Evagrius of Pontus: Talking Back: A Monastic Handbook for Combating Demons

How did the monks of the Egyptian desert fight against the demons that attacked them with tempting thoughts? According to Evagrius of Pontus (345-399), one of the greatest spiritual directors of ancient monasticism, the monk should talk back to demons with relevant passages from the Bible. His book lists over 500 thoughts or circumstances in which the demon-fighting monk might find himself, along with the biblical passages with which the monk should respond. With this we can explore a central aspect of early monastic spirituality and catch a glimpse of the temptations and anxieties that the first desert monks faced. Authors: David Evagrius, David Brakke Publisher: Cistercian Publications, Incorporated Format: Paperback, 200 pages ISBN: 9780879073299