The Rule Of Saint Benedict (Initiation into the Monastic Tradition, vol. 4)

by Thomas Merton

Publishers:

Cistercian Publications; Liturgical Press

, 2009

Overview

In his novitiate conferences on the Rule of Saint Benedict, Thomas Merton introduces young men embarking on monastic life to the guiding document of that life. He emphasizes the importance of considering the Rule from a perspective that is neither narrowly legalistic nor overly intellectualized, but marked rather by commitment to the goal of Benedictine monasticism, which is not just to obey the Rule but to love and serve God. The Benedictine life, according to Merton, is “simply living the Gospel without fanfare.... The mainspring of everything in St. Benedict is the love of Christ’in Himself, in the poor, in the monastic community, in the individual brethren.... This is the key to the monastic life and spirit.” Merton gives particular attention to the prologue, in which he finds “the theological foundation of the whole spiritual doctrine of St. Benedict”; key chapters on the abbot and the monastic community, including consideration of monastic work, spiritual reading, and poverty; and especially chapter 7, on the degrees of humility, which he considers the heart of the entire Rule. In these conferences, Merton presents a spiritual commentary on the Rule that provides insight both on his role as a director of prospective young monks and on the foundation of his own commitment to monastic and contemplative life.

Key Features

• Introduces young men embarking on monastic life to the guiding document of that life
• Emphasizes the importance of considering the Rule from a perspective that is neither narrowly legalistic nor overly intellectualized
• Gives particular attention to the prologue, in which he finds “the theological foundation of the whole spiritual doctrine of St. Benedict”

Product Details

• Title: The Rule of Saint Benedict: Initiation into the Monastic Tradition, Volume 4
• Author: Thomas Merton
• Series: Monastic Wisdom Series
• Volume: 4
• Publishers: Cistercian Publications, Liturgical Press
• Print Publication Date: 2009
• Logos Release Date: 2022
• Pages: 291
• Era: era:modern
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Benedict, Saint, Abbot of Monte Cassino › Regula; Benedictines › Rules
• ISBNs: 9780879070199, 0879070196
• Resource ID: LLS:RLSNTBNDCT
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:46:48Z

About Thomas Merton

Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O. (January 31, 1915 – December 10, 1968) was a 20th century Anglo-American Catholic writer. A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, he was a poet, social activist and student of comparative religion. In 1949, he was ordained to the priesthood and given the name Father Louis.