The Benedictine Tradition

By Laura Swan

When St. Benedict wrote his little rule for beginners in the fifth century, he could not have known it would shape the lives of religious men and women for more than fifteen hundred years. Offering instruction on prayer and community life, Benedict's Rule espouses the values of humility, prayer, and hospitality that have marked the lives of Benedictines throughout the ages. Benedictines are those persons who commit themselves to the Rule of Benedict, and have been popes and widows, scholars and mystics and lay people from many religious traditions, including Catholics, Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans. They have lived in monasteries and ashrams, in busy urban centers, and in desert hermitages.

Dedicated to God and the practices of the Liturgy of the Hours and monastic life, Benedictines have made significant contributions to chant, theology, and the preservation of spiritual works of literature and scholarship. Represented here is the work of major Benedictine figures throughout the ages, beginning with Pope Gregory's account of the life of Benedict and arriving at recent statements by the Conference of Benedictine Prioresses on conflict in the world. Along with the Rule, the writing of these Benedictines remains as relevant today as in any age.

Laura Swan, OSB, writer and spiritual director, holds graduate degrees in theology and spirituality. She is a member and former prioress of Saint Placid Priory in Lacey, Washington, and is the author of Engaging Benedict: What the Rule Can Teach Us Today (Christian Classics, 2005).

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814619142
• ISBN13: 9780814619148
• Release Date: June 2007
• Publisher: Liturgical Press
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

St. Benedict wrote his "little rule for beginners" in the sixth century, unwittingly becoming the ge

St. Benedict wrote his "little rule for beginners" in the sixth century, unwittingly becoming the genesis of a religious order of prayer, humility, and service that continues into the modern day. Across the centuries, Benedictines have dedicated themselves to God, practiced the Liturgy of the Hours and monastic life, and made contributions to chant, theology, and the preservation of spiritual works and scholarship. The Benedictine Tradition: Spirituality in History compiles writings of notable Benedictines throughout history; the essays reflect the power of faith and individual dedication to service, profound aspects that speak to the reader as strongly today as they did when first written. Highly recommended.