Western Monasticism

Week three: Western Monasticism

New ideas were generally suggested by monks throughout this time. There lifestyles although slightly differing are very similar.
To summarize monks are the most influential force in the medieval church in terms of ecclesiastical thought.
The basics
The origins of Christian monasticism can be traced back to the New Testament, every Christian is required to live in the imitation of Christ, this does not necessarily mean you have to live an aesthetic life - Jesus ate and drank a lot. But there are parts of the NT that do suggest aestheticism e.g. Jesus against earthly possession, strongly recommends not to rely on human relationships. These things can be read through aesthetic glass.
Matthew 6:19-20, do not store up treasures on earth... aesthetics read this in very bias way.
Matthew 19:16-21, Luke 12:13-21. Also can be read in aesthetic terms.
Act 2:44-45 - all who believe were together and had all things in common, pooling goods, no private possessions. Everyone who has a need, gets it.
Look into a Benedictine monastery, and you’ll see this in action.
St. Paul: Corinthians, I want you to be free from anxieties - suggests no marriage. Because virgins have more time to be worry about the affairs of the Lord.
Quest for Christian perfection comes about from rejection of possessions and sexual activity, instead focus on the gospel.
Asceticism arose from an environment that was very asceticism friendly.
First look at Judaism, many Jews were convinced of apocalyptic properties, this often provoked reactions such as aesthetic lifestyles amongst Jewish communities, and example being theraputue - they were vegetarians and drank no wine - therapies against desire.
Greek philosophy - vegetarian, denouncing the body as the grave of the soul - inherent reason for asceticism, freeing the soul of the prison of the body.
Most important philosophy for Christian monasticism - Platonism.
Platonists - especially plato influenced the monastic mindset. According plato the soul does not belong to the mortal world, it belongs to the immortal realm, the soul longs to return to wear it came. therefore it is wise not to become involved in materialism, but to focus on the real issues. Plato did not demand asceticism but others in his wake did.
The first Christian theologians were original philosophers e.g. Justin Martyr. Integration of philosophy within Christianity.
Ascetic practice - became a substitute for martyrdom as a path for the soul.
Origin - obsessed with idea of leading an ascetic life, lived life very like a monk. He went so far to take Matthew 19:12 literally - made himself a eunuch. He wanted to stay a virgin and did not want to be tempted. A move later regretted because he could not be consecrated as priest - because he was not whole. Surpassing our make up, enabling a return to the spiritual realm.
The combination of asceticism and mysticism.
If we surpass our material makeup our soul may return to the spiritual realm.
Origin believed those who live the ascetic life, can have there reason enlightened by the holy spirit, it is possible to recreate the situation of adam before the fall. reversing the consequences of the soul, by getting the soul back to God.
Despite his wish to seek solitude he remained among the society to teach others. His theology influenced monks but not the idea of still living amongst others.
we see that asceticism was around in the environment and we see that both pagan and jewish influences influenced the interpretation of the christian gospel.
Very soon we have two classes of people:
The people who strive for a more ethical life, living an ascetic life, following decrees of the councils
and
those who are happy enough simply to follow the 10 commandments.
The motives of Christian asceticism
Imitation of Christ - some thing that monks and nun specifically wanted to do. Derived from the ascetic interpretation of the gospel. A true pure imitation of christ without compromise.
Eschatological expectations - the end of the world, which at the beginning was a general expectations, which when it did not come, it became the individual expectation of the believer. It is judgement after the death. It’s not end for everyone simultaneously but everyone must die at some more, receiving damnation or salvation. The idea of punishment motivates the ascetic life - paradise needs to be gained. Origins idea that ascetics could reach paradise in this life. Hildegard of Bingen expresses this in several writings.
In this context we can interpret John Cassians writing writing about monastic life - writes about where ordinary lifestyle will prevent one reaching paradise - ascetic lifestyle is the road to salvation.
Idea of white martyrdom. After Christianity became the state religion, it was not longer dangerous to become Christian. Those who wanted to be pure Christian, those who would have become martyrs were not really happy with the state of things, so Christians looked for other ways to imitate Christ’s life - asceticism. No longer red martyrdom but white.
Monasticism, became the option for the holy few for those wishing to seek Christian perfection where the old values still prevailed.
History of monasticism
First hermit we have a biography is Antony, which was extremely influential of monks yet to come. He had already spent time with another hermit, he was originally very wealthy, he went to church, heard matthew 19, he gave away all his possessions and gave his sister to a convent of virgin, he began to live the life of the hermit, originally in tombs outside his village but soon went further into the desert. He wasn’t really that alone, because people kept coming to see him wanting to know how he did it. There were lots of others at the time but he was best known because of his writing.
He was tormented by demons wanting him to return and give into his temptations.
Christianity was an urban phenominum, but these people went into the wilderness separating themselves from society trying to displace themselves, moving away to live life afresh. By moving into the desert the hermit mobilized his humanity as a whole, to endure the lifestyle he had to struggle against many things - hunger, thirst. The desert is the place of demons that the ascetic had to overcome. The demon of sex that many fear nowadays is nothing compared to what hermits were facing. They had much more to worry about.
The desert fathers had to get rid of the needs of the body.
Cenobitic monasticism
While Antony’s monasticism was based on the individual we see a more structured form emerge, the founder of which is generally accepted to be Pachomius.
