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The Rule of St Benedict, written for monks in the sixth century, continues to hold an extraordinary appeal to people in our day. It offers a balanced approach to seeking God and integrating prayer, work and relationships in a way that is more essential than ever in our stress-riven society. For St Benedict, the whole of life has a Lenten character, that is, it should be driven by the power of Easter which permeates every aspect of the day with the transforming power of Christ’s resurrection.
The book aims to help readers to engage directly with The Rule of St Benedict. The essential argument is that the Rule offers a way of accessing the transforming power of grace by following the gospel in everyday life, and so is potentially a blessing for every Christian. While the centrality of Easter in the Rule makes the book ideal as a Lent book, it also means that The Way of Benedict can serve as a guide to the wisdom of the Rule throughout the year. While not a commentary on the Rule, the book follows the shape of the Rule in the belief that this is integral to St Benedict’s vision of holistic living.
Laurentia Johns has been a Benedictine nun at Stanbrook Abbey since 1990. A poet and regular speaker/writer on Benedictine spirituality, she has worked in formation and guest ministries and currently has care of the community’s oblates.
