Monastic Microtheologies

Religious Expressions and Imagery in the Monastic Letters from Western Thebes

By (author) P. Piwowarczyk

Book cover: Monastic Microtheologies

Extent: 323 pages

Publisher: Peeters Publishers

Subjects: Classical Studies

Series: Journal of Juristic Papyrology Supplements

Series volume number: 42

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(December 2022)

ISBN: 9789042950030

Price: $107.00

In stock

PDF (Published)

(December 2022)

ISBN: 9789042950047

Price: $134.00

The book reconstructs the theological concepts shared by the Theban monks for the first time based on documentary sources. It gleans scattered evidence from hundreds of private letters preserved on ostraca and, in several cases, papyri. Such documents do not expound on complex theological systems but use particular phrases, words and images loaded with religious meaning. These snapshots represent microtheologies – particular, fragmented realizations of the complex religious system. The book focuses on monastic status, use of the Bible, prayer and blessing, invocations of God and saints. etc. It also presents a big picture of a pessimistic worldview in which a human being is weak and constantly endangered, and God is the only one possessing the knowledge and means to rescue him from the vicissitudes of life. The book will be of interest to papyrologists, historians of late antiquity, historians of religion and theologians.

  • By (author) P. Piwowarczyk