Reflections on The Rule of Saint Benedict

Benedict was a monk in the 6th century, and his rule influenced western monasticism through the medieval period (and on to today). As a spiritual and practical guide to godly community, it seemed like a good idea to read it. One of the values we have tried to live out in Emmanuel Church Northstowe has been real community united by Jesus, and as we are now established and growing, seeking wisdom from Christian communities that have endured across the centuries seems… wise.

Benedict’s rule put a great emphasis on reading scripture and singing the Psalms. In Matins for example, there were 14 Psalms to be sung, 2 of which were fixed and the rest part of cycling through the whole Psalter. There were also three readings (Old Testament, New Testament, a Church Father). And this was just one of the many services through the day (with adjustments for the length of day). When Benedict’s rule began, these readings and Psalms in Latin would have been understood by all, and so the monks were truly soaked in God’s word. This is the best guard against the community becoming worldly or divided- and reflects Colossians 3:15 “Let the message of Christ dwell in your richly, and you sing…”.

Benedict’s rule also included daily time to work, including practical work in gardens, care for the elderly or guests, and copying out Scripture. One of the few items each monk would be given was a pen! This practical work avoids both laziness and a superspiritually disconnected from creation.

The rule was generally austere in lifestyle, intending to stop people joining a monastery for luxury. Vegetarianism was the norm for example. But one lovely feature was the concern for those who were in different ways weak- the boys, the elderly, the unwell. At various points, Benedict allows for these groups to be exempt from the austere rules, and for true care to be provided. He also allows for more generous hospitality when guests come, and commends care for the sick and poor. While I found Benedict’s rule more austere than the New Testament leads me to think normal, these examples of concern for the weak show both the practicality and the compassion of Benedict.

One striking feature of the monastic life according to Benedict is the almost unlimited power of the Abbot. There is a strong emphasis on choosing a genuinely godly and wise Abbot. But once in place, everyone else in the Monastery was under the power of the Abbot and had to submit to his rulings. For Benedict, the dangers of factions, chaos and disobedience seem to loom far larger than the dangers of a “godly” leader misusing his power. In a time when the Western Roman Empire was collapsing/ had collapsed, his concerns are almost the opposite of our current concern to avoid abuse of power by leaders. I’m not sure whether Benedict’s approach is a reminder of the need for balance in our approach to leadership today, an appropriate response to a very different setting then, or simply a worldly sort of rule entering the religious community.

An area I very much appreciated was the wisdom about allocating roles, having people to take care of various practical areas (e.g. cellarar for provisions, someone for hospitality and gatekeeping), rotating teams for kitchen jobs and more. The realities of running a community, with many practical tasks to be done, keeping people to account, and ensuring no one person got overloaded, are all clearly understood by Benedict.

[As a side point, the monastic life according to the rule of St Benedict seems like it would provide a good structure for some types of neurodiverse people. The clear structures for decision making and daily routine, and the avoidance of social small talk, both point in this direction. It is a reminder that people in previous ages may not have used the labels we use, but came up with ways of arranging society to use the gifts and perspectives of people who were not “typical”.]

The Rule of Benedict is not very long. But as a distillation of wisdom on living in a Christian community, it packs a lot in. For those interested in forming Christian communities that go beyond church to shared homes or communes, I would think it ought to be on the preliminary reading list. We are not the first to see the value of Christian community, and the monastic movement influenced by the Rule of Benedict endured for many centuries.