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An Offering to Contemporary Monasticism (The Arena)

Ignatius Brianchaninov

His 'spiritual testament' for monks, written largely at Stavropol and published as the last volume of his works. It opens with the 'Rules of Outward Conduct for Novice Monks', continues with fifty chapters of 'Counsels on the Inner Work of the Monk'—study and keeping of the Gospel commandments, reading the Fathers, the dangers of the hermit life, obedience to an elder and life 'by counsel' in an age without experienced guides, prayer and the Jesus Prayer, remembrance of death, sobriety, fasting, almsgiving, fallen angels, dreams—and ends with the 'Lament of a Monk'. It holds that the monasticism of his day must rest on Scripture and the Fathers rather than on charismatic directors, now almost non-existent. Translated into English as The Arena.