Abstract
John Binns currently holds teaching and research roles at the Institute of Orthodox Christian Studies (IOCS) in Cambridge and at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, respectively. His semi-retired status, however, hardly conveys the full extent of his experience. Having served as parish priest of Great St Mary's the University Church Cambridge for over two decades, Binns has worked closely with academics in the university and has considerable ecumenical experience with Orthodox institutions in countries such as Serbia, Russia, Ethiopia, Israel/Palestine, and Romania. Writing as an Anglican with his broad background in the Orthodox world, Binns is aptly situated to provide a balanced presentation of the subject in view.
The work itself is rather ambitious as it seeks to conduct an overview of the entire eastern monastic tradition. While other works have focused on the theological, institutional, or cultural development of the tradition, this book stands apart in its attempt to address all these together. Binns states that he intends to aim for “clarity” rather than “consistency” regarding the spelling conventions of various monks (p. 5). This statement can be extended as a reasonable descriptor of the entire text insofar as Binns selects different elements to represent distinct streams within the complex phenomenon of eastern monasticism. This seems to be a prudent measure given the scope of the work, and this reviewer deems it to be successful on the whole.
Readers are given a clear outline of the book's structure, which is divided into five sections. In line with Binns’ varied approach, these sections differ significantly in length and focus. Part One reviews the foundational precursors that contributed to the birth of monasticism proper. Therein, the author lays out a remarkably lucid summary of ancient practices ranging from Christian and Jewish to Greek and even Buddhist traditions. Part Two deals with the actual practice of monasticism as it was developed, guided, and controlled by the newly Christian hierarchies of Byzantine church and state. This section sensibly selects the Ecumenical Councils as a chronological parameter and consequently engages key debates surrounding Christology and Iconoclasm vis-à-vis increasingly powerful monastic communities. It becomes apparent that monks themselves were thoroughly enmeshed in these debates, which renders futile any attempt to partition the monastic movement from the cultural and political struggles of the Byzantine Empire. A key feature of this section is the way that Binns considers distinct geographical regions in turn, exploring the Stoudite, Sabaite, and Laurite “styles” in the process. Thus, Egypt is handled apart from Syria and Asia Minor apart from the urban environs of Jerusalem and Constantinople.
Part Three follows various developments in monasticism from the “Triumph of Orthodoxy” after Iconoclasm until the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Binns traces expansion following all four points of the compass. The famous exploits of the Benedict(s) in the West and Cyril and Methodius in the Balkans are expounded with care. Lesser-known monastic missions to China in the East and Ethiopia in the South add considerable strength to this book by building upon the burgeoning body of research in these neglected areas.
Part Four has the strongest theological focus, which it pursues through vignettes of key thinkers such as Origen, Evagrius, John Climacus, and Palamas. Finally, Part Five covers various monastic developments within the reality of Ottoman hegemony and leading into important “revivals” of the 20th century. This is the section in which readers discern the immediate stimuli of contemporary monasticism, with obvious emphases on Russia and Mount Athos.
Perhaps the book's most important characteristic is the author's ability to distil complex topics in a surprisingly balanced and insightful manner. This is especially evident in areas of interdisciplinary interest. Major political shifts involving Constantine, Arabs, Ottomans, and Soviets are handled with impressive acumen and charity while the convoluted polemics of Chalcedon and Iconoclasm are woven into the monastic narrative in a way that spares readers from missing the forest for the trees.
Relatedly, Binns is adept at writing in a style that fuses facts with narrative, which makes the text quite accessible to nonspecialists. For instance, he tactfully reveals the year 313 as pivotal for three “pioneers” of monasticism, making a unique historical observation in order to help readers connect separate points into a cohesive framework (p. 33). Rather than parroting familiar contours of Christian history, Binns carefully contributes valuable and neglected information to bring the history alive. One of the first instances of this has to do with the term “monk” itself. In addition to providing the standard etymology, Binns highlights other contemporary usages of monachos and the possible link to the typical robe worn by early ascetics. Another case in point is the watershed period between Constantine and Theodosius. Binns mostly sidesteps debates about Constantine's conversion and the subsequent status of Christianity by quoting directly from Eusebius and the Theodosian Code, respectively. Crucially, Binns’ style still manages to incorporate productive mentions of landmark studies such as Peter Brown's “Rise and Function of the Holy Man in Late Antiquity.”
One of the familiar challenges of historical theology is juxtaposing similar subjects from dissimilar regions and periods. While the climate and political circumstances of Late Antique Egypt have generally lent themselves to the preservation of abundant literary sources such as papyri, the conditions and circumstances in places such as Medieval Russia often require scholars to make use of other historical witnesses. Here is found another benefit to Binns’ varied approach. When abundant literary material is available (such as the Lives of myriad Egyptian saints) he tactfully allows them to colour his portrait of monasticism in that area. When primary literary sources are lacking, Binns tastefully draws upon others such as the administrative records of monastic and government institutions.
Another welcome feature of this work is its thoughtful inclusion of Ethiopian Christianity. Too many studies have neglected this important tradition in the past, so it is fitting that the author has included it—especially as Ethiopic studies are gradually gaining the wider prominence in Academia that they deserve. One regrettable desideratum is the discussion of Ethiopia's founding narratives involving Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, not least because of the way these shape the self-perception of monastic communities in the country. Binns mentions “Judaic practice” of the Ethiopian Church in connection to Syrian influence, which—though accurate—risks conveying a skewed picture of the Ethiopian tradition (p. 127). The book's remit is an understandable factor preventing further discussion and inquisitive readers will, fortunately, find Binns’ excellent The Orthodox Church of Ethiopia in several endnotes.
Although the work does not intend to provide extensive theological discussion, this reviewer judges that slightly more consideration could have strengthened the overall presentation without significantly lengthening the book. Specifically, the important monastic concept of theosis could have been explored in more detail. The term theosis is mentioned only twice in the text and might have been fruitfully incorporated alongside discussions of hesychasm or in the early discussions about the motivations behind asceticism more generally.
Overall, this text is warmly recommended. It succeeds not only in covering an impressive span of history but also in integrating recent scholarship without any pedantry. It will be most constructive for recreational readers, although specialists are also bound to find useful references and refreshing approaches on standard topics. Without question, this book will become an important reference point for similar comprehensive studies in the future.