Lessons from a Tentmaking Ascetic in the Egyptian Desert: The Case of Evagrius of Pontus

Abstract

In this article, an invitation is given to modern practitioners and thinkers on missionary tentmaking — especially those from the majority world — to reflect on the apparent tentmaking approach of the fourth-century monk Evagrius of Pontus (c. 345–399). Though not a missionary himself, Evagrius proved to be innovative in his approach to work, which sustained his primary spiritual calling — monasticism. After exploring the necessity and context for his manual labor, his theology of work and the relationship between physical and spiritual labor will be considered. Finally, some suggestions for applying Evagrius' tentmaking principles will be offered.