<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Ecumenism is a 20th century concept that cannot be directly transposed in the everyday reality of the Desert Fathers, but the authority of the desert ascetics is still crucial to the monastic milieu of the Orthodox Church as well as other denominations. For this very reason, the present paper intends to investigate the stories recorded in the alphabetical collection of the Egyptian Paterikon in order to understand to what extent they may actually offer a guide to the complex relations with the Other. How do these stories illustrate denominational or even religious alterity? What types of rapports can one identify therein? Rejection? Separation? Acceptance of the other’s difference? These are all legitimate questions and their significance is amplified in the context of our times – a period in which we see an increase in fundamentalist movements and tendencies, including in the Orthodox community.</p></abstract>

Ecumenism is a 20th century concept that cannot be directly transposed in the everyday reality of the Desert Fathers, but the authority of the desert ascetics is still crucial to the monastic milieu of the Orthodox Church as well as other denominations. For this very reason, the present paper intends to investigate the stories recorded in the alphabetical collection of the Egyptian Paterikon in order to understand to what extent they may actually offer a guide to the complex relations with the Other. How do these stories illustrate denominational or even religious alterity? What types of rapports can one identify therein? Rejection? Separation? Acceptance of the other’s difference? These are all legitimate questions and their significance is amplified in the context of our times – a period in which we see an increase in fundamentalist movements and tendencies, including in the Orthodox community.

The “Ecumenism” of the Desert Fathers. The Relationship with the Other in <italic>Apophthegmata Patrum</italic>

Review of Ecumenical Studies Sibiu

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The “Ecumenism” of the Desert Fathers. The Relationship with the Other in 

Ecumenism is a 20th century concept that cannot be directly transposed in the everyday reality of the Desert Fathers, but the authority of the desert ascetics...

The “Ecumenism” of the Desert Fathers. The Relationship with the Other in Apophthegmata Patrum

Published Online: May 13, 2019

Page range: 46 - 57

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ress-2019-0004

Keywords
Ecumenism, Desert Fathers, Paterikon, Apophthegmata Patrum, asceticism, spirituality

© 2019 Paul Siladi, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The “Ecumenism” of the Desert Fathers. The Relationship with the Other in Apophthegmata Patrum

Published Online: May 13, 2019

Page range: 46 - 57

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ress-2019-0004

KeywordsEcumenism, Desert Fathers, Paterikon, Apophthegmata Patrum, asceticism, spirituality

© 2019 Paul Siladi, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Ecumenism, Desert Fathers, Paterikon, Apophthegmata Patrum, asceticism, spirituality