Rule of Benedict: A Brief Study Guide Introduction. Benedict (480(?) 547AD) lived at a time when the Roman Empire was disintegrating. It was a period of great turbulence and chaos - a world, in many ways, not dissimilar to our own. Disgusted by paganism, Benedict, having experienced a deep religious conversion, renounced the world to live in solitude. Eventually, he established a monastery at Monte Cassino, south of Rome. Known for his holiness of life, he drew on earlier monastic Rules in order to establish a school for the Lord s service which was demanding, but also compassionate and balanced. He is at pains to ensure that prayer and worship are at the heart of monastic life. He refers to these as the Opus Dei the essential work of God - reminding us that prayer is indeed work and needs application and perseverance. The Rule deals with spiritual development, but also with more mundane matters, such as care of the monastery s goods, sleeping, cooking and eating arrangements. It treats all equally, whether of noble birth or humble origins, recognizing only their gifts and their diligence in holy living as reasons for preferment. Benedict recognizes, however, the need to deal with people as individuals, depending on their character. His goal is that, individually and corporately: the love of Christ must come before all else. Some of what he says may seem to us, in our generation, rather harsh. However, in his own time his Rule was humane and compassionate, always seeking that everyone should reach maturity in Christ, reminding himself and his successors that, as Abbot, he would bear great responsibility if he failed to achieve this. Benedict s Rule has been a best seller for 1,500 years. Benedict s, wisdom, which draws heavily upon Scripture, still speaks to us today. It richly rewards serious study. Using this Study Guide These questions are designed for use in a discussion group, rather than simply by individuals. Some of the sections are long and may need two or more meetings to conclude. It is helpful if each session begins with the reading of a portion of the Rule and also an appropriate passage of Scripture. Similarly it is suggested that the discussions close with another appropriate passage from the Rule and a time of prayer, either spoken or silent. The Prologue a. What for you is the purpose of having a Rule of Life? What does it mean to have a corporate Rule of Life as opposed to a personal one? Who might you join with in order to explore Rule of Life together?
b. What does it mean to listen with the ear of your heart (v.1)? c. What does it mean to do battle for Christ with the weapons of obedience? (v.3 & v.40) d. What are the good gifts God has already given you? (vv.5,6) e. Benedict constantly refers to the Bible. What place does Bible play in your daily life? How do you use it? f. Of the many Bible quotations in this section, which one(s) particularly speak to you and why? g. How can we best help each other to live in the way of Christ? h. Benedict tells us he has laid down: nothing harsh, nothing burdensome though he accepts the need for a little strictness.to amend our faults & safeguard love. (v45ff). In what ways do you find his Rule harsh? In what ways liberating? i. What else struck you from the Prologue? 1. The Kinds of Monks. a. Thinking about the kinds of monks Benedict describes, how would you describe yourself? b. Why do you think Benedict is so insistent on Stability staying in one place - as a way of life? c. What are the potential benefits of Stability - living in a 'settled' place as opposed to moving around? What are the potential 'down sides'? d. How might we create stability for ourselves & for others in a very mobile & rapidly changing world? e. The Sarabaites seem to be a law unto themselves. How might you avoid being simply a law unto yourself? f. What is wrong with just doing your own thing, like the Gyrovagues? 2. Qualities of the Abbot a. What does Benedict mean (v. 1) when he says: the abbot must always remember what his title signifies? b. If you had to summarise, in less than 50 words, the most important characteristics of leadership, what would you say? c. Think of someone you consider an outstanding leader. What makes them so? d. The metaphor of shepherd & sheep is one which recurs frequently in the Bible, as well as in Benedict s Rule. What is it about this relationship which is relevant for today? e. Is it really possible to avoid favouritism in practice? What makes this difficult? How might you avoid it?
f. Looking at the list in vv. 24ff, what sort of leadership do you best respond to personally? How do you cope working under someone whose leadership you find difficult? g. What roles of leadership do you exercise? What is it about leadership that you find difficult? What can you learn from Benedict s advice to abbots? 3. Summoning the Brothers for Counsel a. What are our equivalents today, in the church and in society, of a council of the whole community? b. The Lord often reveals what is better to the younger brethren. Is this your experience? What lies behind this observation? How can we learn from it today? c. The brothers are to express their opinions with all humility. How does this both challenge and inform the way we conduct meetings today? d. The decision is the Abbot s to make. How does this passage help us in thinking about how decisions might best be made? In your experience what is the best way of making decisions in any communal situation? e. In what ways does having a Rule of Life affect the decisions you make? 4. The Tools for Good Works a. What do the great commandments of Jesus, to love God and to love neighbour, mean in practice for the way you live? b. Which of the commandments outlined here do you find most difficult - and why? c. What most encourages you as you strive to live by God s commandments? d. What do you think it means to honour everyone (v 8)? e. Live in fear of judgement day and horror of hell. Do these words ring true for you today? How might we interpret them in our own culture? f. What tools do you find most helpful in equipping you, and others, for good works? g. Finally never lose hope in God s mercy (v. 74). What does it mean to hope in God s mercy? 5. Obedience a. What most struck you from reading chapter 5? b. The 1 st stage of humility is unhesitating obedience (v.1). What do you see as the positive and negative implications of unhesitating obedience today? c. Obedience. because of the dread of hell and for the glory of everlasting life (v.3). What motivates you to follow Christ?
