Overview
2022 Catholic Media Association second place award in mysticism From its origins in the fourth and fifth centuries, first in monastic circles and then in wider Christian communities, the story of Mary of Egypt was wildly popular. From early Christianity through the medieval periods, from Egypt to Scandinavia, verse lives in Greek, Latin, and vernacular languages portray her as the model of repentance. Continuously venerated in the liturgy and icons of the Orthodox Churches, she is now seldom known in the West. This modern verse life and the accompanying essay reintroduces St. Mary’s extraordinary life, its theological and spiritual implications, and its remarkable depiction of gender complementarity.
Full Product Details
Author: Bonnie B. Thurston ,
Benedicta Ward, SLG
Publisher: Liturgical Press
Imprint: Liturgical Press
Volume: 65
Dimensions:
Width: 14.00cm
, Height: 1.00cm
, Length: 21.60cm
Weight: 0.142kg
ISBN: 9780879071165
ISBN 10: 0879071168
Pages: 136
Publication Date: 07 January 2022
Recommended Age: From 22 to 90 years
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
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Reviews
Bonnie Thurston's presentation of the Life of Saint Mary of Egypt combines two elements: a sparkling verse rendering of the Life, that not only retells the story but also touches the feelings in a way that highlights the importance of personal conversion. This is buttressed by a preliminary summary of the plot of the Life and a review of its literary and theological characteristics. An attractive and original version of the Life that will certainly help readers to make contact with its profound spiritual meaning. Michael Casey, OCSO This study of Mary of Egypt is in two parts: a poetic life and a scholarly analysis. It is a perfect combination of art and science that offers the clearest and most compassionate study of the saint that I have read. Joyce E. Salisbury, Professor Emerita, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay Bonnie Thurston has produced with this her latest offering a very creative and inspiring work on the ancient Christian figure St. Mary of Egypt. Through the masterful use of poetry and prose, Dr. Thurston weaves a beautiful tapestry on the very fabric of life and witness of this mother of the desert. I believe that this book will be read in the decades to come as a foundational text by those who are new and old to the story of this legendary saint. Dr. John G. Panagiotou, Orthodox theologian and scholar This volume provides us with a double pleasure. First, we have a sensitive version of the life done by Thurston. Second, we get a capacious study of how her life was received and expanded in the history of hagiography and spirituality. There is much to savor and instruct in this book. Lawrence Cunningham, The University of Notre Dame Poet Bonnie Thurston creates a reverent yet playful rendition that places this itinerant saint and her story at the center of the narrative. In addition to the poems, the book includes a foreword by medieval studies scholar Benedicta Ward, a substantive introduction, and an essay on the meaning of Mary of Egypt for our contemporary moment. Christian Century Readers are indebted to Thurston that her ongoing fascination with and devotion to Saint Mary of Egypt, coupled with her extensive research into her story, has resulted in a fine readable verse-tale, accompanied by thorough historical, literary, and theological background. This little book is a stirring affirmation of the mercy of God that is available to all. Christianity & Literature Packed full of insights from a historic point of view and, more importantly, from that of spirituality. Spirituality
Bonnie Thurston's presentation of the Life of Saint Mary of Egypt combines two elements: a sparkling verse rendering of the Life, that not only retells the story but also touches the feelings in a way that highlights the importance of personal conversion. This is buttressed by a preliminary summary of the plot of the Life and a review of its literary and theological characteristics. An attractive and original version of the Life that will certainly help readers to make contact with its profound spiritual meaning. Michael Casey, OCSO This study of Mary of Egypt is in two parts: a poetic life and a scholarly analysis. It is a perfect combination of art and science that offers the clearest and most compassionate study of the saint that I have read. Joyce E. Salisbury, Professor Emerita, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay Bonnie Thurston has produced with this her latest offering a very creative and inspiring work on the ancient Christian figure St. Mary of Egypt. Through the masterful use of poetry and prose, Dr. Thurston weaves a beautiful tapestry on the very fabric of life and witness of this mother of the desert. I believe that this book will be read in the decades to come as a foundational text by those who are new and old to the story of this legendary saint. Dr. John G. Panagiotou, Orthodox theologian and scholar This volume provides us with a double pleasure. First, we have a sensitive version of the life done by Thurston. Second, we get a capacious study of how her life was received and expanded in the history of hagiography and spirituality. There is much to savor and instruct in this book. Lawrence Cunningham, The University of Notre Dame
This study of Mary of Egypt is in two parts: a poetic life and a scholarly analysis. It is a perfect combination of art and science that offers the clearest and most compassionate study of the saint that I have read. Joyce E. Salisbury, Professor Emerita, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay Bonnie Thurston's presentation of the Life of Saint Mary of Egypt combines two elements: a sparkling verse rendering of the Life, that not only retells the story but also touches the feelings in a way that highlights the importance of personal conversion. This is buttressed by a preliminary summary of the plot of the Life and a review of its literary and theological characteristics. An attractive and original version of the Life that will certainly help readers to make contact with its profound spiritual meaning. Michael Casey, OCSO
Bonnie Thurston's presentation of the Life of Saint Mary of Egypt combines two elements: a sparkling verse rendering of the Life, that not only retells the story but also touches the feelings in a way that highlights the importance of personal conversion. This is buttressed by a preliminary summary of the plot of the Life and a review of its literary and theological characteristics. An attractive and original version of the Life that will certainly help readers to make contact with its profound spiritual meaning. Michael Casey, OCSO This study of Mary of Egypt is in two parts: a poetic life and a scholarly analysis. It is a perfect combination of art and science that offers the clearest and most compassionate study of the saint that I have read. Joyce E. Salisbury, Professor Emerita, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay Bonnie Thurston has produced with this her latest offering a very creative and inspiring work on the ancient Christian figure St. Mary of Egypt. Through the masterful use of poetry and prose, Dr. Thurston weaves a beautiful tapestry on the very fabric of life and witness of this mother of the desert. I believe that this book will be read in the decades to come as a foundational text by those who are new and old to the story of this legendary saint. Dr. John G. Panagiotou, Orthodox theologian and scholar This volume provides us with a double pleasure. First, we have a sensitive version of the life done by Thurston. Second, we get a capacious study of how her life was received and expanded in the history of hagiography and spirituality. There is much to savor and instruct in this book. Lawrence Cunningham, The University of Notre Dame Poet Bonnie Thurston creates a reverent yet playful rendition that places this itinerant saint and her story at the center of the narrative. In addition to the poems, the book includes a foreword by medieval studies scholar Benedicta Ward, a substantive introduction, and an essay on the meaning of Mary of Egypt for our contemporary moment. Christian Century
Author Information
Bonnie B. Thurston, after years as a university and seminary professor, lives quietly in her home state of West Virginia. She is the author of many books on Scripture and spirituality and six books of poetry. These include Liturgical Press publications Shaped by the End You Live For: Thomas Merton’s Monastic Spirituality; Maverick Mark: The Untamed First Gospel; The Spiritual Landscape of Mark;Philippians in the Sacra Pagina series; and Belonging to Borders: A Sojourn in the Celtic Tradition (poetry).