After serving as a soldier, the son of pagans he became Christian. He became a hermit but he needed people around him, he decided to found a shelter for ascetics wanting to live separate from the world, based on Acts 2. He wrote a fixed rule which was to be followed by everyone, even by the abbot. The spiritual leader was known as Abba, the bible formed the basics of the monks learning, every monk had to learn 20 psalms and 2 pauline epistles - this was the starting point for the novice, after which he would be assigned to one of the monastic houses, with about 20 monks in each. each house had a superior who were answerable to the abbot. Monks were dressed in a robe, mantle, girdle and stick. Extreme asceticism was discourages, they ate one meal a day together. The value of work was emphasized but the main activity was services and study of the bible.
Tuesdays lesson
After beginning in Egypt we find many ascetic movements springing up.
The idea of family ascetic life from which derived female ascetic life, it was not safe for them to live the same life as there male counter parts, rules for women wishing to live ascetic life sprung up, mostly for rich women.
Men such as jerome and caesuras of aries wrote rules. The idea of enclosure emerged for women, preserving virginity, measure of security as well as theological idea.
Women did not leave these enclosure until death. They were separate from the world but also form the clergy whom they needed. These nuns could not do charitable work, so there task was intercessory prayer for those who could not live lives like theirs.
Monk bishops
e.g Martin of Tours and Augustine of Hippo
Exemplary examples...
Martin lived between 335 and 397, in the 4th century, he comes before Augustine. He was a paradigm of monasticism, he was a soldier who became a Christian - while being a soldier he encountered a beggar freezing in a snow storm, driven by pity, Martin gave him half his clock, Jesus appeared in a vision the next night wearing the cloak, this triggered his conversion. First he retired to a monks cell but he was also a missionary taking Christianity into the countryside, attracting followers he founded a monastery, and later against his will he was made bishop of Tours. Legend of him hiding in a barn of geese?!
The rule of St. Benedict
Wrote a livable program of monasticism,
He lived from around 480 until 550, there’s only one roughly contemporary source abut his life, appearing in the dialogues of Pope gregory the great, written after Benedict’s life. Found amongst a collection of great italian monks, but not included because of his rule but because he is for Gregory an exemplary aestic, a holy man and miracle maker.
There might be some problems with the historisy of this source, but some of what he sys may have foundation, must be approached with caution.
Born in Italian city, he studied in Rome but gave up his studies, against the will of his family because he did not like the ungodly extravagant life of his fellow students. He withdrew from the community to live an ascetic life, a monk gave him guidance, various legends about ravens bringing bread.
He attracted many disciples, organized them into groups and appointed abbots, he himself did not want to be an abbott.
He moved to Monte Cassino where he died. Although it was destroyed 10 years after his death.
Italy at this time was populated by all sorts of different monasteries, it can be assumed Bene knew about these so could draw on a wide variety of sources for his rule e.g. the rule of the master, John Cassians writing.
There is a french scholar who looked at the role, comparing possible sources with the rule to establish the source.
He did not encourage ascetic extreme, wanting them to lead a responsible ascetic life. Healthy - he did not want them to kill themselves.
In his first chapter, he deals with all the sorts of monks around but advocates the cenobitic life.
Benedict died between 546, 550. He wanted to be a hermit but it was such an example others gathered around him, he founded monastery in Monte cassino. He wrote a rule that for some time would be the only rule allowed in Western Europe.
He is educating the cenobitic life, Listening and obedience very important.
St. Gaul Monastery plan : ideal layout of monastery - as in cathedral builders book.
8 times of prayer a day - Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, Non, Vespers, Compline, Vigil/Matins.
Over the week, the whole book of psalms was recited. Readings were taken from scripture and patristic writing (from saints writing) dependent on what day it was - e.g. time of year, saints days etc.
Combination of prayer and work - two main elements of the lifestyle.
Monks got roughly 8 hours a day, this was important as lack of sleep could lead to hallucinations and strange ideas. The abbot oversaw that monks did eat and sleep.
Just read the rule!!!
There were also Benedictine missionaries e.g. Boniface.
Cassiodorus a Roman senator, one of the leading figures under emperor Theodoric, when he retired, he retired to his country estate, and there he founded a monastery, with the declared purpose of preserving the classical heritage, education was important and he trained his monks to read and copy the classics.
He wrote a book known as the ‘instructions’ out lining a curriculum of classical and scriptural learning.
The Benedictine Rule under the Carolingians
The English church seems particular attached to Pope Gregory the great.
Charlemagne’s son pursued his fathers Romans policies, the most important reformer was Benedict of Arcan, in a series of decrees it was declared that every monastery should follow the rule of St. Benedictine.
From the early 9th century, every monastery needed priests because only priests were allowed to preside over mass, so some monks were ordained to serve the needs of their communities.
Gaelic Monasticism
‘Celtic’ invention of the 19th century (bunch of barmy so and sos).
The historical way of being a celtic monk...
The absence of evidence has allowed place for myth and legend, focusing on the like of Machar, Ninian, David, Patrick etc. Very few people know who these people actually were. Very difficult field!
Before Patrick arrived in ireland, there were other missionaries already there, even though Ptrick claimed he was the first he made allusions that they were already there.
They had probably come from Britain or maybe Gaul.
Neither Ninian or Columba can fairly be credited with the conversion of Scotland, but rather the picts had been converted by monks before - unknown who they were.
We know about Patrick because of his own writings, and they are testament of his mission.
Christianity generally spread family by family. Patrick and his colleagues adapted there missionaries to fit with the culture. The church became intertwined with the leading families.
The western side of Britain, spoke Latin so they could converse, not knowing all the regional languages. They were strongly influenced by ascetic writings. They had many types of writings e.g. Augustine, Cassidorus, Jermone, John Cassian, Gregory’s dialogues, Very influenced by them. Iona library shows that monasticism were shaped by the continent, following the egyptian fathers.