As part of my work on the site, I recently spent time researching the history of the Christian monastic tradition from the Desert Fathers to present day. This series on the Rule of St. Benedict stems from that research. For a broad overview of the Christian contemplative tradition, see this page. In the post–”Fathers” period, the Rule of St. Benedict stands out as an important document which shaped how Christian monasticism would develop. The Rule is still used by many monasteries today as a broad starting point for what monastic life should look like.

Very little is known about St. Benedict. Our primary biographical information about him comes from a single source – St. Gregory the Great (Pope 590-604). From this source we gather that Benedict lived in sixth-Century Italy, became a renowned holy man, and eventually established a large group of monastic communities. His Rule describes an orderly way of life – a “school for the Lord’s service” – the community being led by an Abbot, who stands in the place of Christ as overseer of souls. The Rule is practical, describing how to welcome visitors, hours of spiritual practice, performance of manual labor, and discipline for wayward monks. While specific enough to establish an actual community, the Rule is also general enough to be adapted as various monastic communities would develop in different contexts. You can pick up a copy of the Rule of St. Benedict in English for a couple bucks.