This document discusses the history of monasticism and several influential early Christian monks. It describes how Antony of Egypt was one of the first Christian hermits who sought holiness by withdrawing from society. It also discusses the contributions of figures like Basil, Jerome, Ambrose, and Augustine. Augustine in particular had a profound impact as a theologian and philosopher, and authored The Confessions, which was an influential autobiography.

2. Monasticism: The Quest for Holiness

3. The movement of men and women away from the world to pursue holiness which came to be known as monasticism.

4. Antony of Egypt: Pioneer Hermit

5. Antony of Egypt was one of the earliest of the religious pioneers.

6. The Appeal of the Hermit’s Wisdom

7. Toward “Purity of Heart”

8. Thomas Merton, perhaps the best-known modern monk

9. Love as the Fruit of Prayer

10. Contemplation- Being silently present or attentive to the loving God.

11. Basil’s Rule for Communal Monastic Life

12. Basil recognized that the practices of monastic life should not be determined by individual monks’ ideas of what would lead to holiness

13. Jerome: The Monk as Scholar

14. Jerome made a tremendous contribution to the life of the church through his scholarship, especially his study and translation of the Bible.

15. A Bible for the Common Person

16. Latin Vulgate was the Latin Version of the Bible which took 15 years to finish.

17. The Legacy of Ambrose and Augustine

18. Augustine is one of the most significant figures in Christian history.

19. Ambrose was Augustine’s mentor.

20. Augustine: Longing for “the City of God”

21. In search of meaning

22. Manichaean- believing that one god created good another created evil, and therefore no one was responsible for his or her sins.

23. From Convert to Bishop

24. The Confessions – Augustine’s autobiography.