Dari Padang Gurun ke Kehidupan Sehari-hari: Rekonstruksi Kehidupan Asketik dalam Pemikiran Yohanes Kassianos

Abstract

This study aims to examine John Cassian’s thoughts on the ascetic life and explain its relevance for contemporary Christian spirituality in Indonesia. The ascetic life is one of the important spiritual traditions in the ancient church that aims to shape the inner person through spiritual discipline. However, in its development, the ascetic life is often understood as the exclusive practice of monks and is therefore considered less relevant to Christians in general. The study uses a library method with a historical theological approach through textual analysis of two works by John Cassian, namely De Institutis Coenobiorum (The Institutes) and Collationes Patrum (Conferences), which are supported by patristic literature and studies of early monasticism. The results show that the ascetic life according to Cassian is oriented towards puritas cordis (purity of heart) as skopos and communion with God as telos. To achieve these goals, humans need to recognize and organize logismi as the root of various inner ailments through spiritual disciplines carried out in collaboration with God's grace. This study also shows that although John Cassian’s thought was born in the monastic background of the 5th century AD, the theological principles developed remain relevant to contemporary church life and provide a theological contribution to Christian spirituality in Indonesia that is rooted in the early church tradition.