Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. The rule of saint benedict by benedict of nursia, seeking god. Modestly described by its author as a little rule for beginners, this masterpiece of spiritual wisdom dates from the sixth century. Saint benedict wants to make sure that the abbot does not rule the monastery simply like a temporal ruler of his own time. Benedict has for centuries been the guide of religious communities. Benedict himself, thiscommonsense guide to living a truly christian life is applicable to anyone, in or outside of the cloister. Benedicts rules of obedience, humility, and contemplation are not only prerequisites for formal religious societies, they also provide an invaluable model for anyone desiring to live more simply. This volume, translated and with an introduction by anthony meisel and m. Benedicts rule for monastic living has been soul inspiring and formative for countless numbers of persons who have lived as monks, nuns, priests, deacons. The entire text of the rule is here plus a lengthy introduction from jonathan, and detailed explanatory notes throughout that explain difficult passages. One of the most influential texts in the middle ages, the rule of saint benedict offers guidance about both the spiritual and organizational dimensions, from the loftiest to the lowliest, of monastic life. It is a good example of the statement, good things come in small packages. For fifteen centuries benedictine monasticism has been governed by a rule that is at once strong enough to instill order and yet flexible enough to have relevance fifteenhundred years later. In this kindle version, it is preserved in solid english, with a guide to reading it day by day.
Ad 480550 for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. Sign me up to get more news about nonfiction books. Benedict is a timeless document in so many ways as fresh and relevant as it was when it was written almost fifteen hundred years ago. The inspirational work that has been guiding benedictine monks for fifteen centuries founder of a monastery at monte cassino, between rome and naples, in the sixth century, st benedict intended his rule to be a practical guide to christian monastic life. Anthony were purely eremetical, whilst those who followed the rule of st. The rule of st benedict is not intended to be a law lex to chafe under but a plankpatternmodel whereby one allows oneself to be guided in the way to the heavenly fatherland. Benedict s rules of obedience, humility, and contemplation are not only prerequisites for formal religious societies, they also provide an invaluable model for anyone desiring to live more simply.
In it are the guidelines for living the spiritual life through work, prayer, study, obedience, community, and moderate asceticism. Benedict to any community setting, whether in the monastery or i your family. Steads conviction that the rule of saint benedictan ancient collection of instructions on the attitudes behaviors and. Benedicts rule for monasteries by abbot of monte cassino saint benedict free ebook project gutenberg. This pocketsized, englishonly edition is perfect for individual or group study. Saint benedict also recognizes that not all monks will be able to understand a teaching that is only verbal. Benedict of nursia for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. Rather, the abbot must seek to give true gospel teaching to the monks. Although written for monastics, many of the issues addressed in the rule can be applied to life in the world outside the monastic community. It is one of the major sources of the rule of saint benedict, and benedict recommends it to zealous monks, calling it the rule of our holy father basil. The rule of saint benedict benedict of nursia, bruce l. The rule of saint benedict translated with an introduction by cardinal gasquet.
Benedict 1 the rule of saint benedict translated into english. Today, nonmonastic readers approach the rule in order to think about changing their lives. Almost all we know about st benedict comes from st gregory the greats dialogues, where he says that benedict, vir dei benedictus, the blessed man of god, wrote a rule for monks that is remarkable for its discretion and its clarity of language dialogues, book 11, ch. Benedict of nursia has 27 books on goodreads with 10165 ratings. As prepared by the benedictine monk and priest timothy fry, this translation of the rule of st. Benedict was a tough guyhis standards of obedience, humility, and contemplation can sound awfully rigid to contemporary ears.
The explicit purpose of benedict s rule was to teach monks and their superiors how to live the. Learn from the rules wonderful discretion, moderation. The rule of saint benedict or regula benedict was written by saint benedict of nurisa, the patron saint of europe. We are the only publisher of all three major english translations of the catholic bible. Benedict by saint benedict, abbot of monte cassino. This work holds the first place among monastic legislative codes, and was by far the most important factor in the organization and spread of monasticism in the west. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy.
Bibliographic resources bibliographica benedictina. Benedict to any community setting, whether in the monastery or in your family. Benedict created the rule at a time when the roman empire had collapsed in the west, and europe was being overrun by barbarian tribes, most of them pagans. So begins the famous opening paragraph of benedicts rule in jonathan wilsonhartgroves vital, new, contemporary paraphrase. Composed for the guidance of his own monks at monte cassino, st. Sep 22, 2015 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. For its general character and also its illustration of st. Written in the sixth century by the father of monasticism, st. What kind of man the abbot ought to be the abbot who is worthy to be over a monastery, ought always to be mindful of what he is called, and make his works square with his name of superior. Benedicts rules of obedience, humility, and contemplation are not only prerequisites for formal religious societies, they. St benedict lived in the 5th century, and wrote his famous rule as a practical guide for abbots and brother monks living together in a monastic community. About 1,500 years ago, an italian monk, benedict who later became a saint, wrote a guidebook to the monastic life. Benedicts rule reflects the roman catholic teaching that salvation is based upon faith in christ and the good works of the believer. Its leading characteristics are its wonderful discretion, moderation, and keen insight into the capabilities and weaknesses of human nature.
