The Rule of St Benedict (Penguin Classics) | 
| Creator: Carolinne White
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Category: Book
List Price: $13.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 654312
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 160
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 4.8 x 0.6
ISBN: 0140449965
Dewey Decimal Number: 210
EAN: 9780140449969
ASIN: 0140449965
Publication Date: March 25, 2008
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Product Description
The single most important document on monastic life that helped to shape Western society
Composed in Italy around 530 AD but based on earlier compilations, The Rule of St Benedict has been the defining guide to daily prayer and work for Benedictine communities for fifteen centuries. The Rule also embodies the idea of a written constitution, authority limited by law and under the law, and the right of the ruled to review the legality of their superiors actionsideas at the heart of the Wests most treasured civic institutions. This is a fundamental contribution to the tradition of simple living that continues to experience a renaissance.
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| Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable introduction to monasticism April 10, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The Rule of St. Benedict is an excellent, quick read that helps the reader understand the aims and mindset of early Christian monks. Writing in the 6th century AD, St. Benedict laid down a short set of guidelines and rules for those entering or already in monasteries. One gets the distinct impression from reading his Rule that Benedict was a devout yet practical man, sincerely interested in both maintaining discipline and helping his brothers grow. The guidelines he lays down--from the rotation of Psalms to be sung throughout the week to selection of readers during mealtime--are never arbitrary and always supported by either practical experience or principle from the scriptures.
The Rule is very short--just over 100 pages in this edition--divided into 73 chapters, many of which are only one paragraph long. Each deals with some topic of monastic life, whether it be clothing, the various daily services, provision for the sick or elderly, appointment of priors and gatekeepers, work, food, singing, talking, sleeping, and how much a monk should be allowed to drink.
Carolinne White's new translation reads clearly and at a brisk pace, making a potentially dull excursion into monasticism (itself not usually a very thrilling subject) into an illuminating and enjoyable experience. Included are an introduction and endnotes, both of which are informative but probably unnecessary to anyone already familiar with Christianity in general and monasticism in particular. The notes do help explain a few textual issues, such as unusual or untranslatable terms, though a note on "inclusive language" tacked onto the end of the introduction comes across as silly.
Overall, this is a good read for anyone interested in history, Christianity, monastic life, or simply the pursuit of holiness.
Recommended.
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