Cassian the Monk

Abstract John Cassian, like other early monks, eludes his modern readers. His discursive writing style, his evocations of incredible degrees of ascetical and contemplative perfection, his antique (and male-centered) understanding of sexuality dissuade even the hardy from threading their way through his thicket of words. More fundamentally, the religious assumptions and imperatives that underlie and empower his works can be unfamiliar or misunderstood. Monastic readers, and those who share their interests, continue to find much of Cassian’s teaching helpful, though his work is increasingly opaque even to them. The aim of this study is to bring us to Cassian and him to us, to catch his voice as well as I can while knowing that whatever he says requires both translation and interpretation.