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FDD,

Actually from all that I have read about the formulation of the Rule, Saint Benedict drew heavily from Eastern sources, although he made more accomodations for human weakness than other Typicons allowed.

The Western rite jurisdictions of the Antiochian Archdiocese have started Oblate groups (following the Rule of Saint Benedict) to help strengthen the common life of their parishes and to foster a focused apostolate among the laity.

Gordo

So, the Benedictine Rule is an 'enhancement' where non-Benedictine Eastern monasiticism is lacking? Is this the point?

Would Eastern Monasticism be better off if it adopted the Benedictine Rule?

Would we come to understand Eastern Christianity better throught Benedictine traditions?

How does the Benedictine Rule make Eastern Christian Monasticism better?

Since St. Benedict made "heavy use" of Eastern monastic traditions, did he succeed where Eastern Monastic traditions (in themselves) failed?

Should our bishops encourage a Byzantine form of monasticism with the Benedictine Rule? If so, then should the Eastern aspect be supplemental?

Our church history has shown that a number of monastic communities that went cold turkey on Western rules and/or traditions, however harmless, either left or were disassociated. Comments.

Joe T

And some of our monastic communities that remained or wanted to remain authentic to an Eastern monastic rule and tradition left as well. Only these became Orthodox.

We're always losin' them to one side or the other!

Now for your questions...

1. No, and no
2. No
3. No
4. It may have done something for Western Monasticism, but not for the eastern form.
5. No
6. Definitely not, and certainly not!

John K

Had a pm from a friend involved in both the Benedictine experience and the authentic living out of his Eastern Catholic heritage. He writes:

Is not St. Benedict considered an Orthodox saint? Did he not live in the time when the Church knew no division? I even wonder if he lived in a time when no one even thought of referring to the Church as either East or West, but rather referred to the Catholic--or universal--Church. Somehow we've got to remember that the labels we've developed and attached to ourselves are just that--labels we've developed and attached to ourselves. They help keep us focused on who we are, but they also tend to foster the continuation of the kind of division that the Good Lord so wanted us not to have.

Personally, I benefit from using sources from both the East and the West in my spiritual pilgrimage. One is not superior to the other. They are complimentary. Beyond that, it seems to me that a familiarity with both approaches to communion with Christ gives us an understanding of who our brothers and sisters are. Finally, it seems to me that we have to understand that the reason we seem to be so far apart--and it is a distance that we make ourselves--is that there has been authentic development under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in each tradition. We have been apart for over a millenium and many of the externals are things we may not recognize in each other. But the core of the Faith-- God became man in order that man might become like God --is something we share. Beyond that, when we look at specific rules and habits developed to train men and women to "become like God," St. Seraphim of Sarov's pithy statement ties it all together: "For the true aim of the Christian life is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God."

I don't think Eastern monasticism needs to be supplemented. If the rule followed by so many monasteries has produced so many holy men and women, why "mess with success"? And as far as monastic communities disassociating themselves, it seems to me that the struggle to remain faithful never gets any easier, whether one lives in community or one lives in the world.

In Christ,

BOB

Sooooo...

If I wanted to visit them, what would I expect? Would it be comparable to Holy Ressurection's daily schedule? Would I notice a distinctive Byzantine spirituality? Or would the comparison be to a RC Benedictine monastery?

Good grief, Joe, calm down!

I was just sharing what I had read, and not making any value statement on whether whether the Eastern rules were better or worse than the Western rules. I have run across several authors who point out Benedict's use of Eastern sources, while at the same time his effort to mitigate/accomodate certain aspects of the those rules in defernce to human weakness.

The fact that there were differing monastic rules for different times and cultures is a positive thing, in my own estimation. It demonstrates the viability of the monastic ideal in all cultures and all ages.

Blessings,

Gordo

Saint Benedict himself, in his Rule, recommends the Rules of Saint Basil and the writings of Saint John Cassian.

Fr. Serge