Authority and Asceticism from Augustine to Gregory the Great

'A final virtue of Leyser's book is its careful awareness of the modern scholarly tradition' -Journal of Theological Studies 'The insights and intelligence of Leyser's discussions provide another testament both to Augustine's and Gregory's extensive influence in Late Antiquity and to their relevance for modern times' -Journal of Theological Studies 'Leyser's book deserves the attention (and praise) of specialists. It also rewards anyone interested in the development of authority in the Western Christian tradition' -Theological StudiesWhen barbarians invaded the Roman Empire in the years around 400 AD, Christian monks hid in their cloisters - or so it is often assumed. Conrad Leyser shows is that monks in the early medieval West were, in fact, pioneers in the creation of a new language of moral authority. He describes the making of this tradition over two centuries from St Augustine to St Benedict and Gregory the Great.