SAINT BENEDICT: A Rule for Beginners

Benedict was not a speculative thinker, a philosopher-theologian. He was a very practical spiritual father, who worked in a down to earth way to help his fellow Christians find their way back to their heavenly homeland. This beautiful summary of Benedict's teaching is by a man who faithfully lived the Benedictine life for more than half a century. It is a valuable and clear presentation of the spirit of Saint Benedict and his sons who not only brought the scriptures but also the works of the Fathers and the elements of civilisation to the dark forests of the north. It was largely in Benedictine abbeys that Christianity and culture was kept alive. Father Julian has carefully selected several substantial elements of the Benedictine corpus of writings and has commented on these with wisdom and wit. Each chapter stands by itself and presents another aspect of the Saint's thought. You will find the chapter on God most intriguing, and the chapters on Humanity painfully enlightening. It was only a few decades ago that students of church history or of apologetics paused to give an admiring nod to Saint Benedict and the monks of the West for saving civilisation during the Dark Ages, the five or six centuries extending from the collapse of the Roman Empire to the bright dawn of Medieval culture in the 12th century. Catholic Reformation and the surprising spiritual revival that marked the end of the 19th century carried on until after the Second World War. This book recalls that even in such times there were places of refreshment, light, peace and discipleship. Father Julian has done an admirable job of showing why the Rule of Saint Benedict remains a classic. 160pp, paperback.