David Brakke

Evagrius (Ponticus)

How did the monks of the Egyptian desert fight against the demons that attacked them with tempting thoughts? According to Evagrius of Pontus (345399), 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.

A Monastic Handbook for Combating Demons

Evagrius (Ponticus)

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