CASSIAN, BASIL,
 
THE DESERT FATHERS,
and OTHER SOURCES of 
THE RULE of
SAINT
BENEDICT
 

 Benedict Shares His Rule
 Cod.Vat. lat. 1202

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


THEMES


 

 

 



1. PRINCIPAL SOURCES of BENEDICTS RULE

  A. SOURCES BENEDICT RECOMMENDS in RB 73:

  B. SOURCES on which BENEDICT DEPENDS


2. THE KINDS of MONKS


3. HERMITAGE VS. CENOBIUM: Hermit and Community

4. CARE of the DISABLED: from suspicion to compassion


5. NOVICES and FORMATION


6. WIDENED HEART and GOOD ZEAL:


7. THEOSIS: DIVINIZATION


8. ASCETICISM


9. SPIRITUAL ART: Instruments of Good Works


 

 

 


HANDOUT: (pdf)(doc)


 

 

 

 


1. PRINCIPAL SOURCES of BENEDICT'S RULE


 

 


1. PRINCIPAL SOURCES of BENEDICTS RULE
 

 

 


  A. SOURCES BENEDICT RECOMMENDS in RB 73:


 


A. SOURCES BENEDICT RECOMMENDS in RB 73
 

 


 

The Institutes and Conferences of Cassian;

 

The Rule of Basil;

 

The Lives (of Antony and the Desert Fathers and Mothers)

 

The Holy Catholic Fathers

 

 


 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 


  B. SOURCES on which BENEDICT DEPENDS


 


B. SOURCES on which BENEDICT DEPENDS
 

 


The Rule of the Master (c.500)


Cyprian (d.258): Prefer nothing...; Zeal


Athanasius (c.296-373): Life of Antony; (Prefer nothing - image of the transformed soul)


Pachomius (c.290-346): (emphasis on community and literacy/scripture-memorization)


Basil (330-379): coenobium as contrasted with hermitage and model of care for sick RB 36/RBas 36; Initial formation & children 6 & 7


Ambrose (c.339-397):Widened heart and different zeals


Jerome (c.345-420): translator of Pachomius’ Rule[s]; Kinds of monks; Life of  Paul supports learned monasticism


Augustine (354-439): Rule - example of apostolic community


Apophthegmata (4th-5th c.): models of spiritual maturity


Pseudo-Basil (c.500): language and military imagery of prologue


John Cassian (c.360-c.430): central importance of Institutes and Conferences for subsequent centuries. Transmitter of Evagrius to West


 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


2. THE KINDS of MONKS


 

 


2. THE KINDS of MONKS
 

 

 


CLASSICAL DEPICTIONS :

 

from Jerome (anchorites, cenobites, remuoth)

 

to Cassian (cenobites, anchorites, sarabaites)

 

to The Master (cenobites, anchorites/hermits, sarabaites, failed hermits, gyrovagues)

 

to Benedict

 


3. HERMITAGE VS. CENOBIUM: Hermit and Community


 

 


3. HERMITAGE versus CENOBIUM:
Hermit and Community

 

 

 


ANTONY of the Desert (in the biography of Athanasius) provides the enduring example of a movement from community into solitude

Solitude yields maturity and willingness to share and transmit what God has given


CASSIAN establishes mythological prototypes of both cenobite and hermit:

Cenobitism as continuation of Jerusalem community

Hermit as new fruition of monastic perfection

Yet Conference 19 points out the indispensible rigors of community life


BASIL has a different approach and sees mutual service as essential


BENEDICT praises the hermits in the language of the Master, yet offers no suggestions as to how to become one:

Cenobites are the fortissimum genus (strong[est(?)] kind) of monks.


Sr.BENEDICTA WARD, SLG describes the later evolution and influence of hermits in the West



4. CARE of the DISABLED: from suspicion to compassion


 

 


CARE of the SICK and DISABLED:
from suspicion to compassion

 

 

 


PACHOMIUS is concerned for the welfare of the sick and entrusts them to monks assigned to care for them (40)

but he is suspicious that they may use their illness as an excuse to obtain special food (41-42).

