Perspectives on the Rule of Saint Benedict: Expanding Our Hearts in Christ

The Rule of Saint Benedict has shaped monastic life for centuries. Perspectives on the Rule of St. Benedict provides a unique guide to the richness of this Rule. Focusing on vv. 1-4, 45-50 of the Prologue and chapters 72, 73, 58, and 53, Sister Aquinata Bockmann presents an interpretive key for understanding the entire Rule and appreciating its spiritual and practical values. Presenting a wealth of material, she never loses sight of the christological center of the Rule or the questions involved in living it in our time, both in monasteries and the world. Combining the tools of scholar with the love of a Benedictine, Sister Aquinata focuses on the parts where Benedict's own teaching is most clearly expressed. She skillfully situates Benedict in the late Roman culture and the monastic and patristic writings of his time. She provides detailed interpretations of the texts. Sister Aquinata has a special gift of presenting complex materials and challenging insights in a manner accessible to non-specialists without compromising the depth of her research. This book will be engaging for scholars, monastics-whether professed or in formation-oblates, and non-monastics.