Background
Benedictinism arose in 6th Century
Italy. The Benedictines were the first of the great religious orders
and their influence spread over the Christian world. The Rule
of Benedict, written by St. Benedict,
continues to be the most famous and influential of the monastic rules,
and has recently been discovered to be a highly applicable basis for the
personal rules of modern laymen.
Benedictinism and Anglicanism
Benedictine monks were early missionaries
to England, and as time passed each of the great cathedrals came to be
run by a chapter of Benedictine monks. Other religious orders arose
later in Europe, but they never penetrated much into England. Even
though Henry VIII destroyed the monasteries and drove the monks away, the
English clergy was steeped in Benedictinism and this was reflected in the
Book
of Common Prayer of 1662, which is the basis for Book
of Common Prayer of 1979, and indeed of all Anglicanism.
Modern Anglicans sometimes feel
that Benedictinism is a new movement being layered onto their church, but
Anglicans have always Benedictines and still are. There is absolutely
nothing in Benedictinism that is at odds with Anglicanism. Indeed,
the Rule of Benedict as lived in monasteries then and now has been called
simply "Anglicanism with a structure."
The response of most Anglicans visiting
a Benedictine monastery is to feel completely at home. Traits such
as balance, thorough scholarship, hospitality, and an emphasis on practice
rather than abstract theory, are all Benedictine in origin.
Anglicans are living proof that
you don't have to be a monk to be Benedictine.
The study of Benedictinism is a
return to roots for Anglicans. It can be a congenial pathway to an
expansion and growth of one's personal faith. One has only to surf
the internet or browse through a religious bookstore to see the revival
of interest that Christians of all denominations have in St. Benedict and
his teachings. As Anglicans, we are fortunate to be among Benedict's
direct spiritual descendants.
Benedictinism at St. Paul's
St. Paul's is even more Benedictine
than many Anglican parishes. After many years here, the rector had
the epiphany that St. Paul's had evolved into a non-residential Benedictine
religious community. This is why we have religious study groups instead
of bowling leagues. As St. Benedict put it, "Prefer nothing to the
love of Christ!" It is this emphasis on worship that allows
followers of St. Benedict to set aside political differences and emphasize
our common belief in the Risen Lord. The Benedictines to this day
-- Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Lutheran -- are the most ecumenical of
orders.
The Benedictine Ethos Today
God exists and is present to every
aspect of human existence. Therefore, one must bring a reverent and
mindful attitude to life. Prayer is not the only thing worth doing
in this world, but without prayer, nothing else is done as well nor are
things kept in proper perspective.
Every person is of equal worth in the
eyes of God. Therefore, no one can be considered a mere object but
must be given voice in his or her own destiny.
Authority is necessary in every human
society and it must be obeyed insofar as it serves the common good.
It is possible for human beings of
various backgrounds and cultures to live in a harmonious community.
People are meant to live in mutuality and not alienation.
Personal fulfillment is just as important
as the profit of the community, but mature happiness can only be found
in serving others.
Truth is never served by force or violence.
We prove that we do not really believe in the truth when we impose it on
others by violent force.
Competition is an artificial means
of stimulating human striving; in the long run it cannot produce the same
fruits of peace and joy that can be achieved by cooperation.
Lawrence Kardong, OSB
The Benedictines
|
Want to learn more about your inheritance?
See Benedictine Books and St.
Benedict.
How to Get Started
First, if you're not a member of
St. Paul's, you should be an active member of some other Christian church.
The most important element of Benedictinism is community. The living
Christ is found in other people, warts and all. A Benedictine group
is ideal, but there's not always one handy.
Second, if possible, talk to someone
who's already practicing the Benedictine lifestyle. It's easier to
live it than describe it.
The basic Benedictine liturgy is
praying the Daily Office. Traditional monks -- such as those at St.
Gregory's Abbey in Three Rivers, Michigan -- use a seven-fold version,
but we're not monks. The Book
of Common Prayer of 1979 presents a four-fold version in both abbreviated
and full forms. Benedictines aren't made in a day. Be patient
and start with the abbreviated form.
Abbreviated form:
The abbreviated form is entitled "Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families."
You can get it online in both PDF
and Word
formats. These are so short they can be said in a few minutes, and
for the ultimate in convenience, can even be memorized.
Choose one: It
is a good idea to move slowly. Choose any one you like and say it
daily for a month. Morning and Evening Prayer are considered the
bookends of the Daily Office, so you might want to choose one of those
if you have a particularly orderly mind. It is best to say it at
the same time every day if at all possible, but it is never required, and
is often difficult to do when first starting out. Still, dropping
whatever you were doing, and paying attention to your schedule with God
is a conscious sanctification of the day and adheres to Benedict's teaching
to "prefer nothing to the love of Christ!"
There will be days when you might
forget or not feel like it. Don't worry about it, just soldier on
as best you can. The mere state of wanting to pray is a form of prayer
in itself and far better than never having the thought of it even cross
your mind. In time you will be looking forward to spending your few
minutes with God and find it no burden at all to make the time or find
the energy.
Add:
Add more devotions as you are ready. Don't force yourself, this is
not a foot race, and you can't force it. Wait until you yearn to
do it. The Holy Spirit will let you know when it's your time.
Consider attending a group reading of the Office at St. Paul's or any other
convenient place. Pick up one of the Benedictine
books at the library and read it.
Advancing in Practice
When you're ready, its time to
graduate to the full form of the Daily Office. This is a bit more
complicated and may require some instruction from a friend who knows how
to do it, or from a cleric. You can do the daily office from the
Book
of Common Prayer of 1979 and a Bible, but its rather awkward.
The most convenient way to do it
is using the Daily Office Book from Church Publishing. This
contains all the Bible readings, the Psalms, the collects, and even special
readings for special days. There are two versions, a traditional
and a contemporary. Get the traditional two volume edition, which
uses the Revised Standard Bible. The contemporary version
uses the New Revised Standard Bible for its readings and that is
not thought to be a very good translation. The Daily Office Book
costs $116. It's not particularly cheap as books go, but it's a two
volume set and can enrich your life enormously. You'll also use it
daily for a long, long time. What is that worth?
Either way, add slowly. The
full morning and evening offices are about 15 minutes each. The Noonday
office is 3 or 4 minutes, and compline 6 to 10.
It is truly amazing how you learn
to fit it all into your day. When you are ready, it is not a chore
at all, and you will look forward to it as an island of sanity. Your
life will be infinitely richer.
If you are practicing essentially
on your own, there is a wide variety of daily office books that can be
used. Choose one that works for you. Many people alternate
versions to avoid falling into a rote pattern. Some different prayer
book versions are listed in the Books
section.
Benedictine Communities
At any time in your formation process,
consider becoming a member of a Benedictine group. If one is not
convenient, consider forming one with others. St. Paul's Benedictine
Community was formed out of an informal interest group.
Abbeys and other monastic groups
often have Confraternity and Oblate programs. Because monasticism
is so ecumenical, you generally do not have to be of the same Christian
religion as the monastic group. If you are interested in the vowed
life, however, then that is not true.
