The Templars fought against Islam in the crusader east for nearly two centuries. During that time the original small band grew into a formidable army, backed by an extensive network of preceptories in the Latin West. In October 1307, the members of this seemingly invulnerable and respected Order were arrested on the orders of Philip IV, King of France and charged with serious heresies, including the denial of Christ, homosexuality and idol worship. The ensuing proceedings lasted for almost five years and culminated in the suppression of the Order. The motivations of the participants and the long-term repercussions of the trial have been the subject of intense and unresolved controversy, which still has resonances in our own time. In this new edition of his classic account, Malcolm Barber discusses the trial in the context of new work on the crusades, heresy, the papacy and the French monarchy.

In the course of this work, Dr Dobson is able to throw new light on the universal aspirations and pre occupations of medieval monasticism. He reconstructs life in Durham in the century before its final dissolution and concludes that it was an example of 'comparatively successful conservatism' during a period in English history characterized by institutional resistance to social and intellectual change.

Evagrius Ponticus was the most prolific writer of the Christian Desert Fathers. This book is a study of his life, works, and theology. It gives particular attention to his little-studied exegetical treatises, especially the Scholia on Psalms, as well as his better-known works, in order to present a more balanced picture of Evagrius the monk. The practice of psalmody in Northern Egyptian monastic communities of the late fourth century is explored, as is Evagrius' understanding of psalmody's healing properties, and his recommendation of memorized scripture as a spiritual weapon against temptation. Further chapters discuss Evagrius' model of spiritual progress and his use of medical terminology and theory; the logoi of providence and judgement and their use in Christian contemplation; and Evagrius' controversial Christology and his work, the Kephalaia Gnostica.

The early historians of the Franciscan order traced the causes of the troubles of the order in their time to Elias, a contemporary and friend of St Francis and an early Minister General. Elias was blamed for opening the way to all relaxations of discipline and disregard of the founder's teaching, and all conflicts and persecutions. Mrs Brooke shows that responsibility cannot be placed on one man, but on many of the early friars. She gives a more historical account of Elias, showing that he was never as dominant a figure as has been supposed. The early conflicts of the order are shown to have been more complex, more interesting and more probable than the fourteenth-century controversialists would allow. The second part of the book describes the achievements of Elias's successors as Minister General, and the important laws they passed. Mrs Brooke has been able to reconstruct the early constitutions, now lost, in greater detail than has previously been attempted.

The Monastic Order in England by Dom David Knowles was originally published in 1940 and was quickly recognised as a scholarly classic and masterpiece of historical literature. It covers the period from about 940, when St Dunstan inaugurated the monastic reform by becoming abbot of Glastonbury, to the early thirteenth century. Its core is a marvellous narrative and detailed analysis of monasticism in twelfth-century England, brilliantly set in the continental background of all the monastic movements of the day - with a vivid evocation of Anselm, Ailred, Henry of Blois and a host of other central figures. Dom David himself brought this second edition up to date in 1963.

'Just as the whole world of beauty can be discovered in one flower, so the great grace of God can be tasted in one small moment'. This observation is central to the probing spiritual journey of Henri Nouwen during his seven-month stay in a Trappist monastery, the Abbey of the Genesee in upstate New York.

This book examines the selected writings of John of Wales, a thirteenth-century Franciscan scholar. Though overshadowed historically by men like Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure, John contributed significantly to the preaching explosion of the later Middle Ages, devoting his scholastic energies to the production of encyclopedic preaching aids for the growing number of the devout and learned emerging from the new universities. Through a detailed analysis of his world view, the author establishes John’s strong interest in politics and contemporary social issues and helps to explain why his writings appealed to young preachers and the popular imagination. John’s historic popularity and literary influence are also fully explored. His works seem to have been an important source of classical material for European literary texts of the period, and therefore, in addition to historians and theologians, this unprecedented book will appeal to those interested in the survival and transmission of Greek and Latin literature.

Runaway religious were monks, canons and friars who had taken vows of religion and who, with benefit of neither permission nor dispensation and for myriad reasons, fled their monasteries and returned to a life in the world, usually replacing the religious habit with lay clothes. Not only the normal tugs of the world drew them away: other less obvious yet equally human motives, such as boredom, led to a return to the world. The church pursued them with her severest penalty, excommunication, in the express hope that penalties would lead to the return of the straying sheep. This book is the first to tell their story.

While the role of monastic education has been studied in great detail in regard to male practices, this book examines the differences between the monastic formation and education of men and of women in Western Europe from the eighth to the sixteenth century. Fourteen chapters, written by well-known scholars, consider monastic education and practices in the geographical areas of England, France, Germany and the Low Countries. Using attitudes toward education and actual educational theories, the authors explore issues such as the use of music and physical training in education to explore new realms of the discipline.

