The Rule of St. Benedict: A Review of the Rule and It's Significance

The Rule of Saint Benedict

St. Benedict delivering his Rule to St. Maurus.

Monastery of St. Gilles, Nimes, 1129

Introduction
The Rule of St. Benedict was written by Benedict of Nursia in the early part of the sixth century.[1] It was penned as a guide to communal living in pursuit of a life lived for Christ. In order to foster growth in love throughout an entire life spent in a monastery, St. Benedict set up a structured and balanced lifestyle which has given rise to the motto, “Work and pray.” This slim book has had a dramatic effect on monasticism, and therefore the history of Western civilization, throughout the Middle Ages and into the present day.[2]

History
With the cessation of persecutions against Christians, martyrdom was no longer available as the sure path to heaven. This gave rise to a men and women leaving everything to follow Christ into the desert, to live a life focused solely on God, in the third century. These desert fathers and mothers began attracting others to learn this austere way of life. With the growth of these loosely forming communities, there began to be social difficulties with a competition for resources. In response to the followers that had grown around him, St. Anthony organized them into a community with a way for growing in holiness. This became the model for other communities of believers.[3] These groups utilized many different texts, including lives of saints, homilies or talks on spiritual topics, and eventually, monastic rules.

Monastic rules offered guidelines for establishing and regulating religious communities. The Rule of St. Benedict is not the first rule ever offered. Rather, it is written from Benedict’s experiences as a monk and abbot of other communities. Where previous rules had particular focuses, The Rule of St. Benedict is written in such a way as to allow it to be implemented in various settings. This versatility, as well as a papal endorsement by St. Pope Gregory the Great, contributed to the spread of this rule in monasteries throughout the world.[4]

This manuscript is a copy of St. Benedict's rule from the 8th century

Structure of the Rule
The structure of Benedict’s Rule is comprised of seventy-three chapters that lay out the foundations for communal living around the primary vision of seeking God in every moment. The intended reader seems to be the abbot of the monastery or head of the order. The book instructs the reader on the three virtues of  humility, silence and obedience, the times and structures for prayer, as well as the practical matters of eating, sleeping, discipline, guests and authority within the monastery. Almost all of this instruction is under girded by scripture supporting each of the directives that Benedict lays out. This structure ultimately allows for the abbot to decide how to implement the disciplines described within its pages.[5]

Interpretation
The focus of the Rule seems to be on teaching one to detach one’s devotion to the material world through aesthetic practices and praxis.[6] There are several points which may be difficult for modern readers to understand. Perhaps most challenging are some of the rules pertaining to excommunication.[7] It seems on first reading harsh, because one can be excommunicated for even minor faults. Reading more carefully, it is evident that much of this has to do with resistance to the authority necessary to sustain such a community. There also are clear provisions for the abbot to work with the excommunicate to restore him and specific steps to restoration. All this speaks to the recognition that sin is deceitful and its roots go deep into our lives.

Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat

Summary
St. Benedict wrote this slender volume to guide the religious communities that he had founded and in consideration of the abbots who would, after his death, lead them.[8] Ultimately, his great concern was to foster growth in a love of Christ. If one cares deeply about pursuing a holy life, Benedict’s experience taught him that this was the way to follow in Christ’s footsteps. In "The Rule of St. Benedict," he seems to contend that we cannot achieve holiness on our own but only as we come under the authority of Christ and those who minister on his behalf.



[1] St. Benedict of Nursia, _The Rule of St. Benedict_, ed. J. Conor Gallagher (Gastonia, NC: Good Will Publishers, 2007), Introduction.

[2] "Monasticism: I. Early Christian Monasticism (to 600)," in New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 2, ed. Robert L. Fastiggi, (Gale eBooks, https://link.gale.com/ accessed 28 Feb. 2020), 800-806.

[3] John Vidmar, “The Catholic Church through the Ages: A History,” (New Jersey: Paulist Press, 2014), 79-87.

[4] Georg Holzherr, O.S.B., “Introduction to the Rule of St Benedict,” (The American Benedictine Review, 61 no 1 Mar 2010), 30-62.

[5] “The Rule of St. Benedict,” 1-111.

[6]  “Introduction to the Rule of St Benedict,” 30.

[7] “The Rule of St. Benedict,” 49.

[8] “Introduction to the Rule of St Benedict,” 59.

* All images used are public domain.