Saint Benedict Rule

The Rule of Saint Benedict is a book of precepts written by Benedict of Nursia for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot, specifically those in the monastery he founded at Monte Cassino. A rule itself provides stability of community, encourages self-sufficiency and combines spirituality with practicality. In the case of the Benedictine Rule, this path between the pursuit of spiritual growth and the earthly needs of the monks is far more moderate than previously seen. Individual zeal was carefully balanced with ritual pursuits and labour.
The Benedictine Rule was heavily influenced by previous Rules, such as the Rule of St Basil, the Rule of St Augustine of Hippo and the Rule of the Master. This shows that Benedict was not content with the way monasteries were running, but sought improvement. Earlier in life, he chose to pursue monasticism after visiting Rome and being disgusted by how immoral life in the city had become. Despite this, we can infer (through Benedict’s borrowed ideas) that there were also elements of other Rules which appeared to work admirably. Benedict also took inspiration from the Bible itself, and was especially inspired by the gospels. …show more content…
Because of this, the Rule has survived for fifteen centuries, and is often regarded as the foundation of Western monasticism. Part of the popularity of the Rule stems from its short and simple style, making it easily comprehensible.
Not only was Benedict’s Rule religiously significant, but it embodies the ideas of a written constitution and the rule of law, dignified manual labour, and shows elements of democracy in a non-democratic