Our study of Desert Spirituality or, more precisely, the various aspects of the Fathers and Mothers of the desert has several distinct but interrelated objectives. The first is to familiarize oursleves with writings about and by the desert Fathers and Mothers. In doing this, we will also familiarize ourselves with the historic and cultural context in which they lived. More importantly, we will attempt to single out and understand some of the essential foci of the living of the Gospel (i.e., spirituality) that emerged through the principal personages of the desert. Finally and most importantly, we will seek to go beyond the historical and arrive at an appreciation of how the essence of desert sprituality can guide our own following of Christ in the contemporary world.
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