Term
Hesychasm
A form of Eastern Christian monasticism seeking divine quietness through uninterrupted prayer, such as the Jesus Prayer, involving the whole person.
Filed underHistorical TheologyChurch History
Definition
In Eastern Christianity, type of monastic life in which practitioners seek divine quietness (Greek hesychia) through the contemplation of God in uninterrupted prayer. Such prayer, involving the entire human being—soul, mind, and body—is often called "pure," or "intellectual," prayer or the Jesus Prayer.
Connections
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- Narrower than
- MonasticismTerm
Sources
- 1.“Hesychasm.” Encyclopaedia BritannicaLinkOriginal citation: "Hesychasm." Encyclopaedia Britannica. July 22, 2020. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hesychasm.
Last revised August 14, 2026