaye St. Pierre, Solesmes
"If there was ever a 'culture of the Word,' it was that of early Christian monasticism. This long-overdue book is a very valuable contribution not only to the knowledge of the early monastic tradition, but also to the history of biblical interpretation and of hermeneutics in general."--Fr. Armand Veilleux
"Burton-Christie has made a valuable contribution to the study of early Christian monasticism with his masterly analysis of the place of Scripture in the lives of the hermits of Egypt. His work illuminates the ideals and conduct of the monks in a vital area and also provides insight into a way of using the Scriptures as the living word of God which is of perennial interest. The theme of ascetic renunciation is presented as a natural response to the reading or
hearing of the text of the Bible, where the word of the Cross became the bread of life for plain and simple Christians in the light of the resurrection."--Benedicta Ward, S.L.G., Convent of the
Incarnation, Oxford
"A superior introduction to the role the Scriptures played in early monastic life...the author has literally immersed himself in the subject."--Joseph Kelly, John Carroll University
"The Word in the Desert is a major work of scholarship in early Christian spirituality; it deserves a close reading by anyone in the field. I have profited much from it."--Commonweal
"Those interested in early Christian interpretation of Scripture and its intersection with religious life, or the relation of orality to literacy, will find much to mull over in Douglas Burton-Christie's Word in the Desert."--Cross Currents
"Burton-Christie has done an invaluable service in providing this study of early Christian monasticism with its insightful examination of the place of scripture."--Monos
"An extremely helpful and well-written study of desert spirituality firmly grounded in the texts, both biblical and monastic."--Theological Studies
"This study...is surprisingly, in view of the large scholarly and popular literatures devoted to early monasticism and Christian spirituality-the first monograph to have been written on the spirituality of the texts which go under the generic title of Apophthegmata Patrum."--The Catholic Historical Review
"Burton-Christie offers the best type of critical sacred history: one that can offer light on contemporary questions of faith and pracatice."--The Reader's Review
"This book represents the appearance of a new talent who has served his subject well....Seldom does one book, particularly a revised dissertation, open up so many new vistas. To the reader, time to learn and do; to the author, deepened understanding, effective practice, and long life."--Church History
"There is much to commend this book....It is an excellent introduction."--Journal of Early Christian Studies
"An excellent contribution towards increasing our understanding of the desert tradition there is no doubt."--Fairacres Chronicle
"Burton-Christie has applied sound phenomenological techniques in his analysis."--The Glastonbury Bulletin
"The Word in the Desert is a beautifully written, richly suggestive book....should prove to be a valuable resource..."--Interpretation