medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
There is in, I believe, the Syriac monastic tradition various stories of monks
out for a walk and coming across holy men living in the wilderness like beasts
(eg, naked, eating only roots for food, etc.). The ascetics are as I recall
quite impressed by the superior asceticism of these naked hermits, with the
texts suggesting that they have returned to the state that existed in Eden.
Unfortunately, it has been a while since I've worked on this material and I'm
away from my books at the moment. But if you like, I will try to look up a
reference or two.
Donald Jacob Uitvlugt
PhD candidate in Theology
University of Notre Dame
Quoting Damien Boquet <[log in to unmask]>:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> Un grand merci à tous pour toutes ces précieuses références !
> Ma question avait pour origine un paradoxe concernant 2 topoi : le péché
> fait ressembler l'homme à une bête sauvage et, à l'opposé, une ascèse
> extrême et sainte produit le même effet mais avec un sens positif (cf saint
> Benoît de Nursie dans sa grotte). Il peut donc y avoir une valorisation de
> la bestialité de l'homme que je trouve très intéressante. L'image de la bête
> sauvage semble renvoyer simultanément à une sous-humanité (passions) et à
> une sur-humanité (ascèse).
>
> Damien Boquet
>
>
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