The Teachings of Neilos of Ancyra: Three Essential Works from Early Christianity

Three works of fifth-century monastic leader Neilos of Ancyra, for the first time in English translation, introduced and annotated by a leading scholar of early Christianity

Neilos of Ancyra (sometimes mistakenly called Nilus of Sinai) was a learned and wise rhetorician, who lived in the fourth–fifth century and became a renowned monastic guide and later a bishop in Anatolia (modern Turkey). He wrote a number of works and one thousand letters. In The Teachings of Neilos of Ancyra, Tim Vivian presents the first English-language translations of three of his works: Brief Statements of Exhortation; Guidance That Leads a Person away from What Is Corruptible and Unites That Person with What Is Incorruptible; and Concerning the Eight Evil Thoughts. These show direct influence from the Apophthegmata Patrum, the sayings and stories of the desert fathers and mothers, and offer a wealth of insight into Neilos’s spiritual thinking.

Through rich social, economic, and cultural contextualization, Tim Vivian takes us into the world of this monastic leader, who navigated the spaces between the city and the countryside in Anatolia. He then presents the Greek text for the three works, each accompanied by an extensive introductory essay that prepares readers for the subsequent translation of the text, complete with copious notes, biblical references, and analytical points concerning the Greek text. The bibliography and extensive glossary offer essential content and explanations of terms and concepts across the monastic literature. Throughout, Vivian draws on references to contemporary media posts, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to make often striking connections between early-monastic teachings and the challenges and difficulties of the modern world.

The Teachings of Neilos of Ancyra will be of interest to students and scholars of early Christianity, early monasticism, and Christian spirituality.