The Oxford Handbook of Christian Monasticism / edited by Bernice M. Kaczynski ; advisory editor, Thomas Sullivan.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction. Towards a new monastic history / Bernice M. Kaczynski -- Asceticism before monasticism: what the first monks owed to the early Christian churches / Richard Finn -- Holy men and women of the desert / David Brakke -- The architecture of the ascetic body / Lynda L. Coon -- The literature of early Eastern monasticism / Brouria Bitton-Ashkelony -- The literature of early Western monasticism / Columba Stewart -- Archaeological evidence for the study of early monasticism / Stephen J. Davis -- Spirituality and prayer in the Eastern traditions / Andrew Louth -- Monasticism in the Byzantine Empire / Peter Hatlie -- Monasteries, society, economy, and the state in the Byzantine Empire / Kostis Smyrlis -- Monasticism in the Oriental Orthodox churches / Samuel Rubenson -- The archaeology of monastic households / Darlene L. Brooks Hedstrom -- Monasticism in early Ireland / Westley Follett -- The Benedictines / Scott G. Bruce -- The Cistercians / Anne E. Lester -- The military orders: Templars and Hospitallers / Jochen Burgtorf -- The early Mendicants / Frances Andrews -- Religious women: secular canonesses and Beguines / Sigrid Hirbodian -- Observant reform in the late Middle Ages / Kathryne Beebe -- Prayer / Rachel Fulton Brown -- Musical and liturgical practice / James Grier -- Monastic art, sacred space, and the mediation of religious experience / Thomas E. A. Dale -- Monastic narrative practices / Katherine Allen Smith -- Friendship, family, and community / Julian P. Haseldine -- Sickness and healing / Peregrine Horden -- Landscape, land use, and the environment / Richard Oram -- The dissolution of the monasteries: England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales / James G. Clark -- Monasticism in early modern France / Daniel-Odon Hurel -- Monasticism in early modern Germany / Edeltraud Klueting -- Monasticism in early modern Italy and Spain / Elizabeth A. Lehfeldt -- Russian Orthodox monasticism from 988 to 1917 / Scott M. Kenworthy -- Monasticism in the early modern Atlantic world / Dominique Deslandres -- Monasticism in the United States / Margaret M. McGuinness -- Monasticism in Latin America / Bonar L. Hernández -- Monasticism in Africa South of the Sahara / Catherine Higgs -- Christian monasticism in Asia / Matteo Nicolini-Zani -- The Eastern traditions today: Greek Orthodox monasticism / Chrysostom Koutloumousianos -- The Eastern traditions today: Russian and Romanian Orthodox monasticism / Scott M. Kenworthy -- The Protestant tradition / Inge Mager -- The Anglican tradition / Adam D. McCoy -- The 'new monasticism' / Douglas E. Christie, Bernadette Flanagan -- Lectio Divina: opening to God's word / Gregory J. Polan -- Monastic interreligious dialogue / Fabrice Blée -- Contemporary monasticism: challenges and opportunities / Michael Casey.

The Handbook takes as its subject the complex phenomenon of Christian monasticism. It addresses, for the first time in one volume, the multiple strands of Christian monastic practice. Forty-four essays consider historical and thematic aspects of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Protestant, and Anglican traditions, as well as contemporary 'new monasticism'. The essays in the book span a period of nearly two thousand years-from late ancient times, through the medieval and early modern eras, on to the present day. Taken together, they offer, not a narrative survey, but rather a map of the vast terrain. The intention of the Handbook is to provide a balance of some essential historical coverage with a representative sample of current thinking on monasticism. It presents the work of both academic and monastic authors, and the essays are best understood as a series of loosely-linked episodes, forming a long chain of enquiry, and allowing for various points of view. The authors are a diverse and international group, who bring a wide range of critical perspectives to bear on pertinent themes and issues. They indicate developing trends in their areas of specialisation. The individual contributions, and the volume as a whole, set out an agenda for the future direction of monastic studies. In today's world, where there is increasing interest in all world monasticisms, where scholars are adopting more capacious, global approaches to their investigations, and where monks and nuns are casting a fresh eye on their ancient traditions, this publication is especially timely.