The Way of the Desert Elders: How the Wisdom of Ancient Christians Sustains Us Today

A spiritual expedition into the stories and wisdom of ancient, desert-dwelling Christians, who show us how to forge faith at the edges of empire.

For all that bewilders and bedevils us, the desert mothers and fathers can help us face our circumstances and ourselves. In The Way of the Desert Elders, Lisa Colón DeLay asks: What if desert elders from more than a millennium ago could walk beside us and nourish our spirits now?

Starting in the fourth century, half a million Christians fled the villages and cities of the Roman Empire. Leaving behind comforts, they battled what Evagrius called "afflicting thoughts," which still unsettle us today. Yet they discovered a spirituality durable enough to endure harsh conditions and self-denial, sturdy enough to flourish in abandoned places.

In wise and vivid prose, DeLay introduces us to a cast of characters who were both devoted and flawed. Like us, the desert abbas and ammas wrestled with gluttony, lust, greed, wrath, acedia, despondency, vainglory, envy, and pride. We meet the abba who'd been a crime boss, the amma who once traded sexual favors for a chance to travel, and the archbishop who fled his post because of a scandalous love affair. We learn about the stylite hermits, who lived atop pillars and drew tourists, and about the weaver who prayed so intensely while he worked that he wove a basket larger than himself. DeLay brings the timeless sagacity of these spiritual companions to bear on our own barren times, offering reflection questions, prayers, and suggestions for crafting a rule of life.

Desert spirituality doesn't mean going it alone; it means finding companions to walk with us. With their ordinary longings and extraordinary commitments, the desert elders can lead us toward peace, spiritual growth, and intimacy with God.

Lisa Colón DeLay is the author of The Wild Land Within and has an MA in spiritual formation. She writes, teaches, and creates products and resources related to spiritual formation. Since 2015, she has hosted Spark My Muse, a top-rated religion and spirituality podcast with guests such as Krista Tippett, James Martin, Parker J. Palmer, Mark Nepo, Lisa Feldman Barrett, Seth Godin, and Ibram Kendi. DeLay grew up in Pittsburgh, having left her native country of Puerto Rico, and now resides near the Appalachian Trail in a small town in Pennsylvania.