The sick may only eat what is given them in the infirmary; but this evidently includes wine (45)


BASIL introduces “Christological” motive: care for sick is care for Christ (Mt 25.40)

but sick should deserve special care and not indulge flesh (laziness) or belly (food).


AUGUSTINE insists that the sick and weak be treated differently from the strong (who should give thanks for their strength)

Assigned brothers care for the sick


CASSIAN reassures the sick that they lose no spiritual benefit through receiving care

Tolerating the infirmities (and imperfections) of others is a sign of spiritual maturity


THE MASTER tests the allegedly sick with unpleasant food (69.2-3)

The sick must go to Office, but may chant recumbent, watched closely lest they fall asleep (v.9-11)

Those who do not work should be given less food (v. 12-15)

Brethren serving sick do so to manifest (“show off”) their charity


BENEDICT encourages “bilateral Christology”: Christ is present (36.2) in both caregivers and in those who receive care.  Those patiently borne are not to sadden (36.4)

Baths and meat permitted (36.8)

Abbot, Cellerar, and attendants are all responsible for care of sick: the greatest care - maximum curam (36.10)

 Infirmities of both body and character/behavior (sive corporum sive morum) to be patiently borne (72.5)


5. NOVICES and FORMATION


 

 


5. NOVICES and FORMATION
 

 

 


PACHOMIUS: newcomers are assigned an initial statio  (1)

 They live for a time near the entrance and learn psalms and the Lord's Prayer (49)

 Then they are assessed according to eight qualities

 Then clothed in the monastic habit


BASIL: The chief test for newcomers is their willingness to accept [necessary] humble, even humiliating tasks

The young may be offered by their parents before witnesses;

But no profession of virginity may be made before adulthood


CASSIAN Deliberate (de industria) humiliations and contempt shown to the newcomer (Inst.4.3) to test his determination (ardor)

No money is accepted as a donation from newcomers, who are put in the lowest place (4.4)

Reception of the habit from the abbot is now a sign of dispossession and dependence on the monastery (4.5)

His former clothes are kept in case he leaves (4.6)

One-year novitiate with porter, involvement in hospitality; then entrusted to a juniormaster over ten juniors (4.7)

Obedience and overcoming desires are chief formation-project (4.8, 4.10)

Share their thoughts with their junior-master (4.9) = RB 4.50


THE MASTER begins with a prolonged, distasteful, severe homily on dispossession (87.5-24)

Pledge of dispossession takes place of charter of stability (carta perseverantiae, v. 28)

Newcomer loses both possessions and forgiveness of sins if he departs (v.37)

Two-month postulancy with guests (88.7); if departs, receives sign of peace but goes back to the devil (88.14)

Profession entails abbatial dialogue and act (89.1-14), followed by Donation to Monastery on altar (v.17-23), Suscipe (24), assignment to dean (27), and washing and kissing hands of brothers (v.30)

One-year novitiate likened to torture/martyrdom (13-34) leading to heaven ;

 


 BENEDICT

 After few days postulancy, admitted to one-year novitiate in care of senior skilled in winning souls

Superiors watch for four tests;

The monk makes three vows

To share with their spiritual father the thoughts to be hurled against Christ is part of the Spiritual Art not included by the Master (4.50); not restricted by Benedict to formation



7. WIDENED HEART and GOOD ZEAL:


 

 


6. WIDENED HEART and GOOD ZEAL
 

 

 


 


6.A. GOOD ZEAL . . . PREFER NOTHING to CHRIST
 

 


CLEMENT (of Rome): Zeal understood negatively as jealousy; linked to persecution and contempt for legitimate authority (Rom.5) and love of contention (45)


CYPRIAN: Comments on Thy Will be done (Or.Dom.15) and offers a list of virtues and concepts that echo throughout the Rule of Benedict:

 humility, conversatio, justice, mercy, peace

 Love God as Father . . . fear Him as God

 Prefer nothing whatever to Christ because He did not prefer anything to us


ATHANASIUS: In the Life of Antony zeal is positive, and Antony's zeal is to be imitated.

