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Prayer and Community: The Benedictine Tradition

The exploration of Benedictine spirituality provides the perfect introduction to St. Benedict and his Rule.

Each Chapter begins with the teaching of Benedict himself, understood in historical and cultural context. Drawing upon commentaries and historical and biographical material, Columba Stewart then traces the way communities have interpreted and practiced Benedict's teaching since he first wrote his Rule
in the sixth century.

This book places Benedict and his rule within the extraordinary world of early Christian monasticism and explores his key insights about awareness of the presence of God and meeting Christ in other people. It describes the heart of Benedictine spirituality--prayer and lectio divina--and grapples with the central Benedictine virtues. The distinctive Benedictine framework fro seeking God and the role of both physical and spiritual asceticism, are the investigated. Finally, we look at the rhythms of monastic life, and the author suggests a role for monastic men and
women today.

Prayer and Community shows that Benedict's wisdom is for all Christians. " `A teacher and model for monastic men and women for centuries, he has become a wise friend to everyone who yearns for life and longs to see good days'."

Columba Stewart, a Benedictine monk of St. John's Abbey and teaches Monastic Studies at St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota. He is the author of World of the Desert Fathers, Working the earth of the Heart, and Cassian the Monk.

Paperback 136 pages.

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