Emerging Chaos Calls for the Need for Stability

Emperor Constantine I (1)

September 4, 476. This date marks the fall of the Roman Empire, one of the most renowned periods in history where a country fell into near chaos. On this day, a barbarian by the name of Odoacer overthrew the Roman emperor Romulus Augustus from his political position. However, there were many other contributing factors leading to the decline of the Roman Empire including the increasing influence of Christianity on society. When first introduced, Christianity was not accepted among the empire. It wasn’t until 380 when Christianity was declared the official religion of the Roman Empire by the present emperor, Constantine I. Initially, the religion was strictly governed by the emperor, but over time church leaders became prominent figures, dictating the religious views to the public. Due to this movement, the power the emperor had on Romans decreased, diminishing the structure and within the state. In turn, chaos ensued and societal stability was lost.

St. Benedict (2)

Years later, in 524, a set of guidelines were written by St. Benedict, who was compelled to create these rules upon acknowledging the growing corruption of Rome’s society. These rules were meant to enforce stability and order and apply them to aid in lessening the turmoil that was plaguing society.

In the 700s, the plan of the monastery of St. Gall was drawn, one of the most prominent architectural drafts of the medieval era. The monastery of St. Gall was an ideal plan, not intended to be built but as a way for the abbot to contemplate the importance of a monastic life. Essentially, the plan was an embodiment of the Benedictine rules which controlled the life of the monks from the time they wake up to the time where they wash their feet and go to bed. There was little room from error considering how restricted their daily schedules were.

The Plan of St. Gall by Walter Horn and Ernest Born

The three volume series centered on the plan of St. Gall was initially published in 1979, first beginning research within the two decades prior. But why after all these years was this subject suddenly brought to light? Was there a reason for the authors, Walter Horn and Ernest Born, to look back to the plan and heavily document its contents? The Vietnam was between the anti-communists and the communists began in 1959, around the time research was being conducted for the plan. The world was suffering the destruction caused by war and perhaps searching the plan was in response to the current events of the time where parts of the world were thrown into disorder and there needed to be a reference to steady society.

Similarly, Corbusier, who based his personal retreat Le Cabanon on Cistercian cells could have had similar views on the existing problems throughout the world and created this cabin based on how he would go about bringing order and stability. Le Cabanon, like St. Gall, was focused on minimal habitation and how one could live with the bare essentials. The house was constructed in 1952, in the midst of the Cold War which occurred from 1941 to 1991. Maybe this study was Corbusier’s way of attempting to create a guideline for people in his time to refer to, much like Horn and Born looked for help in the Plan of St. Gall.

Based on the events that occurred during these periods, it is evident that these individuals felt the need to look back for a reference to help stabilize their society in desperate times.

-Lauren Tom

Image Sources:

1. "Ancient Mosaics." http://www.classicalmosaics.com/photo_album.htm (accessed Jan 17, 2010).

2. "The Cukierski Family Apostulate." http://www.cukierski.net/saintbenedict.shtml (accessed Jan 17, 2010).

Information Sources:

"Ancient/Classical History." http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/romefallarticles/a/fallofrome.htm (accessed Jan 17, 2010).

Bokern, Anneke. "Garden Shed a la Le Corbusier." April 4, 2009.http://www.stylepark.com/en/news/garden-shed-a-la-le-corbusier/291381 (accessed January 12, 2010).

"Fall of Rome - Why Did Rome Fall?." http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=710&HistoryID=ac58&gtrack=pthc (accessed Jan 17, 2010).

"Military: Cold War." http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/cold_war.htm (accessed January 17, 2010).

The Benedictine Rule

After the fall of the Roman Empire in 476, the Church found itself in disarray. amidst the chaos of the invasion of the barbarians, leaders clung to the state like structure that had developed since the declaration of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. Yet, in the years that followed the church struggled to stay together. Around 524 B.C.E. a monk, that would later become St. Benedict, became very concerned with the immorality that was plaguing the world and set out to write a set of guidelines to help people live better in the eyes of God. Benedict understood the importance of words, and how they could be used as a tool to promote vices or promote God, and his rule set out to refine how monks could achieve the later. This Rule is not offered as an ideal of perfection, but merely as a means towards godliness and is intended chiefly for beginners in the spiritual life.

St. Benedict (1)

In the very first chapter, Benedict makes a very clear claim to the importance of permanence and stability in one's life as he outlines the different kinds of monks. Benedict states there are four kinds of monks:

Cenobites: live in monasteries serve under rule of abbot (this is the Benedictine monk- the monks that followed the rule, and were said to have lived a good simple life.)

Anchorites or Hermites: who no longer have a excitement in their own reformation, but have spent a long period of “probation” in a monastery and have left to go out into the community by themselves.

Sarabaites: not been tested by any rule or lessons and experience, they are soft. They live in twos or threes, sometimes by themselves, in their own sheepfolds, not gods. Law of self gratification, whatever enters the mind appeals to them, they call holy; what they dislike they call unlawful

Gyrovagues: spend whole life moving from place to place, relying on monasteries for food and shelter. No stability, indulge themselves in their own wills and succumb to gluttony.

Benedict believed that the outside world brought corruption and distraction from the importance of God. Living a stable, permanent life in a monastery would allow you to achieve the best life in God's eyes.

A page from the Benedictine Rule (2)

The Rule goes on to describe good works, or things one should do to make their life good. it speaks to the importance of order, obedience, and humility. First outlining the most basic principal of monastic life, or that of any Christian: Love god above all else. The rule states that to obey is to hold Christ dear, and that one must be ready to drop everything in order to follow any orders given to them, without delay or complaint.

The very specific rule outlines all aspects of monastic life, everything from the process of accepting new monks, to when they eat, sleep, bathe, and pray. Benedict believed in the importance of living well, contrary to the trends of asceticism, where monks starved and beat themselves. Monks that followed this rule, ate well, got between 6 and 8 hours of sleep, and were given beds to sleep on. The monks were not to live a life of lavish luxury, or extreme poverty. Their lives were meant to be simple and but also good.

Essentially the Rule of St Benedict is an interpretation on what one must do in order to live a good and simple life. In the chaos of the aftermath of the fall of the Roman Empire monks were searching for order and stability, but also a way back to the good and simple life. often in times of confusion we look for guidelines to help us find our way back to safety. The Rule of St Benedict, or the Benedictine Rule shaped the course of monastic life for centuries to follow as people continued to follow the guidelines, allowing them to have the simple life they were searching for.

-Sam Eby

Image Sources:

"Italian Visits." http://www.italianvisits.com/people/saint_benedict/index.htm (accessed Jan 13, 2010).

"The Rule of St. Benedict." http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02436a.htm (accessed Jan 13, 2010).

Information Sources:

Braunfels, Wolfgang. Monasteries of Western Europe: The Architecture of the Orders. New York: Thames & Hudson, 1993.

"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Rule of St. Benedict." NEW ADVENT: Home

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02436a.htm (accessed January 19, 2010).

Price, Lorna. The Plan of St. Gall In Brief: an overview of the three volume work by Walter Horn

and Ernest Born. Ex-Library ed. Los Angeles: Univ Of California Press, 1982.

"St. Benedict - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online." Catholic Online - Breaking News, World, U.S.,

Catholic, Diocese & Video News. http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=26 (accessed

January 19, 2010).

"St. Gall Monastary Plan - Home." St. Gall Monastary Plan : St. Galler Klosterplan

http://www.stgallplan.org/en/index.html (accessed January 19, 2010).