On emerging from the fort Antony advises his hearers: to prefer nothing in the world to the love of Christ (Vit.Ant.14)


AMBROSE: Describes two zeals: A zeal that leads to life and a zeal that leads to death (Hom.Ps.118.18.10)

 Zeal is ardor; zeal is love (Hom.Ps.118.18.13)


CASSIAN: Tolerating the infirmities of others is a sign of spiritual maturity (Conf.19.9)


 BENEDICT Uses all the Latin words for love in describing the good zeal that leads to God.

Competition allowed only in showing honor

We are brought together (pariter) to eternal life

 In the Prologue he depicts the widened heart and the art of running together in the the schola of the Lord's service


 


6.B. WIDENED HEART in the
S
CHOOL of the LORD'S SERVICE
 

 


ATHANASIUS: Although the phrase is not used, Antony emerging from the fort is a literary icon of the heart expanded and enabled to teach others


AMBROSE: Let the way be narrower, let the heart be wider to support the dwelling of the Trinity (Hom.Ps.118.4.27)


 BENEDICT: In the Prologue he depicts the widened heart and the art of running together in the the schola of the Lord's service


GREGORY the GREAT: Benedict's heart is widened so as to contemplate the whole of creation in a single ray of light (Dial.II.35.6)




8. THEOSIS: DIVINIZATION


 

 


7. THEOSIS: DIVINIZATION
 

 

 


1. The doctrine of theosis prior to Benedict


2. Theosis in Benedict and Gregory the Great


3. Development of Doctrine of Theosis in more detail and in the East


BENEDICT

 

 

 


GREGORY the GREAT

 

 

 


9. ASCETICISM


 

 


8. ASCETICISM
 

 

 


 

 

 

 


9. SPIRITUAL_ART_INSTRUM_GOOD_WORKS


 

 


9. INSTRUMENTS of GOOD WORKS
THE SPIRITUAL ART

 

 

 


 CASSIAN: Ten Signs of Humility (In.4.39.2) leading to love (39.3)

 Nine [steps] in the ascent to perfection from fear of the Lord to purity of heart. (In. 4.43)


 THE MASTER concludes the Spiritual Art with a prolonged description of heaven taken from the Visio Pauli


 BENEDICT condenses the vision of heaven into a single sentence.


 

HANDOUT

Principal Sources of Benedict's Rule:

A. The Sources BENEDICT recommends in RB 73:

The Institutes and Conferences of Cassian;

The Rule of Basil;

The Lives (of Antony and the Desert Fathers and Mothers)

The Holy Catholic Fathers

B. Sources on which Benedict Depends:

The Rule of the Master

Cyprian (Prefer nothing...; Zeal

Athanasius Life of Antony; (Prefer nothing - image of the transformed soul)

Pachomius (emphasis on community and literacy/scripture-memorization)

Basil: (coenobium as contrasted with hermitage and model of care for sick RB 36/RBas 36; Initial formation & children 6 & 7; )

Pseudo-Basil: language and military imagery of prologue

Ambrose: Widened heart and different zeals

Jerome: translator of Pachomius' Rule[s]; Kinds of monks; Life of  Paul supports learned monasticism

Augustine: Rule - example of apostolic community

Apophthegmata: models of spiritual maturity

Cassian: central importance of Institutes and Conferences for subsequent centuries. transmitter of Evagrius to West



THEMES

The Kinds of Monks -  Jerome / Cassian / Master / Benedict

Hermitage vs. Cenobium (Antony/Cassian/Basil)

Solitude versus Individualism; Community versus dependency

Care of Disabled  (Cassian/RM/RB)  ?Basil?: from Suspicion to Compassion

Having one to trust promotes healing: healers incite healing (Hippocrates)

What is "illness" or "disability"?

