The Rule of Saint Benedict: A Contemporary Paraphrase

Discussion around the bestseller The Benedict Option by Rod Dreher has led many people to want to know more about Benedictine principles.​

This little rule can be a place to begin.

"Listen, my child. I want you to place the ear of your heart on the solid ground of the Master's wisdom (what I received, I'm passing on to you). This advice is from a spiritual father who loves you and gives you the sort of counsel that will shape your whole life."

Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove's The Rule of Saint Benedict presents the timeless wisdom of the Rule in a vibrant new language. The contemporary reader will find this sixth-century classic more accessible, while any student or follower of the Rule will discover in this paraphrase a vital new expression. The full text is included, and detailed explanatory notes offer help in understanding challenging passages.

About the Author:

St. Benedict of Nursia (ca. 480-547) is considered the founder of Western monasticism.
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove is a leader of the new monastic movement and co-founded the Rutba House community in Durham, North Carolina. An associate minister at St. John's Baptist Church in Durham, he also directs the School for Conversion, a partnership among new monastic communities for alternative theological education.