ANOTHER SET OF RULES FOR THE CHURCH TO FOLLOW: THE RILE OF St. BENEDICT
Reading through multiple chapters of the “Rule of St. Benedict”, one will quickly find it to be filled with much legalism. Although it is focused mainly on monks and Abbots, Benedict’s book of rules can be helpful to some Christians as some basic principles to live by. When reading and studying the “Rule of St. Benedict” we should not be too judgemental or critical of its content or point of view.
There are times as Christians that we face many different challenges which can cause situations to be a little confusing, the issue of drinking comes to mind where the Bible does not say whether or not Christians should or should not drink. The “Rule of Benedict” however states out some very clear guidelines that are very helpful in making a decision. It says,”... we think one hemina of wine a day is sufficient for each one. But to whom God granteth the endurance of abstinence, let them know that they will have their special reward.”
Benedict’s rules also help in remind us of some very basic principle of the Christian life. Having Faith is just one of those principles that came to mind when reading chapter LXVIII,” If a Brother is Commanded to do Impossible Things”. If a man has been given a task that seems to be impossible to him and the one who commanded him to do that task insists that he complete it, then the man should trust that God will give him the strength to complete it. Living through faith should be a very common thing for Christians to do, even for the simplest of things, we need not give up.
These are just a few of the examples found in the “Rule of St. Benedict”. There is still much more that one can live by and learn from these rules. We need not judge or make light of what St. Benedict has laid out in this set of guidelines.