Instructor: Jessica Whittemore

Introduction to Monasticism
Let a man consider that God is always looking at him from heaven, that his actions
are everywhere visible to the divine eyes and are constantly being reported to God by the
angels. In order that he may be careful about his wrongful thoughts, therefore, let the faithful
brother say constantly in his heart, 'Then shall I be spotless before Him, if I have kept
myself from my iniquity'.

Monks have often been responsible for reforming the Christian Church

This statement from the Rule of St. Benedict encapsulates the very essence of
Christian monasticism. Seeking to live within structure and severe self-discipline, monks
have fervently pursued a continual awareness of the presence of God. Not only have they
pursued this for themselves, they have often been responsible for reforming the Christian
church, seeking to free it from the corruption power can bring. To grasp an understanding of
monasticism, we're going to focus primarily on the Benedictine order of monasticism,
tracing it from its inception to the Cluniac reforms. We'll then take a look at the influence
monasticism has had on our modern world.

History of Monasticism
Before we dive into Benedictine monasticism, let's nail down some history.
Monasticism has its roots in the very life of Christ. Seeing the manner in which Christ lived,
some early Christians sought to mimic his self-sacrifice and purity. They began abstaining
from Earthly pleasures, even refusing to marry, giving themselves wholly to a life of prayer
and sacrifice. However, they usually did this while still living in and amongst their families.
Many historians consider these men and women the precursors of monasticism.
 It wasn't until around the middle of the 3rd century that the monasticism most of us
think of when we hear the word 'monk' began to take shape. During this time, Egyptian
Christians began pulling away from secular life, cutting themselves off from all and any
human interaction. Perhaps one of the most famous of these hermit monks was St.
Anthony. Tradition tells us he actually spent years in the land of Egypt during which time he
never once came in contact with another human being. For these hermits, a life of complete
detachment from the secular world was of extreme importance. Some even went as far as
to abuse their bodies in an effort to rid themselves of the sinful nature.

St. Anthony was one of the most famous hermit monks

Benedictine Monks
With this we come to Benedict of Nursia, the man considered to be the father of
Western monasticism and from whom came the Benedictine order of monasticism -
arguably the most well-known of all the monastic movements.
Born in the year 480 C.E., Benedict of Nursia began his religious journey much like
St. Anthony. He, too, chose to remove himself from the world in an effort to rid himself of the
sinful nature. In other words, he also spent time as a hermit, living in the hills near Rome.
However, unlike many hermits, Benedict made the decision to re-enter society. Ironically,
instead of living in solitude, he began attracting followers, who, within time, became a
community of Christians who desired to live free from Earthly and fleshly desire. At their
Earthly helm was Benedict of Nursia with a code of conduct of sorts, which came to be
known as the Benedictine Rule. This rule, which came to be the guide for most monastic
practices, held three things at its core. First, monks were to live a life of poverty. Second,
monks were to live a life of chastity and celibacy. Third, monks were to submit to the
authority of the monastic community. In order to maintain this life, Benedictine monks
followed, and still follow, a strict life of scheduled prayer. Although different orders of
medieval monks, such as the Dominican or Franciscans, had their own rules and schedules
of order, they still held (and hold) to the three tenets of the Benedictine rule.
Cluniac Reform
Like any institution created by humans, the monasteries and their monks were not free from
the corruption of power. In fact, the history of monasticism is very much like the history of
the Catholic Church. What began out of a desire to live as God's obedient people on Earth
was often corrupted by the power such positions could bring. Unfortunately, the
monasteries, who were often supported, and even controlled by kings and feudal lords,
were not immune to such corruption. However, just like the church, someone, somewhere
always seemed to step away and say 'no' to the corruption, calling for reform and a return to
the tenets of poverty, chastity and obedience. One such example of this call for Church
reform is the Benedictine monastery of Cluny, located in modern-day France.
The Cluniac Reform was a Benedictine movement founded by William the Pious,
Duke of Aquitaine, around the year 910. This call for reform sought to rid the Church of the
influence of secular rulers and authorities. Under their influence, the Church had begun
practicing simony, or the selling of Church positions to the highest bidder. Just as
distressing, members of the clergy had begun keeping concubines as their own. Obviously,
both of these didn't fit with the Benedictine Rule.

Simony was the act of selling Church positions to the highest bidder

Seeing this corruption, William the Pious and the monastery of Cluny refused to
submit themselves to the authority of local lords. Instead, they would report directly to the
Pope, while also demanding religious devotion from its members. Obviously, this didn't sit
so well with the local lords on whose land the monastery sat. Nor did the feudal lords like
being told their actions were, shall we say, less than 'Godly.' However, with the support of
powerful Popes and church officials, the beliefs of Cluny spread. In fact, by the 12th
century, over 1,000 monasteries were members of the Cluny congregation.
While these monasteries sought to bring Christian morals to society, they brought
much, much more. While the chaos of medieval times reigned, monasteries and their
monks continued to educate the people. Being devoted to study, they were also are
responsible for the advancement of medicine, agriculture, art, and even law.
Lesson Summary
Christian monasticism is built on the desire to live within structure and severe self-
discipline in order to gain a continual awareness of the presence of God. Moving from
hermit monks to monks in community, perhaps the most famous of monastic orders is the
Benedictine order. Founded by Benedict of Nursia, this order is governed by a
commitment to poverty, chastity, and obedience. From it, most other monastic orders,
including the Dominican and Franciscan, form their base. The influence of the Benedictine
Rule can easily be seen in many reform movements of the church, including the
famous Cluniac reforms of the Middle Ages.
While monasteries sought to bring Christian morals and virtues to the forefront, they
also brought cultural and technological advancements in the areas of art, education,
medicine, and so many more. Although their presence is not nearly as obvious as it was in
the Middle Ages, their influence lives on today.

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