John Cassian’s Royal Road: Discretion, Balance, and the Tradition of the Fathers

Abstract

Throughout John Cassian’s Institutes, he regularly exhorts his readers to ascetic discretion and moderation. He refers to this path of discretion as the ‘royal road’. To the left is negligence and acquiescence to temptation. On the right is over-zealous ascetic endeavors that often leave one weak and vulnerable to unclean thoughts and temptation. The royal road, meanwhile, is paved with ascetic moderation and continual discernment of one’s thoughts. This image of the royal road can be seen at work in Cassian’s discussions of grace and free will in both Institutes and Conferences. This royal road is also at work in his Christological treatise, On the Incarnation. Cassian positions Nestorius’ christology among the various heretics on the left and right of the tradition of the fathers that commits itself to the mysterious union of divinity and humanity in Christ.