Sacrifice in the Desert: A Study of an Egyptian Minority Through the Prism of Coptic Monasticism

by Mark Gruber

The desert fathers of ancient Egypt are an inherently fascinating, historical phenomenon. Sacrifice in the Desert is an anthropological study of the contemporary spiritual descendents of these monks as they live out their lives in some of the most primitive and remote monasteries of the Sahara Desert. This book is an investigation of the role of these desert ascetics as the cultural center of the Copts of Egypt in their struggle for survival through centuries of oppression and marginalization.

278 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2003

Reviews

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for my trip to Egypt and class. It is an anthropological ethnography and personal journey in one. If you are not an anthropologist, skip chapter 2. I had to pull my anthropology out of mothballs. Wonderfully enlightening book on the history and current understanding of Coptic Egyptians.