Monasticism and Religious Life
The institution of cenobitic monastic life — its divine origins, its apostolic defenders, and its role in sanctifying individuals and transforming society. Moses instituted the Nazirites; Basil, "the Moses of cenobitic monks," raised up monasteries throughout the East and prescribed monastic constitutions. To envy the monastic enterprise "is nothing other than to have surpassed the devil himself in wickedness."
Preliminaries
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Moses instituted the Nazirites; Basil raised up monasteries throughout the East and prescribed monastic constitutions. The heretics attacked him for introducing novelties.
"Saint Basil, the Moses of cenobitic monks, raised up monasteries throughout the whole East and prescribed monastic constitutions for them."
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Basil's defense: monks are devoted to piety, have renounced the world, carry about in their bodies the mortification of Jesus.
"We are accused... of this way of life too, because we have men who are monks devoted to piety, who have renounced the world and all its cares"
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Basil testified that Egypt, Palestine, and Mesopotamia were full of followers of this "Christian Philosophy," including women.
"Egypt, Palestine, and Mesopotamia are full of those who follow this Christian Philosophy; and that even women, emulating the same pursuit, have happily attained an equal rule of life."
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Basil declared that to envy the monastic enterprise "is nothing other than to have surpassed the devil himself in wickedness."
"to envy this enterprise, he declares in the words that follow, is nothing other than to have surpassed the devil himself in wickedness"
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Basil taught the people "to build monasteries... to devote themselves to psalms and hymns and prayers, to care for the poor, to establish religious houses for virgins."
"He brought them... to build monasteries; he taught them to devote themselves to psalms and hymns and prayers, to care for the poor, to establish religious houses for virgins"
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— St. Vindicianus of Cambrai "erected monasteries and churches above all else."
"he erected monasteries and churches above all else."
Preface and Praise of Sacred Scripture
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Chapter IV: The Judgments and Examples of the Fathers
— St. Mark instituted Christian study of sacred Letters at Alexandria; the Essenes were the first Alexandrian Christians, from dawn to night reading and searching Scripture.
"St. Mark instituted this Christian study of the sacred Letters at Alexandria... how diligently the Essenes — the first, I say, of those Alexandrian Christians — from dawn to night spent the entire day in reading"
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Chapter IV: The Judgments and Examples of the Fathers
— The Studite monastery at Constantinople, where Theodore the Studite occupied disciples in copying Scripture and combated Iconoclast emperors.
"At Constantinople there was once a celebrated monastery which took the name of Studios from its founder and from its study of sacred Letters and a more perfect life"
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Saintly Examples of Scripture Study
— St. Dominic urged the Brothers always to study Old and New Testaments; the Brothers sent to preach carried only the Bible.
"he urged the Brothers always to study the Old and New Testaments: for he held the fictions of the philosophers in low regard; hence the Brothers sent to preach carried only the Bible with them"
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Saintly Examples of Scripture Study
— St. Francis granted his followers study of sacred Letters on condition they not extinguish the spirit of prayer and devotion.
"St. Francis, when asked by his followers, granted them the study of sacred Letters, on the condition that they should not extinguish the spirit of prayer and devotion"
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Chapter II: On the Object and Breadth of Sacred Scripture
— The Gospel voice about evangelical poverty fills the cloisters for monks and the deserts for hermits (Bernard).
"these are the words that fill the cloisters for monks and the deserts for hermits."