Assignments:

[1] There are many theories to explain the origins of monasticism. Why do you think that these first monks embraced their ways of living Christian life?

[2] St. Antony and St. Pachomius are usually regarded as the founders of Christian monasticism. We know that they weren’t the first Christian monks, but they certainly made many contributions to subsequent monasticism. What were some of those contributions?

2. The Beginnings of Western Monasticism

The foundations of Western Monasticism were put down by Martin of Tours, Augustine of Hippo, Jerome, John Cassian and the monks of Lérins. Their efforts were continued by others who wrote Rules for monastic communities.

RB 80, 42-64. Peter King, Western Monasticism. A History of the Monastic Movement in the Latin Church (Kalamazoo: Cistercian, 1999), chs. 2-3. de Dreuille, Seeking the Absolute Love, 90-119.

http://www.scourmont.be/studium/bresard, chapters 11-12. St. Augustine’s Rule is available in various printed versions. It is also available on line; e.g. at

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/1534/ruleaug.html

and

http://www.op.org/domcentral/trad/rule.htm

Assignment:

[3] Write an essay about the importance for monasticism of one of the following: Martin of Tours, Augustine of Hippo, Jerome, John Cassian.

3. St. Benedict and His World

St. Benedict lived somewhere around 480–550 AD. By then he could draw on a very extensive tradition of monastic writings and practice. Our only source for his life is found in the story (or stories) of his life which constitute the second book of the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great.

You’ll find some background in

RB 80, 65-95.
de Dreuille, 120-128.
King, Western Monasticism, c. 4.

Assignment

Read one of the following versions of the story of Benedict’s life and miracles:

Gregory the Great, Life and Miracles of St. Benedict, tr. Odo Zimmerman and Benedict Avery (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, n.d.). This text is available on the internet at www.osb.org.

Gregory the Great, The Life of Saint Benedict, with a commentary by Adalbert de Vogüe (Petersham: St. Bede’s, 1993). The commentary is quite detailed, but the book contains Gregory’s text as well, and students can read the comentary just for the parts which intrigue them.

Then, [4] Describe Italy during the period in which St. Benedict lived; summarize the stages of Benedict’s life as narrated by Gregory the Great; and indicate what you can detect of his character and personality as Gregory gives it.

[5] Read carefully the description of Benedict’s final meeting with St. Scholastica. Reflects on its meaning and message.

4. The Rule of St. Benedict

St. Benedict’s Rule, which is a brief document of 73 short chapters, is one of the most influential documents of Western culture. It has been lived and studied for almost 1500 year. It was a summation of much that went before and the charter for monasticism in the Middle Ages. Here the most important task of the student is to read the Rule and think about it.

There are two recent, scholarly translations into English. The best is that of Terrence Kardong, OSB, in his Benedict’s Rule: A Translation and Commentary (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1996). Before long, the translation will be published without the commentary and Latin text, but for now one must excerpt the translation from his commentary. The other is that contained in RB 80, which may also be purchased separately in a pamphlet published by the Liturgical Press.

There are legions of books about the Rule. A very good, modern, informed but practical commentary is Esther de Waal, A Life-Giving Way: A Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1981). Others include Joan Chittister, The Rule of Benedict, Insights for the Ages (New York: Continuum, 1996), Terrence Kardong, The Benedictines (Wilmington, DE: Michael Glazier, 1988) 11-19, 70-136.

Assignments:

[6] Read the Rule of Benedictine and discuss two themes or characteristics which strike you as particularly important or interesting (e.g., some will be struck by moderation, humility, organization of time, or the decision-making structure)? Give references to the Rule.

[7] Pick on chapter of the Rule and explain and discuss it in some detail (using any commentaries you may have available)?

[8] Looking at your own Christian life (beliefs, practices, moral and religious principles and commitments) or the life of your parish or other Christian community, what do you see as the biggest differences between that life and the way of life Benedict describes in his Rule?

5. Benedictine History

There is no satisfying history of Benedictine monks and nuns throughout the centuries. Stephan Hilpisch, a German monk, wrote histories of Benedictine monks and of Benedictine nuns about 40 years ago (published by the monks of St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, MN) which give some basic information. The best recent history (in which the author concentrates somewhat on the Cistercians, a specific form of Benedictine life which originated in the 12th century and after several permutations gave rise to the Trappists of today) is Peter King, Western Monasticism: A History of the Monastic Movement in the Latin Church (Kalamazoo: Cistercian, 1999) ch. 5ff.

For the Middle Ages there are C. H. Lawrence, Medieval Monasticism (London: Longman, several editions), chs. 4-9, and Jean Leclercq, Love of Learning and the Desire for God (several editions). General histories of the Middle Ages will include chapters on monasticism and other religious movements. Kardong, The Benedictines, 136-163 gives a brief sketch also. There are no good summaries of Benedictine history between the Reformation and the revival of monasticism in the middle of the 19th century. Fr. Joel Rippinger, Benedictine Order in the United States (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1990) is a good survey of his topic, and most American Benedictine abbeys or convents have produced some sort of history of themselves. Books like Wolfgang Braunfels, Monasteries of Western Europe (Thames & Hudson) discuss the history of monastic architecture. In her Brother Cadfael stories, Ellis Peter’s (Edith Pargeter) gives a fairly good idea of the layout and activity at a medium-sized Benedictine men’s monastery in the 12th century, and Margaret Frazer’s Sr. Frevisse mysteries convey something of life in small convent of Benedictine women in the 14th century.

Assignments:

[9] Having done some reading about medieval monasteries and trying to be as historically accurate as possible, create your own medieval monastery in a given place and year, give the daily order and ground plan, and tell about the relations of the monastery to the surrounding population.

[10] Trace the history of a specific Benedictine monastery (preferably one near you), telling of its historical ancestry (mother houses) and development since its foundation.

6. Benedictines Today

Around 1970, monasticism was largely regarded as passé, and religious orders were busy purging themselves of “monastic observances.” Surprisingly, in the last ten years monasticism has come to be regarded much more positively, and many new books on monasticism are published each year. The numbers of oblates at most Benedictine monasteries have grown during the last several decades, in part because of the popularity of Kathleen Norris’s memoirs, Dakota and Cloister Walk. Meanwhile, the number of Benedictine monks and sisters has been declining, and some smaller monasteries have been closed. At the same time, many small monastic experiments, both official and nonofficial, have been inaugurated, though none has been notably successful yet. If you can, visit a Benedictine monastery of men or women. There are many books and articles about monasticism today. Kardong, Benedictines, ch. 8 & 9 discusses some issues and questions about the future of Benedictine life.

Assignments:

[11] What do you think are the reasons for the current interest among lay Christians and even non-Christians in monasticism and “monastic spirituality”? Why are they interested in Benedictine monasteries? On the other hand, why are monasteries attracting fewer members, and what could they do to attract more?

[12] Looking back over your work for this course, what do you think have been the constant elements in Benedictine monasticism through the centuries--what makes a Benedictine monastery or Benedictine monk or nun or oblate “Benedictine”?

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