d. What does it mean in practice to abandon your own will (v.7) in order to do Christ s will? e. In an individualistic society, how can we best use others in order to discern God s will, rather than simply live by our own judgement (v.12)? f. Compliance should not be cringing, sluggish or half-hearted but free from grumbling and unwillingness (v.14). How important to obedience is inner attitude? Does it matter, so long as we do the right thing? If so, why? g. In Chapter 68 Benedict exhorts obedience even when monks are assigned impossible tasks. Can you think of a reason why this might be helpful in any way? h. Not for the first time here, Benedict speaks against grumbling or murmuring. Why do you think this is such an important issue? 6. Restraint of Speech a. What most struck you from reading chapter 6? b. Do you think of yourself as someone who talks too much or too little? Why do you think that is? What is it like being with others who talk too much - or too little? c. If you have ever been on silent retreat, what was your experience of speaking and being spoken to after you ended your time of silence? d. Why do you think Benedict puts such emphasis on restraint of speech and silence? e. The tongue holds the key to life and death (v.4). Do you think this is true? Why? f. We absolutely condemn any vulgarity and gossip and talk leading to laughter (v.8). Is this just Benedict being a killjoy or does he have a serious point? 7. Humility a. This is easily the longest chapter in the Rule. Why do you think Benedict puts such emphasis on humility? b. What is genuine humility? How might you recognise it? c. Paraphrase of the twelve steps of humility in your own words, in just one sentence each. d. What does the fear of God mean to you (v. 10)? e. Benedict says that all who despise God will burn in hell (v. 11). What is your view of hell? f. God searches hearts and minds (v14). In what way does knowing this affect the way you live? g. In practice, what does it mean for you to: do not my own will but the will of him who sent me (v. 32)? h. To whom do you feel you owe obedience, apart from God himself (v.34)?
i. What experience do you have of obedience causing you (or others) suffering (vv. 35f)? What are the proper limits of obedience? How might it be abused? j. What is the value of having a confessor (v. 44)? Why not just confess your sins directly to God? What is your experience of having a spiritual director or soul friend? k. Is there any value in doing lowly tasks, beneath your ability (v.49f)? l. To be convinced in one s heart that one is inferior to all (v51). What do you make of this? m. The example set by superiors (v55). Who are the people who have been great examples for you? What if the superior doesn t set a good example? n. Control of the tongue (v. 56). Why do you think Benedict is so strict about this? Is speaking such a terrible thing? What s wrong with a good chin-wag? o. What is your experience of laughter (v.59)? Is Benedict right, here and elsewhere in the Rule, to condemn laughter outright? When is it a help and when a hindrance - to us and to others? p. What does it mean to be humble in bearing (v. 62ff)? q. The final step perfect love which casts out fear (v. 67). What is your motivation for following Christ? How might we change from being motivated by fear or duty to being motivated by love? 8. Instructions for Worship. (In particular chapters 8 to 20) a. What does chapter 8 tell you about the way Benedict runs his monastery? b. The Psalms form the basis of worship in Benedictine monasteries, with the whole psalter being said every week. Why do you think they are considered so important? c. The monks did not need books to sing the psalms as they all learned them off by heart. What is the value of memorising psalms and other passages of the Bible? d. Do you have a favourite psalm? If so, why? e. Read Psalm 22 and Psalm44. What do they tell you about the psalmist s relationship with God? Do you ever pray like this? Are the intercessions in your church ever like this? If not, why not? f. Read Psalm 137, which was written after the people of Israel were brutally carried into captivity and exile in Babylon. Is it right that such sentiments (verses 8 & 9 in particular) should be included in the Bible? Is it possible to use such passages in our own devotions? g. Why do you think Benedict is so prescriptive in setting out the exact pattern of worship and psalmody for the monastery? What is the value of such a rigid structure? What are its limitations? h. What is your own personal pattern of prayer daily, weekly, annually? Is there anything about it you need to change or refresh?
