Welcome to “Praying with Evagrius.” My name is Robb Harrell. I am a husband, a father, and a Lutheran (ELCA) pastor. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Florida, a Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory, and I am working toward a Doctor of Ministry at Columbia Theological Seminary with a focus in Christian Spirituality. I have a broad range of interests, but I am primarily concerned with religious education, spiritual formation, and all things liturgical. I am especially interested in how all these things fit into our post-modern and post-Christian era. As a pastor I have more interest in practice than theory, though I appreciate both.
I blogged for six years at “Idle Ramblings of the LutherPunk.” I felt like that blog had run its course and it was time to start fresh and change the focus just a bit. I plan to leave “Idle Ramblings” up for now as an archive, and may import some of those posts here for fresh discussion.
The title of this site refers to my interest in an oft overlooked desert monk named Evagrius Ponticus. You can read about him here. I first discovered Evagrius more than a decade ago as a seminary student. He has been a traveling companion since that time, as his insistence on prayer has both comforted me and compelled me to pray.
Yes, I am aware that Evagrius has been condemned by some. He has also been sainted by others. Read him for yourself.
I found your blog via Living Lutheran and the title of your blog caught my attention. I quite like Evagrius’ “Talking Back” as a source of monastic spirituality.