A leading scholar of ascetical studies, Richard Valantasis explores a variety of ascetical traditions ranging from the Greco-Roman philosophy of Musonius Rufus, the asceticism found in the Nag Hammadi Library and in certain Gnostic texts, the Gospel of Thomas, and other early Christian texts. This collection gathers historical and theoretical essays that develop a theory of asceticism that informs the analysis of historical texts and opens the way for postmodern ascetical studies. Wide-ranging in historical scope and in developing theory, these essays address asceticism for scholar and student alike. The theory will be of particular interest to those interested in cultural theory and analysis, while the historical essays provide the researcher with easy access to a significant corpus of academic writing on asceticism.

Richard Valantasis is Professor of Asceticism and Christian Practice and the Director of the Anglican Studies Program at Candler School of Theology / Emory University. Among his numerous publications are The Gospel of Thomas, The New Q: Translation and Commentary, Third-Century Spiritual Guides, Centuries of Holiness, and The Beliefnet Guide to Gnosticism. He is also the editor of Religions of Late Antiquity in Practice and co-editor of Asceticism.
An artist as well as a teacher and scholar, Deborah J. Haynes is Professor of Fine Arts at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
James D. Smith III is Associate Professor of Church History at Bethel Seminary San Diego and Lecturer in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Diego. He also serves on the pastoral staff of College Avenue Baptist Church.
After many years on staff at several scholarly and educational publishers, Janet F. Carlson is currently an independent editor and writer. She has been a friend and admirer of Margaret R. Miles for twenty-five years.