Compare Benedict and Claire's Rules

Compare Benedict and Claire's Rules

  • Submitted By: lghbrks
  • Date Submitted: 12/14/2015 12:43 PM
  • Category: Religion
  • Words: 512
  • Page: 3

Comparative Analytical analysis of the Benedict’s and Clare’s rule
Benedict of Nursia was a Christian saint who was born at Rome in the fifth century. He later moved to and settled at Monte Casino where he established his monastery of Christian brotherhood. This is where he formed the basis of new orders that were meant to give guidelines in his monastery. Saint Clare also established rules in her sisterhood monastery to guide the sisters on how they lived and how they related with each other to fulfill the requirements of perfect lives in serving God. Clare, an Italian born saint was a strong advocate of the practice of intense poverty as a way to show religious commitment. Though both rules show similarities, there were also differences between their rules.
With both rules demanding that every member of the monastery should be totally committed to serve God, they both suggest that the monks and sisters should sacrifice their ownership of property and embrace voluntary poverty. Saint Clare suggests that the sisters should choose a life of perfection and give up their belongings. As she points it out, the sisters should take the Holy Spirit as their spouse and concentrate fully on serving God. Benedict’s rule also proposes that ownership of property is not allowed (Bettenson, Henry, and Maunder, 126). The rule also insists that the monks should be in possession of only permitted things and anything received should be after the leave of the abbot.
Servant ship is also encouraged in both monasteries. The sick should be taken care of by the brothers and sisters. As the Clare rule proposes, the sick should be attended to and provided with the required materials. Benedict’s rule actually suggests that the sick should be taken care of as Christ himself and should suffer no neglect.
Excommunication and punishment are allowed by both monasteries. Benedict’s rule orders that the extent of the excommunication relies on the weight of the fault. It goes further to...

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