The Legacy of St. Benedict - The Scholarship of Monasticism
The year 1980 is being celebrated throughout the world as the fifteen-hundredth anniversary of the birth of St Benedict, whose rule, explains Henry Loyn, has been the leading inspiration for monastic life in the Western church.
Western civilisation owes its life blood to monks and nuns. In the early Middle Ages monasteries were the centre of civilisation in western Europe. Monks and nuns leave the world in order to find God. In finding Him they have given much to the world, in missionary work, in education, in craftsmanship, and many other fields To acknowledge this debt the British Library has organised a major exhibition on the theme 'The Benedictines in Britain' ' which presents a picture of Benedictine life and achievements, principally through manuscript books of Benedictine origin from the Middle Ages. The library has also published a book on the same theme which is a study of the Benedictine order in Britain, the way of life it espoused and the scope of its achievement, from the late seventh century to the present day. History Today commemorates the contribution of the Benedictines to scholarship with illustrations from some illuminated manuscripts from the British Library exhibition, with an article by Antonia Gransden on the Benedictines and historical writing in England, and an assessment of Benedictine Studies by Henry Loyn.
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