i. What kinds of prayer have you found most helpful? What have you found unhelpful? Are there particular resources you have found especially useful? j. Chapter 20 deals with intercessory prayer asking God for things and chapter 42 is mainly about silence. What different aspects does your own prayer life contain? What do you need to work on to get a better balance? k. What is your experience of silence? Why do you think Benedict places such a high value on it? 9. Instructions for Community Life. (In particular chapters 33 40, 51-71) a. What are the underlying principles behind Chapter 34? How do they relate today to those of us who are not called to the religious life? b. One of the things which Benedict condemns repeatedly in the Rule is murmuring or grumbling (eg. Ch.34 v.6,7) Why do you think he considers this to be so destructive? c. Kitchen service (chapter 35) was rather harder work than we are used to today, with no labour saving appliances and no effective detergents. What is the purpose of Benedict s command that, unless there are exceptional circumstances: no one will be excused from kitchen service? How does this type of service challenge us today? d. Care of the sick must rank above and before all else, so that they may truly be served as Christ. (Chapter 36.) How might Benedict s practice affect the way we deal with those we know who are sick or disabled. e. Chapter 37: The Elderly & Children. What do you think Benedict means when he says: the authority of the Rule should also apply to them. f. All guests are to be welcomed as Christ, for he said: I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Ch.53 v.1). What does this mean for us today, both in terms of those who come to our door or our church, and those who flee war, persecution and poverty, seeking a better life for themselves and their families in the West? g. Benedict is strict at times but also makes allowances for those who are young, old, sick or weak. How might we apply this to the situations and people we engage with? h. Nothing is so inconsistent with the life of any Christian as overindulgence (ch. 39 & 40). What constitutes a reasonable amount of food and drink? What is the spiritual value of fasting or self-denial with regard to food? Is there a place for feasting and, if so, should there be limits on it? i. Quoting Acts ch.4, Benedict forbids private ownership for monks (ch.33). He also commands simplicity of lifestyle, clothing etc. What are the principles which lie behind this? How might we apply them in our consumer society today?
10. Dealing with Failure. (In particular chapters 2, 23-30, 43-46) a. Make a list of what you think are the underlying principles Benedict uses in dealing with human faults and failings? How might we apply them today? b. Are there some Bible passages you find particularly helpful in thinking about dealing with faults & failings? c. Some of Benedict s instructions seem harsh to us today (though they were much more compassionate than many such Rules at that time). What is the place of discipline in the church today? How should it be exercised? d. What would you consider to be a serious fault? e. How might the church achieve a right balance between setting high standards of behaviour and welcoming those who fail to live up to them? f. Many people today feel that they have failed or are not good enough for church. What might we do to help them experience God s love, grace and forgiveness? g. Think of a couple of times when you have failed or done something wrong and have been taken to task. How was it dealt with in each case? What was really helpful? In what ways might it have been handled better? h. Benedict recognises that everyone is different and that different approaches are needed according to the character of each one (ch.2 v.32). How might such an approach be adopted without appearing to be soft on some & harsh on others? 11. Spiritual Progress (In particular chapters 38, 42, 48 & 73) a. Benedict quotes a number of ancient texts as of particular value to us (ch.73). Think of one or two books which have really helped you in your spiritual journey. What in particular did you find most helpful? b. What page, what passage of the Old and New Testaments is not the truest of guides for human life? (Ch.73 v.3). What is your own pattern of Bible reading? What resources have you found helpful in understanding and applying the scriptures? c. Benedict says this little rule has been written for beginners (ch.73 v.9) and encourages his monks to go on from there to loftier heights of discipleship. Thinking about your own journey of faith, what goals do you have that you would like to attain? What changes do you need to make in order to attain them? d. Benedict does not simply stress one thing in order to grow to spiritual maturity, but a balance of many things. What sort of balance does your life have? What are you good at? What do you need to work on?
e. What are the main things you have learned from studying Benedict s Rule? f. As we progress in this way of life and faith, we shall run in the path of God s commandments, our hearts overflowing with inexpressible delight of love. How might you continue to apply the wisdom of Benedict s Rule in order to be transformed, with others, into the likeness of Christ? 'If this rule were ever to be regarded as an end in itself and to exempt us from ever more seeking to discover God's design, the love of Christ and the light of the Holy Spirit, we would be imposing on ourselves a useless burden; it would have been better never to have written it.' 1 Alan Hargrave, October 2015. (These questions formed the basis of a series of discussions in the Community of Etheldreda at Ely Cathedral, which took place over a period of two years from 2013 to 2015.) 1 The Rule of Taize