2013 Reprint of 1948 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. "Contemplation" is a word that Thomas Merton used again and again in his writings. It is a theme that he spent much of his life exploring. About contemplation, he wrote "Contemplation is the highest expression of man's intellectual and spiritual life. It is that life itself, fully awake, fully active, fully aware that it is alive. It is spiritual wonder. It is spontaneous awe at the sacredness of life, of being. It is a vivid realization of the fact that life and being in us proceed from an invisible, transcendent, and infinitely abundant source. Contemplation is above all, awareness of the reality of that source. It knows the Source, obscurely, inexplicably, but with a certitude that goes beyond reason and beyond simple faith...It is a more profound depth of faith, a knowledge too deep to be grasped in images, in words, or even in clear concepts..." This short pamphlet is a good introduction to this important topic in the overall work of Thomas Merton.

A fascinating glimpse into the world of Medieval Monasticism. Durham Cathedral is one of the most complete sets of monastic buildings in Europe, housing clues to the life of a prominent and thriving medieval Benedictine community. Through its buildings, and the books, treasures and records housed within, the world of Durham's monastic past comes alive once more, offering clues to the history of this vital Norman stronghold, and providing a critical exemplar of the medieval monastic life. "In republishing this excellent little book, we hope that the monastic tradition that was lived at Durham for nearly five centuries will come alive for contemporary readers. Today, Benedictine values continue to undergird our life as a Christian community in Durham ...so I hope that this book will help people of all ages to understand more about this cherished aspect of our history and heritage, and that through its insights into the past, it will add to visitors' enjoyment of the Cathedral and its precincts today." - The Very Revd Michael Sadgrove, Dean of Durham from the foreword

This book is the first major study in English of a group of late twelfth-century religious enthusiasts, the early Humiliati, who were condemned by the Church as heretics in 1184 but--in a remarkable transition--were reconciled seventeen years later and went on to establish a highly successful religious order in northern Italy. Using a wide range of sources, the nature of the early movement and its processes of institutional development are reconstructed. The book also includes a Bullarium Humiliatorum, a list of papal and episcopal letters and privileges.

2013 Reprint of 1914 Edition. Exact facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), also known as Saint Hildegard, and Sibyl of the Rhine, was a German writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, visionary and polymath. She wrote theological, botanical and medicinal texts, as well as letters, liturgical songs, and poems, while supervising brilliant miniature illuminations. In addition to her music, Hildegard also wrote three books of visions, the first of which, her Scivias ("Know the Way"), was completed in 1151. Liber vitae meritorum ("Book of Life's Merits" or "Book of the Rewards of Life") and Liber divinorum operum ("Book of Divine Works," also known as De operatione Dei, "On God's Activity") followed. In these volumes, the last of which was completed when she was about 75, Hildegard first describes each vision, then interprets them through Biblical exegesis. Hildegard has also become a figure of reverence within the contemporary New Age movement, mostly due to her holistic and natural view of healing, as well as her status as a mystic.

Between the twelfth and the eighteenth centuries Italians frequently joined "confraternities" that made them symbolic brothers and sisters to one another. These kin groups launched extensive charitable programs, directed civic and religious rituals, and socialized members in class and gender roles. These essays examine how medieval religious and political values shaped early ritual kinship, how sixteenth-century social change and religious reform transformed confraternities, and how these altered groups became key agents in achieving the more rigid social order of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Monasteries are among the most intriguing and enduring symbols of England's medieval heritage. Simultaneously places of prayer and spirituality, power and charity, learning and invention, illusion and superstition, they survive today as haunting ruins, great houses and as some of our most important cathedrals and churches.
This book examines the growth of monasticism and the different orders of monks; the architecture and administration of monasteries, the daily life of monks and nuns, the art of monasteries and their libraries, their role in caring for the poor and sick, their power and wealth, their decline and suppression, their ruin and rescue.
Many of Britain's greatest churches, including Westminster Abbey, Canterbury, Durham and Gloucester cathedrals were once monasteries. So too were some of Britain's most evocative and awe-inspiring ruins such as Fountain's Abbey in Yorkshire and Tintern Abbey in Wales. This book tells the story of devotion, work and prayer behind those magnificent edifices.

This is a study of the life, monastic writings and spiritual theology of John Cassian (c.365-430). Cassian's writings were the bridge between eastern monasticism and the developing Latin monasticism of Southern Gaul, and exerted a major influence on the Rule of Benedict and the theology of Gregory the Great.

From the origins of Benedictine tradition to our everyday lives, "A Rhythm of Life: The Monastic Way" traces and reflects upon a way of life that is both simple and inspiring. Brother Victor-Antoine highlights the many traditions, both daily and yearly, that bring us back to a prayerful life that often escapes us in our busy day-to-day lives. The wisdom of the monastic life, inspired by St. Benedict, inspires us to apply those traditions and values as we are guided by reflection through the varying seasons.

"Hardcover"

View sample pages.

