I hope you enjoyed the first lecture and tutorial and feel ready to face the material of week 2 focussing on the forms of Christian life in the Early Medieval World. One of the figures we'll be looking at is St Benedict of Nursia.
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| Saint Benedict: detail from a fresco by Fra Angelico |
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| The restored Monte Cassino Abbey |
From the reading for this week, Cruz and Gerberding propose that "living alone in constant prayer and contemplation is seen as the best way to renounce the world, battle its temptations, and purify oneself for God." (p.124). For many reasons this solitary life was not always practical and as a result monasteries were formed, though the aim always was, in some way, to be living alone. How does Benedict's Rule enable monks to "live alone together"?
Benedict's Rule enables monks to 'live alone together' because although each monk has their own particular purpose for seeking a life of prayer and seclusion,in a monastery setting, under the guidance of an Abbott, each is able to become more motivated to 'progress to higher things' and develop a greater understanding of the mysteries of Christianity.
ReplyDeletelol looks like everyone's waiting until the last minute : )
ReplyDeleteOn the readings, I found the first uninteresting, although I guess the details monastic life weren't formulated on the basis of excitement.
Although I already knew a lot of what was in the second reading, I still enjoyed reading about the roles each religious position played in society. I find the role of the Pope particularly interesting, so much respect and authority is attributed to the position when in theory it is no more powerful than the other bishops.
To the question, I would say that monks are able to live alone together under Benedict's Rule in the sense that, despite living comunually, the focus of each monk is on his own personal relationship with God. And although it is an Abbot's duty to guide other monks, each monk still retains their spiritual independence as they dedicate themselves to their faith.
Benadicts Rule enables monks to live together and in solitarity by a series of governing rules. Primarily Benadict stresses that ones own relationship with God is of the utmost importance, although the monastry allows for an sactuary where they all reside, sleep, prey, eat each of these tasks are done to himself. This also serves as a support system for new monks, those who need the motivation to devote themselves to god, with elders keeping watch for them it allows the youth to "live alone" in the eyes of God. It also serves for the sick or the weak, who would need to have a nurse or a doctor to keep watch on them and any other practical reason that would distract oneself from their spiritual work. Benedict has created a sanctuary of solitarity for the spiritual mind in a world that so greatly needs this order and peace.
ReplyDeleteAnd also as a suggestion for next time, maybe we could have a series of questions that we could answer that way there would be more diversity and more topics to discuss in the tutorial. Thanks and I really enjoyed reading about the rigid lifestyle of the monks.
Benedicts Rule allows monks to 'live together alone' as it focuses on how living in a monastry and serving under a rule or an abbot can strengthen a connection to God. It is the job of the abbot to rule over his disciples and to allow for the growth and development of one's relationship with God. This is achieved through the regulating of aspects of life and promoting stability, the importance of a balance in life, and the need sometimes of solace to enable mental growth in fighting off the devil. Although living together communally, each monk is given the opportunity to strengthen their own personal relationship with God as well as living in an atmosphere where one can strike a balance in their life through shelter provided, prayer and work.
ReplyDeleteAs a Catholic, I quite enjoyed reading the historic roles of the various upper ranks of the Church and how then they came about today.
ReplyDeleteBenedict's rule tried to reconcile the primary goal of living in ascetic solitude within a practical community of believers. The rule achieved this by an extremely rigid and busy daily routine, supervised and spiritually fathered by an abbot. This busy routine allowed the monks distraction from other earthly temptations.
Their busy routine typically includes:
- Labour work and studies, which taught the value of 'suffering' (or as we call it, hard work) and humility.
- Liturgical prayers, Mass and devotions helped the monks further their personal relationship and obedience to God.
Despite living in a large community, these daily routines allowed a very strong sense of solemnity, humility and quietness, which allowed a very ascetic and peaceful environment to pursue God.
Toby (Hoai Trung) Dinh
The concept expressed in the twelfth degree of humility; the idea that each and every monk must continually reflect on their guilty sins and that each monk must always have his head and eyes downcast brings to mind a certain personal suffering that each must endure alone. However in saying this, each monk must abide by the same governing of the Rule and in doing so 'live together' in their suffering and preparation for the 'tremendous judgement of God'. Through the strict adherence to the rules and regulations (as one)dictating their everday movements, the monks may live alone from the world and all its confusion and instability but also live together in ritual and under shared interests: to live by the Rule, to seek God and to 'be zealous in the service of God, obedience and suffering'.
ReplyDeleteQuotes taken from The Rule os St Benedict c530 (pages 2 and 6).
From the readings I have gained the opinion that, Benedicts rule allows the cenobites to "live alone together" by bringing them together in monasteries as places of learning and solitude in which each man must worship God. The monasteries protect the cenobites from the outside world by cutting them off from all life outside their walls. The abbot brings the cenobites together at times and separates them at others. While their daily duties and suffering bring them closer to god and further from temptation.
ReplyDeleteAs i understand the readings St. Benedicts Rule enables monks or cenobites, 'to live alone together' by focusing on the individuals spirtual learnings on, relationship with, and journey to forgivness from, God within a rigid, seculded yet peaceful society of like minded monks.
ReplyDeleteThe monks are subjected to strict daily routines in which they must engage in physical labour and sacred reading, so as not to fall prey to idleness the 'enemy of the soul' and to strengthen their connection to god through a religious and physical connection. Yet it is also intwined with regular prayer so as not to forget the diveness of God. This is enforced through their grades of humility, the twelth stating monks must always 'think he is already being presented before the tremendous judgement of God', so as to be reminded of the guilt of his sins and strive for individual redemption.
Essentially the cenobitic way of life inside a monastery is centralized around the individual. Despite, the fatherly yet strict figure, the Abbot, guiding the congregation through their collective lives, each monk retains his spiritual freedom so as to practice their faith, and primarily become closer to God and earn his forgivenss.
It seems St Benedicts goals may have been multiple. Of course he wanted to give his fellow holymen the guidance and direction to achieve a higher understanding of faith, a closeness to God. However his rule gave much more....it was a framework for their mortal survival, a guidebook even on how to survive in such a dark age.
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