Asceticism as healing path to virtue (principle of gradualness)

Simplicity in food yet provision for the sick (RBas 9;  RB 40 & 55)

Ladder of Humility - Cassian / Master / Benedict: place of love in Benedict's ladder

Humility and truth - use of gifts.  Lewis: ability to know truth of one's worth

Novices and Formation RM and RB

Note infrequency today of forming young (RB  youth (

Widened Heart and Good Zeal:

Prol: v.1 Basil Ad fil 1 PL103.683 Widened Heart (Ambr.Ps.18) Chapter 72 - Unique vision and Cyprian; modification of Zeal

Theosis: Basil; Athanasius; Apophthegmata; use in RM - RB

Asceticism in Benedict and His Sources

Virtues Vices and Addictions [Nav]


HANDOUT

Principal Sources of Benedict's Rule:

A. The Sources he recommends in RB 73:

The Institutes and Conferences of Cassian;

The Rule of Basil;

The Lives (of Antony and the Desert Fathers and Mothers)

The Holy Catholic Fathers

B. Sources on which Benedict Depends:

The Rule of the Master

Cyprian (Prefer nothing...; Zeal

Athanasius Life of Antony; (Prefer nothing - image of the transformed soul)

Pachomius (emphasis on community and literacy/scripture-memorization)

Basil: (coenobium as contrasted with hermitage and model of care for sick RB 36/RBas 36; Initial formation & children 6 & 7; )

Pseudo-Basil: language and military imagery of prologue

Ambrose: Widened heart and different zeals

Jerome: translator of Pachomius' Rule[s]; Kinds of monks; Life of  Paul supports learned monasticism

Augustine: Rule - example of apostolic community

Apophthegmata: models of spiritual maturity

Cassian: central importance of Institutes and Conferences for subsequent centuries. transmitter of Evagrius to West



THEMES

The Kinds of Monks -  Jerome / Cassian / Master / Benedict

Hermitage vs. Cenobium (Antony/Cassian/Basil)

Solitude versus Individualism; Community versus dependency

Care of Disabled  (Cassian/RM/RB)  ?Basil?: from Suspicion to Compassion

Having one to trust promotes healing: healers incite healing (Hippocrates)

What is "illness" or "disability"?

Asceticism as healing path to virtue (principle of gradualness)

Simplicity in food yet provision for the sick (RBas 9;  RB 40 & 55)

Ladder of Humility - Cassian / Master / Benedict: place of love in Benedict's ladder

Humility and truth - use of gifts.  Lewis: ability to know truth of one's worth

Novices and Formation RM and RB

Note infrequency today of forming young (RB  youth (

Widened Heart and Good Zeal:

Prol: v.1 Basil Ad fil 1 PL103.683 Widened Heart (Ambr.Ps.18) Chapter 72 - Unique vision and Cyprian; modification of Zeal

Theosis: Basil; Athanasius; Apophthegmata; use in RM - RB

Asceticism in Benedict and His Sources

Virtues Vices and Addictions



 

 

HIDDEN

Cyprian; Athanasius; Basil; Jerome; Augustine; Cassian; Master; Benedict

1. Chapter 73 and Benedict’s Acknowledged sources:

 

THEMES

Rm vs. RB – the Kinds of Monks

Solitude and Community – the Question of the Hermitage

Rule of Basil AND CASSIAN on importance of community; Cassian and hermit

RM vs. RB – Care of the Sick

Sive corporum sive morum RB 72 – sick in body and character

Obedience  - DIALOGUE / Accompaniment / Discernment

Liturgy and Prayer  Tradition versus Development

Spiritual Guidance

 


 

 

 

 



 C.S.LEWIS

 

 

 


 


 

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