Benedict wrote a set of rules governing his monks, the rule of saint benedict, one of the more influential documents in western civilization. It looked like christianity in europe was finished. From the time it was first promulgated in the sixth century, the rule of st. Composed nearly fifteen hundred years ago by the father of western monasticism, the rule of st. Pdf the rule of st benedict in english download full pdf. Benedict, saint abbot of monte cassino timothy fry formulated as guidelines for monks in the sixth century a. Media in category rule of saint benedict the following 49 files are in this category, out of 49 total. His rule was the foundational document for thousands of religious communities in the middle ages. The rule of saint benedict, saint benedict of nursia, full. Benedict of nursias most popular book is the rule of saint benedict. Benedict s rule and to discuss its leading characteristics, something must be said about the monasticism that preceded his times, and out of which his system grew, in order that some idea may be gained as to how much of the rule was borrowed from his precursors and how much was due to his own initiative. The explicit purpose of benedict s rule was to teach monks and their superiors how to live the monastic life. Composed nearly fifteen hundred years ago by the father. Understand with willing mind and effectually fulfil thy holy fathers admonition.
Benedicts rules of obedience, humility, and contemplation are not only prerequisites for formal religious societies. Benedicts rule has become the basis for the rules of practically every christian monastic community in the west. Benedict wrote his rule are not known, nor can it be determined whether the rule, as we now possess it, was composed as a single whole or whether it gradually took shape in response to the needs of his monks. It gives details on admittance to the monastic life. The rule of saint benedict study guide contains a biography of benedict of nursia, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. This work is a compilation of instructions for communal monks who live in. Saint benedict contributed more than anyone else to the rise of monasticism in the west. Here, however, it is treated more in detail, under the following heads. Benedict writing the rules, painting 1926 by hermann nigg 18491928. Benedict is the most common and influential rule used by monasteries and monks, more than 1,400 years after its writing.
This new latinenglish edition has features for both firsttime readers and scholars of medieval history and language. The regula basilii is a latin translation of this work, done in 397. Benedict has been one of the most influential, enduring documents of western civilization. It was originally intended as a manual for aspiring monks, a diverse group composed of serfs, scholars, shepherds, and sons of the nobility. This document has been generated from xsl extensible stylesheet language source with renderx xep formatter, version 3. Since about the 7th century it has also been adopted by communities of women. Benedict s rule for monasteries appeared in 1948 and has remained in print ever since. Books by benedict of nursia author of the rule of saint. Benedict regula benedicti was written by benedict c. In it are the guidelines for living the spiritual life. A monastic rule of life might seem an unlikely bestseller but the rule of st benedict was almost certainly the mostread book outside of the bible for five centuries around ad.
The rule of saint benedict by benedict of nursia goodreads. Founder of a monastery at monte cassino, between rome and naples, in the sixth century, st benedict intended his rule. Benedict was written in the sixth century by the father of monastic life, st benedict himself. Regula sancti benedicti is a book of precepts written in 516 by benedict of nursia c. In 1964 pope paul vi proclaimed him the patron saint of all europe. This edition of the rule of saint benedict was published in conjunction with the seventyfifth anniversary of the founding of the liturgical press. Benedict s rules of obedience, humility, and contemplation are not only prerequisites for formal religious societies, they also provide an invaluable model for anyone desiring to live more s.
This volume represents a new latin edition, translated and annotated in english by anna m. Saint benedict press, since its founding in 2008, has published catholic bibles, parish programs, literature and prayer books reflective of a traditional catholic worldview. St benedict s inspirational work has been guiding benedictine monks for fifteen centuries, and the penguin classics edition of the rule of benedict is translated with an introduction and notes by carolinne white. Benedict s rule for monasteries by abbot of monte cassino saint benedict free ebook project gutenberg. Benedict is in and of itself a fairly short book, fewer than 100 pages. Jun 01, 2001 this special edition of the rule of saint benedict was published for the seventyfifth anniversary of the founding of liturgical press. The rule of st benedict fr mark and doug with cullman monks duration. For fifteen centuries, it has served as a leading guide for balanced monastic living. Aquinata boeckmanns bibliography for students of the rule of benedict is a comprehensive, classified list of books and articles online that is updated with care and regularity through 2009. Benedict of nursia for monks living communally under the authority of.
Ad 480547 as a rule for communal life under the order of an abbot the head of the abbey. The liturgical press began in the 1930s to publish books and other materials related to benedictine monastic life and spirituality. Pdf the rule of st benedict in english download full. It is a short book, consisting of 73 chapters no more than paragraphs, and sets out st benedict s vision of. Pachomius, though they more nearly approached the cenobitical ideal, were yet without that element of stability insisted upon by st. Regula benedicti is a book of precepts written by benedict of nursia c. Benedict s own life, see the article saint benedict.
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