John Cassian: The Conferences (review)

John Cassian: The Conferences. Translated and annotated by Boniface Ramsey, O.P. [Ancient Christian Writers, No. 57.] (New York and Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press. 1997. Pp. xv, 886. $39.95.)

"Ancient Christian Writers" No. 57 presents the three series of John Cassian's Conferences in a single volume translated and annotated by Boniface Ramsey, O.P., who, in addition, provides a general introduction to the author and his work; introductions, textual references, and notes for each preface and conference; indices of scriptural and non-scriptural citations and allusions, of non-scriptural persons, of place names; and a glossary. Less helpfully, the text lacks a subject index; there is no indication in the conferences that endnotes on particular passages exist; lengthy internal bibliographic notes in the introductions disrupt the narrative flow.

Ramsey does an excellent job of faithfully translating Cassian's long, lively, Latin sentences into a distinctly readable English prose that is pleasingly like Cassian's own, of rendering technical monastic and ascetic terms consistently, and of presenting the scriptural citations exactly. He does not, however, distinguish Cassian's use of arbitrium and voluntas, or faithfully reproduce plural uses of voluntas. By habitually rendering all of these "will," Ramsey blurs important distinctions in Cassian's theological anthropology and doctrine of grace. Access to the latter is made even more difficult by the mistranslation of a problematic sentence in 13.8.4, which Ramsey also discusses in his commentary: "When [God] notices good will making an appearance in us, he at once enlightens and encourages it and spurs it on to salvation, giving increase to what he himself planted and saw arise from our own efforts." The italics translate " . . . ei quam vel ipse plantavit vel nostro conatu viderit emersisse"--literally: "to what either he himself planted or has seen to have arisen from our effort." Because accusations of Semi-Pelagianism have always hung over Cassian, these defects constitute a particular disservice.

The general introduction surveys Cassian's life and discusses the conferences: dating, historicity, literary form, structure, contents, and predominant themes. Introductions to individual conferences identify speakers, summarize contents, and, occasionally, offer criticisms. The notes contain much useful information, chief among which are citations of similar themes and images in other ancient works, both pagan and Christian.

Whereas Ramsey's translation is quite successful, his commentary fails to do justice to Cassian's depth and nuance. Two difficulties predominate. Ramsey mistakenly presents the Conferences as historical conversations which Cassian later elaborated and synthesized, rather than as literary vehicles specifically crafted by Cassian to convey Egyptian wisdom to Gallic monks. Thus many of the literary devices which function as essential elements of Cassian's pedagogy escape Ramsey's notice. Secondly, a faulty understanding of the role Cassian accords discretion directs the commentary. Ramsey describes discretion both as a conflation of tradition, manifestation of thoughts, submission and discretion, and as a virtue which is practiced through tradition, manifestation of thoughts, and submission. He holds that Cassian denies a monk can ever acquire a capacity for independent discernment. In actual fact, Cassian teaches that a monk is trained in discretion (which approximates prudence) through the other named practices, and that one who humbly submits to proper monastic formation will learn discretion so as to become free to follow its dictates in relative independence.

Despite the shortcomings, this is a very good book. Ramsey deserves high praise for giving us one of our finest monastic writers and spiritual theologians in reliable and readable English.

 

Lauren Pristas
Caldwell College
Caldwell, New Jersey

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