Dimensions
136 x 208 x 20mm
James Cowan's deeply personal and fascinating life of St Antony of Egypt unveils the story of the first Christian mystic who chose the path of a hermit in the desert, in defiance of the Roman classical world. Going beyond purely historical or cultural descriptions, Cowan asks the key question: why did Antony think that by departing the world completely he would get closer to the truth he was seeking?
On a trip to Egypt to find out more, Cowan actually discovers a hermit living on Mount Colzim, Antony's mountain, and finds himself on far more than an academic journey. With Lazarus as his guide, he is able to combine an inner journey with his outer travel and begins to understand the true motivation of this radical mystic figure, the meaning of the ascetic life and the vision of eastern Christianity.
As in all Cowan's books, this is research made immediate by his sheer involvement in the subject and his desire to get beyond the facts and into deeper questions.
