Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

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You are here: Home / Archives for Monasticism

On Memory and Creative Work (The Writer’s Inner Life)

December 19, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 2 Comments

Memory and creative work

These are bitter cold days in Pittsburgh where I live. At this latitude these are also short days; among the shortest of the year, with either gray gloom or low glaring winter sun. It can be hard to simply be. Add in the busyness of the ramp-up to Christmas and it can be very hard to […]

Filed Under: Monasticism, Saints, The Inner Life of the Writer

Accidie — The Noontime Demon (The Writer’s Inner Life)

August 22, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 5 Comments

the noontime demon

I’m working on making my working life happy and productive without having to punch a clock or meet institutional deadlines. So my advisors at the moment are the Desert Fathers and Mothers, Christians who moved out to the fourth century Egyptian desert for an isolated life of prayer. Sometimes they hit it straight out of the park, not just […]

Filed Under: Monasticism, Saints, The Inner Life of the Writer Tagged With: Accidie, Antony the Great, Desert Fathers, Evagrius of Pontus, Evagrius Ponticus, Saint anthony, The noontime demon

Stay in Your Cell (The Writer’s Inner Life)

August 2, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Here’s one of my favorite little stories from the sayings of the Desert Fathers: In Scetis a brother went to Moses to ask for advice. He said to him “Go and sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.” (Quiet, 8) Moses wasn’t talking about prison. The “cell” was a monk’s hut […]

Filed Under: Monasticism, Saints, The Inner Life of the Writer Tagged With: Creativity, Desert Fathers, Moses the Black, Moses the Ethiopian

How to Find a Life-Giving Rhythm

January 13, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 3 Comments

Some lessons I have to learn over and over. Or maybe they are things that I just need to practice every day to learn at all. One of those lessons is how to find a life-giving rhythm in this chaotic world. Chaos can come in the form of too many demands from too many directions. Work […]

Filed Under: Church Year, Monasticism, Prayer, Uncategorized Tagged With: Conquering chaos, Divine Office, Finding a life-giving rhythm, Praying the Liturgy of the Hours

Lent: Taking Stock with Evagrius Ponticus

February 26, 2015 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

Lent is a season for self-examination. It is not mainly about feeling guilty. It is more like a chance to check the GPS (that might be “God Positioning System” if you like acronyms) and figure out exactly where you have come and where you still have to go. We often describe this life as a spiritual journey, […]

Filed Under: Church Year, Faith, Monasticism, Theology Tagged With: Desert Fathers, Evagrius of Pontus, Evagrius Ponticus, Lent, Self-examination

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Theology. It’s good for you.

I'm a Church historian by trade. My writing, speaking, and teaching explores the Christian past to equip today's disciples. Join me here for regular posts on the best of theology, spirituality, community, and ministry. read more…

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