Читать книгу An Introduction to the Desert Fathers - Jason Byassee - Страница 6

o I wrote this little book because I found the Sayings of the Desert Fathers delightfully applicable to our present-day efforts to live a more intentional spiritual life in the way of Jesus. Their best “advice” might be their form: if you want to follow Jesus more rigorously, ask for a word from one more advanced in holiness.

I’ve often been the beneficiary of an edifying word from another in the course of writing. First, I’m grateful to Kurt Berends for originally proposing the idea of writing this and my previous book Reading Augustine with Cascade. Thanks are due to Jon Stock, Charlie Collier, and all the other good souls at Wipf and Stock for publishing these study guides. The evidence is in: a relationship to an extraordinary church like the Church of the Servant King makes you a better publisher. Thanks also to Jeremy Funk, my copy editor at Cascade, who dealt with me about as gently as some of these abbas! The work is certainly the better for it.

The best dispenser of wisdom in my life is my wife, Jaylynn, United Methodist pastor, mother, and amma in the way of Christ’s wisdom. Our life together with Jack, Sam, and Will is a rigorous but joyful way to learn discipleship. I’m grateful to my employer, the Christian Century, especially to my boss David Heim, for originally giving me a platform from which to write for an ecclesial audience somewhere between the parish and the academy. And I’m grateful to Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, North Park Theological Seminary, Wheaton College, and Northern Seminary for the chance to learn from students I claim to be “teaching” (actually being the abba is a terrifying thought!). Writing this book was an excuse constantly to think of and be grateful to God for my own collection of mentors: Tim Conder, James Howell, and Will Willimon above all. Keep giving me words, abbas!

Mostly, I wish to thank my brother, Eric Byassee, my closest friend. Eric is the real artist in my family. He’s a guitar player, singer, and general musician extraordinaire who is right now either booking or playing a gig somewhere between Chapel Hill, Nashville, or Austin. I have no better conversation partner on matters having to do with popular culture, sports, music, or life in general. I can’t remember a spiritual doldrum I’ve inhabited from which he hasn’t helped lift me. He may be surprised to know he’s played the role of “spiritual father” to me, but he indeed has. I treasure our relationship, and I dedicate this book to him.