Evagrius Ponticus
Pontic monk in the Egyptian desert. Pioneer of systematic monastic theology (Praktikos, Chapters on Prayer); originated the eight 'logismoi' that became the seven deadly sins.
Why Evagrius Ponticus matters
Evagrius is the desert father who wrote the manual. He took what the illiterate hermits of Egypt had learned by experience and turned it into a precise psychology of the spiritual life — the eight 'thoughts' that disturb the soul, which Gregory the Great later reworked into the seven deadly sins. Every later Christian writer on prayer and contemplation, East and West, is downstream of Evagrius. He was condemned posthumously for Origenist views, so his works circulated under other names for centuries (Cassian's Conferences are basically Evagrius for Latin readers). Read the Praktikos. It's short and devastating about how the mind actually behaves when you try to pray.
Chain to Jesus
Loading…
Common questions
- Who was Evagrius Ponticus?
- Evagrius Ponticus (345–399) — Pontic monk in the Egyptian desert. Pioneer of systematic monastic theology (Praktikos, Chapters on Prayer); originated the eight 'logismoi' that became the seven deadly sins.
- Who taught Evagrius Ponticus?
- Gregory of Nazianzus, Macarius the Great, and Basil of Caesarea.
- Who did Evagrius Ponticus teach?
- John Cassian and Palladius of Galatia.
- Who did Evagrius Ponticus correspond with?
- Melania the Elder.
Works
- Praktikos and Chapters on Prayerc. 390
Foundational texts of Christian contemplative theology — the seedbed of the Seven Deadly Sins.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Sources for biography
- Evagrius, Praktikos primary
- Palladius, Historia Lausiaca 38 primary
- Socrates Scholasticus, Hist. Eccl. 4.23 primary
documented connections(6)
- taught by Gregory of NazianzusGregory ordained Evagrius deacon and trained him at Constantinople.Palladius, Historia Lausiaca 38 · Socrates Scholasticus, Hist. Eccl. 4.23
- taught by Macarius the GreatEvagrius sat at the feet of Macarius the Great and Macarius the Alexandrian in the desert (Palladius, contemporary).Palladius, Historia Lausiaca 38
- taught by (incoming) Palladius of GalatiaPalladius lived with Evagrius for nine years in the desert.Palladius, Historia Lausiaca 23, 38
- taught by Basil of CaesareaBasil ordained Evagrius lector at Caesarea.Palladius, Historia Lausiaca 38
- cited (incoming) John ClimacusThe Ladder of Divine Ascent depends pervasively on Evagrian ascetic psychology (the eight logismoi, apatheia) though it carefully avoids Evagrius's name; the dependence is uncontroversial in scholarship.John Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent, steps 13-15, 26 · Chryssavgis, John Climacus: From the Egyptian Desert to the Sinaite Mountain (Ashgate 2004), ch. 4
- corresponded (incoming) Melania the ElderPalladius records Melania the Elder as a patron and correspondent of Evagrius at Kellia.Palladius, Historia Lausiaca 38, 46
tradition connections(1)
- taught by (incoming) John CassianCassian's Conferences transmit Evagrian monastic doctrine, though Cassian never names him.Cassian, Collationes (passim)