Pedagogy in the Rule of Saint Benedict

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Pedagogy in the Rule of Saint Benedict

• Columba Stewart, OSB
• Saint Johns Abbey
• Collegeville, Minnesota USA

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I. Wisdom Tradition and Modern Culture

• Religious Context of the Rule--A world in which
  the spiritual dimension of life was unmistakably
  primary --A commonly shared acceptance of basic
  Christian doctrine--Confidence that the Bible is
  the inspired Word of God --Trust that human
  relationships can mediate the divine will --An
  assumption that life on this earth is fragile and
  contingent
• Socio-Political Context of the Rule--Society was
  rigidly stratified and hierarchical--The
  political order was unstable and in constant
  flux--Cities were depopulated
• Monastic Education at the Time of
  Benedict--Literacy was extremely
  limited--Classical culture had waned --Faithful
  learning of the tradition was most important
  --The scope of monastic education was
  limited--The great achievements of the later
  Benedictine centuries in the arts, science,
  history, etc were not foreseen by the Rule or
  directly founded upon it.

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Saint Benedicts Rule

• Prologue Invitation and exhortation
• Ch. 1-7 Cenobitic theory and spirituality
• Ch. 8-20 Liturgy and prayer
• Ch. 21-67 Organizing the community
• Ch. 68-72 Revisiting cenobitic theory
• Ch. 73 Epilogue

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II. The Rule and its Pedagogy

• The School of the Monastery
• Fundamental Elements of RBs Pedagogy
• Listening (Prologue, Ch. 3, 68, 71)?
• Priorities and Perspective (Ch. 4, 43,
  72)prefer nothing to Christ/ the Work of God.
• Learning is relationalcoming together in Christ.
• Relationships are ordered (Ch. 63,
  71-72)creating a new community.
• Learning is developmental (Ch. 7)Benedict on
  humility.
• Some lessons are more important than othersthe
  value of lectio divina