Roberta Bondi's early works on the early church fathers/desert fathers and mothers
MJ. Smith
MVP Posts: 53,095 
There are two very readable introductory volumes on the early church fathers which should be required reading for everyone as they present in common language the context in which one should read the desert fathers and mothers. Unfortunately they are not yet available in the Faithlife catalogue.
1. To Love as God Loves: Conversations with the Early Church ISBN 978-0800620417. Amazon blurb: "Being a Christian means learning to love with God's love. But God's love is not a warm feeling in the pit of the stomach. It has definite characteristics we learn in the course of our life, in the behavior and teaching of the early monastics, as we ponder over what we can say about God as God deals with us, and finally, as we model our own lives on what we have learned."
2. To Pray and to Love: Conversations on Prayer with the Early Church ISBN: 978-0800625115 From the Amazon blurb: "Bondi offers a beautifully simple and profound account of prayer as the desert fathers saw it: integrally connected to love of God and neighbor, but also leading to introspection which facilitates spiritual growth. She begins with the teaching of the desert fathers about St. Paul's injunction "pray without ceasing," and discusses monastic prayer and life. Next she discusses how prayer can help develop the image of God within the individual. Bondi then addresses current concerns about prayer, how to approach it, the need for self-development, and the need for deeper human relationship through prayer. She concludes by discussing the desire for God as fostered and fulfilled through prayer by God's grace. Recommended for seminary and public libraries."
1. To Love as God Loves: Conversations with the Early Church ISBN 978-0800620417. Amazon blurb: "Being a Christian means learning to love with God's love. But God's love is not a warm feeling in the pit of the stomach. It has definite characteristics we learn in the course of our life, in the behavior and teaching of the early monastics, as we ponder over what we can say about God as God deals with us, and finally, as we model our own lives on what we have learned."
2. To Pray and to Love: Conversations on Prayer with the Early Church ISBN: 978-0800625115 From the Amazon blurb: "Bondi offers a beautifully simple and profound account of prayer as the desert fathers saw it: integrally connected to love of God and neighbor, but also leading to introspection which facilitates spiritual growth. She begins with the teaching of the desert fathers about St. Paul's injunction "pray without ceasing," and discusses monastic prayer and life. Next she discusses how prayer can help develop the image of God within the individual. Bondi then addresses current concerns about prayer, how to approach it, the need for self-development, and the need for deeper human relationship through prayer. She concludes by discussing the desire for God as fostered and fulfilled through prayer by God's grace. Recommended for seminary and public libraries."
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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