Athanasius and the Politics of Asceticism Book

	Abbreviations
	Note on References in the Text
	Chronology of Events
	Introduction	1
1	Female Virginity and Ecclesiastical Politics in Alexandria	17
	The Discipline of Virgins within the Church	21
	Virgins in the Arian Conflict	57
2	The Desert Fathers and the Episcopate	80
	The Roles of Monk and Bishop	83
	Athanasius and the Pachomians	111
	The Anti-Arian Campaign of the Third Exile	129
3	Asceticism in Athanasius' Theology and Spirituality	142
	The Christian Life as an Ascetic Life	145
	Imitation of the Saints and the Diverse Church	161
	The Asceticism of the Ordinary Christian	182
4	The Spirituality and Politics of the Life of Antony	201
	Early Views of Antony	203
	The Story of Antony and the Myth of the Incarnate Word	216
	The Definition of Ascetic Authority	245
	Conclusion	266
	Appendix: Select Ascetic and Pastoral Writings of Athanasius	273
A	First Letter to Virgins	274
B	Second Letter to Virgins	292
C	On Virginity	303
D	On Sickness and Health	310
E	Fragments on the Moral Life	314
F	Festal Letters 24 (2) (330), 29 (357), 39 (367), and 40 (368)	320
	Bibliography	335
	Index	351