De Contemptu Mundi

Name: De Contemptu Mundi
Author: St. Eucherius of Lyons

Eucherius of Lyons (c. 380 – c. 449) was a Gallo-Roman aristocrat who withdrew with his family to a life of prayer on the island of Lérins before becoming bishop of Lyons. His letters and treatises praised the desert life and taught readers to read Scripture spiritually. Our library carries his De Contemptu Mundi, on turning from the world to God, and his Formulae, a handbook for interpreting the Bible's figurative language.

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First published: 450
Category: Devotional
Length: 11k words · about 1 hour
Chapters: 4

About this book

A short treatise by Eucherius, fifth-century bishop of Lyons, urging contempt for the fleeting world and its honors. Writing to a relative who was drawn to the world's ambitions, Eucherius contrasts earthly vanity with the lasting good of seeking God. It is a brief, earnest specimen of early church pastoral counsel on detachment from worldly things.