A new edition of the popular 'office' hymn book, Hymns for Prayer and Praise provides carefully-selected hymns for the daily monastic office, the Calendar of Saints and the seasons of the Christian year. First published in 1996, this new edition has been updated in light of Common Worship: Daily Prayer. A 'chant' and 'melody' form are provided for each hymn, allowing the material to be used in both community and congregational contexts. Available in both Full Music and Melody editions, Hymns for Prayer and Praise draws on ancient patterns of worship to meet present day needs.

This is the first study of the monastic movement in Palestine during the Byzantine period. The monasteries of the desert - in Jerusalem, Egypt, and Syria, played a key role in Byzantine society, and the `desert fathers' are well known even today as landmarks in the history of Christian spirituality. The book uses contemporary sources to discuss both how the monks actually lived, and their contribution to the doctrinal and spiritual debate.

2010 Reprint of 1923 Edition. In this brilliant reflection on the poor friar of Assisi, G.K. Chesterton unfolds the life and times of St. Francis, from his conversion as a young man to his receiving of the Stigmata at the end of his life. While many modern biographers stumble in their effort to grasp the essence of the saint, Chesterton shows that Francis' entire life, his prayer, his poverty, his asceticism, his love of creation, and all his eccentricities, flowed from his profound love for Christ and all men. In Chesterton's colorful prose, St. Francis shines with the splendor of sanctity and calls each of us to the same intense and animating love for God and His people.

This is an authoritative account of daily life in Westminster Abbey, one of medieval England's greatest monasteries. It is also a wide-ranging exploration of some major themes in the social history of the Middle Ages and early sixteenth century by a distinguished historian of that period. Barbara Harvey exploits the exceptionally rich archives of the Benedictine foundation at Westminster to the full, offering many vivid insights into the lives of the monks of Westminster, their dependents, and their benefactors. She examines the charitable practices of the monks, their food and drink, their illnesses and their deaths, the number and conditions of employment of their servants, and their controversial practice of granting corrodies (pensions made up in large measure of benefits in kind). All these topics Miss Harvey considers in the context both of religious institutions in general and of the secular world. Full of colour and interest, Living and Dying in England 1100-1540 is an original and highly readable contribution to medieval history and that of the early sixteenth century.

Burton-Christie shows how scripture was a primary source of influence on the founders of early Christian monasticism in fourth-century Egypt, and how it contributed to its original and influential spirituality.

The Iona Community was founded in Glasgow in 1938 by George MacLeod, minister, visionary and prophetic witness for peace, in the context of the poverty and despair of the Depression. Its original task of rebuilding the monastic ruins of Iona Abbey became a sign of hopeful rebuilding of community in Scotland and beyond. Since that time, the Community's Rule has been the common thread running through the life of its members, weaving them together. As the church becomes polarised in many places, many people are seeking a committed life which is radical, but also open, ecumenical and inclusive. Such resources as are found in the Community's Rule give an anchor which works against the grain of suspicion, and states that there are alternatives, that a Christian life can be lived fully in ways which do not have, by definition, to be either right-wing or reactionary. Kathy Galloway offers a series of reflections on living by the Rule of the Iona Community, exploring its history, inner life and public witness. They arise from her conviction that 'the Rule is, for us, a source of freedom and, in its outworking, contains something of our prophetic edge. It is not so much that I keep the Rule, as that the Rule keeps me.'

"Spiritual Friendship" is today the best known and perhaps most influential of the thirteen surviving works of Aelred, abbot of the great English Cistercian abbey of Rievaulx from 1147 '1167. During his abbacy he built Rievaulx into a place of spiritual welcome and physical prosperity, desiring to make it a mother of mercy" to those in need. In a three-book Ciceronian dialogue Aelred defines human friendship as sacramental, beginning in creation, as God sought to place his own love of society in al his creatures, linking friends to Christ in this life and culminating in friendship with God in beatitude. This fresh new translation makes the work crisply readable, allowing the intellectual and Christian insight of this great Cistercian teacher and writer to speak clearly to today's seekers of love, wisdom, and truth.

"Lawrence C. Braceland, was professor of classics and dean at Ignatius College, Guelph (Canada), until in 1963 becoming professor of classics and dean of arts and sciences at St. Paul's College, the University of Manitoba. After his retirement in 1-978, he devoted himself to Cistercian scholarship, publishing numerous articles and translating in four volumes al the works of the English Cistercian abbot Gilbert of Hoyland."

"Marshal. Dutton, professor of medieval literature and director of graduate studies in English at Ohio University, is along time student of the works of Aelred of Rievaulx and of other twelfth-century Cistercian writers. She is associate editor of "Cistercian Studies Quarterly." In addition to her many articles on Cistercian thought, Dutton has written the introduction to "Vita Aelredi" (CF 57) and edited Aelred's "The Historical Works" and "Lives of the Northern Saints" (CF 56, 71) as well as preparing a critical edition of "Aelred's Pastoral Prayer" (CF 73). She was one of the editors of "Truth as Gift: Studies in Cistercian History Honoring John R. Sommerfeldt "(CS 204).""