

Desert Fathers with Bishop Erik Varden
Exodus 90
Modern life is like a desert—a parched and barren expanse where the soul thirsts for the living water Jesus promised at the well. Amid the ceaseless distractions and allurements of materialism, God can seem absent. As the Desert Fathers of old fled the noise of the world to seek God in silence, we too have been been called into the desert.
Guided by Bishop Erik Varden, this year-long series—beginning January 1, 2025—invites listeners to encounter the profound wisdom of the Desert Fathers. Drawing from their timeless Sayings, Bishop Varden illuminates the lives of figures like St. Anthony of Egypt, exploring themes such as purity, humility, self-mastery, and repentance. Through their struggles in the wilderness, these early Christians uncovered the transformative power of God’s grace—lessons as relevant today as they were in their time.
Though few of us are called to the monastic life, the spiritual combat of the Desert Fathers resonates with all who seek to follow Christ. As Jesus Himself entered the desert to confront temptation, their wisdom offers guidance for our own battles with distraction and despair, helping us find strength in prayer and discipline.
Bishop Erik Varden, a Cistercian monk and Bishop of Trondheim, Norway, is one of today’s leading Catholic voices. A convert to Catholicism during his studies at Cambridge, he was drawn to the monastic life, ultimately joining Mount St. Bernard Abbey in England, where he eventually became abbot. Through his writing and teaching, Bishop Varden speaks compellingly to a secular world, using the language of beauty to reveal the centrality of our search for God—even when we wander astray.
Join us as we step into the desert together, guided by the wisdom of the ancients, to rediscover the love of Christ that conquers all obstacles. Visit DesertFathers.com to learn more.
We owe a special thanks to our partners. The Desert Fathers in a Year is...
...written by Bishop Erik Varden. You can follow Bishop Varden on his blog, CoramFratribus.com
...produced by EWTN Global Catholic Network
...and brought to you by Exodus 90. Download the Exodus 90 app today and get ready to start the Exodus 90 Challenge beginning on January 20, 2025.
Guided by Bishop Erik Varden, this year-long series—beginning January 1, 2025—invites listeners to encounter the profound wisdom of the Desert Fathers. Drawing from their timeless Sayings, Bishop Varden illuminates the lives of figures like St. Anthony of Egypt, exploring themes such as purity, humility, self-mastery, and repentance. Through their struggles in the wilderness, these early Christians uncovered the transformative power of God’s grace—lessons as relevant today as they were in their time.
Though few of us are called to the monastic life, the spiritual combat of the Desert Fathers resonates with all who seek to follow Christ. As Jesus Himself entered the desert to confront temptation, their wisdom offers guidance for our own battles with distraction and despair, helping us find strength in prayer and discipline.
Bishop Erik Varden, a Cistercian monk and Bishop of Trondheim, Norway, is one of today’s leading Catholic voices. A convert to Catholicism during his studies at Cambridge, he was drawn to the monastic life, ultimately joining Mount St. Bernard Abbey in England, where he eventually became abbot. Through his writing and teaching, Bishop Varden speaks compellingly to a secular world, using the language of beauty to reveal the centrality of our search for God—even when we wander astray.
Join us as we step into the desert together, guided by the wisdom of the ancients, to rediscover the love of Christ that conquers all obstacles. Visit DesertFathers.com to learn more.
We owe a special thanks to our partners. The Desert Fathers in a Year is...
...written by Bishop Erik Varden. You can follow Bishop Varden on his blog, CoramFratribus.com
...produced by EWTN Global Catholic Network
...and brought to you by Exodus 90. Download the Exodus 90 app today and get ready to start the Exodus 90 Challenge beginning on January 20, 2025.
Top mentioned books
Here are the most frequently recommended books on the Desert Fathers with Bishop Erik Varden podcast:
#1 Mentioned in 5 episodes
The Life of Antony
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#2 Mentioned in 1 episodes
Symposium
#3 Mentioned in 1 episodes
Sayings of Abba Isaiah
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#4 Mentioned in 1 episodes
Inferno
#5 Mentioned in 1 episodes
Deus Caritas Est
A short description is not available
#6 Mentioned in 1 episodes
Anonymous Sayings of the Desert Fathers

#7 Mentioned in 1 episodes
CHASTITY
Reconciliation of the Senses

#8 Mentioned in 1 episodes
The Brothers Karamazov
#9 Mentioned in 1 episodes
Life of St. Anthony

#10 Mentioned in 1 episodes
Dracula

#11 Mentioned in 1 episodes
After Virtue

#12 Mentioned in 1 episodes
Augustine's Confessions
#13 Mentioned in 1 episodes
The Lausiac History
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#14 Mentioned in 1 episodes
The Book of the Elders, Sayings of the Desert Fathers
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#15 Mentioned in 1 episodes
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
A translation by Sister Benedicta Ward

#16 Mentioned in 1 episodes
Theology of the Body
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