A First Things Partner Feature

released 2/16/2024

As Christians in the West begin Lenten disciplines, we present a reading of an article by Church historian Robert Louis Wilken. “The Lives of the Saints and the Pursuit of Virtue” briefly explores the history and wisdom of hagiographic literature, with examples from the first several centuries of the Church’s experience. This article was first published in First Things in December 1990. Dr. Wilken’s many books include The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity, The Spirit of Early Christian Thought: Seeking the Face of God, The Christians as the Romans Saw Them, and The Land Called Holy: Palestine in Christian History and Thought.

This Feature is provided courtesy of First Things and is read by Ken Myers.

46 minutes

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