Overview

With typical eloquence and wisdom, in The Way of St Benedict Rowan Williams explores the appeal of St Benedict’s sixth-century Rule, showing it to be a document of great relevance to present day Christians and non-believers at our particular moment in history. For over a millennium the Rule – a set of guidelines for monastic conduct – has been influential on the life of Benedictine monks, but has also served in some sense as a ‘background note’ to almost all areas of civic experience: artistic, intellectual and institutional. The effects of this on society have been far-reaching and Benedictine communities and houses still attract countless visitors, testifying to the appeal and continuing relevance of Benedict’s principles. As the author writes, the chapters of his book, which range from a discussion of Abbot Cuthbert Butler’s mysticism to ‘Benedict and the Future of Europe’, are ‘simply an invitation to look at various current questions through the lens of the Rule and to reflect on aspects of Benedictine history that might have something to say to us’. With Williams as our guide, The Way of St Benedict speaks to the Rule’s ability to help anyone live more fully in harmony with others whilst orientating themselves fully to the will of God.

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9781472973078

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The mature and reflective thought here presented can be read with benefit by those of us with decades of stability under our belts no less than by those just beginning to examine the Benedictine manner of following the Gospel. -- James Flint * The American Benedictine Review *

Author Information

Rowan Williams is the former Archbishop of Canterbury and one of the most celebrated intellectual and spiritual thinkers in the United Kingdom. Currently the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, he is the author of dozens of books and a contributor and lead reviewer for the New Statesman.

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