"Do not be afraid to hear about virtue and do not be a stranger to the term. For it is not distant from us nor is it external to us; its realization lies within us and the work is easy if only we want it. The Greeks leave home and cross the seas in order to gain an education, but there is no need for us to go away on account of the Kingdom of God nor need we cross the sea in search of virtue. For the Lord has told us, "The Kingdom of God is within you." All that is needed for goodness is that which is within, the human heart."

Antony the Great



The spiritual exploits of Saint Anthony the Great - the prototype of the Christian "Desert Father" - have been immortalized in stories and art since the fourth century. Here is the stunning account of a modern seeker's quest to get beneath the legends that surround Anthony and to determine whether his extreme way of life has something to offer people in today's world. James Cowan's quest takes him to Egypt, to the monastery that still exists near the site of Anthony's hermitage, where he meets the monk who becomes his guide and mentor on the journey.

He comes to regard Anthony and the colorful men and women who shared his lifestyle in the fourth through seventh centuries with affection and awe - their departure to the desert a flight from the status quo of the newly Christian empire in order to preserve the radical path to liberation they saw in Christian teaching. Our modern efforts toward liberation may look different from theirs, he concludes, but the ultimate goal is no different, and Anthony remains a luminous model for anyone who passionately seeks to know God.

In commemoration of the feast of St. Antony, The Orthodox Bookstore is offering "Desert Father: A Journey in the Wilderness with Saint Anthony" written by James Cowan, for a special price of $13 (that’s over 30% off the retail price of $19).

This offer is good until January 30, 2012 or while supplies last. You can pick up a copy at http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/13637920/desert-father.

For those that are interested in picking up 10+ copies of this title or other Random House titles, The Orthodox Bookstore can offer a 40% discount. Please contact directly at orthodoxbookstore@sbcglobal.net for this offering.

Be sure to check out some of the other works associated with St. Antony.

Sayings
http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/2261267/philokalia-volume-1
http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/2199241/the-sayings-of-desert-fathers
http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/2944836/the-desert-fathers-sayings-of-early
http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/2199269/the-world-of-desert-fathers
http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/2199286/the-wisdom-of-desert-fathers
http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/2492399/daily-readings-with-the-desert-fathers
http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/6523121/the-paradise-of-holy-fathers-volume-2

Letters
http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/2882819/letters-of-saint-anthony-the-great

Life of St. Antony
http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/2353231/the-life-of-antoni-athanasius
http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/3018479/athanasius-the-life-of-antony-and-letter-to
http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/2940685/the-life-of-antony-coptic-and-greek
http://orthodoxbookstore.ecrater.com/p/6523110/the-paradise-of-holy-fathers-volume-1

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 [St. Antony - Desert Father Promotion]

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