Wary of the World. Reconciling a monastic lifestyle with coenobitic serviceability to the outer world in the Rule of Saint Benedict and the ninth-century Carolingian commentaries on the Rule

Abstract

In light of the monastic reforms of the ninth century, the Carolingian commentaries on the Rule of Saint Benedict offer an interesting insight in the specific needs and wishes of ninth-century monastic communities. In particular, monasteries increasingly encounter situations where they need to interact with the world outside. The Rule also instructs hospitability. This thesis attempts to determine how the commentaries of Smaragdus of Saint-Mihiel and Hildemar of Corbie instructed their respective audiences to preserve seclusion and regularity while remaining serviceable to the world outside. As it will be demonstrated, the commentators adviced communities to be wary of the world, aware of the dangers as well as properly attentive.