Monasticism Flashcards
What is a religious order?
A group that follows the teachings of a holy person.
Who was the most important holy person for religious orders in Norman England?
Saint Benedict.
What were followers of Saint Benedict’s teachings called?
Benedictine monks and nuns.
When did Saint Benedict’s teachings begin to be followed?
Since the sixth century AD.
How long do Benedictine monks and nuns train as novices?
Four years.
Does the Benedictine Order still exist today?
Yes, it includes both monks and nuns.
What is the vow of poverty?
To give up wealth and material possessions upon entering the monastery or nunnery.
What is the vow of chastity?
Abstaining from sex and other physical pleasures, like eating sweet food or drinking alcohol.
What is the vow of obedience?
To obey God’s teachings, the Bible, the abbot or abbess, and the rules of the order.
What is the vow of stability?
A promise never to leave the monastic community or the monastery itself.
Q: What is monasticism?
A: A way of life where monks and nuns dedicate themselves to God, living in isolation in monasteries, abbeys, or nunneries.
Q: How did the Normans reform English monasteries after the Conquest?
A: By enforcing stricter rules, establishing new monasteries, replacing Anglo-Saxon abbots, and aligning services with Norman practices.
Q: What role did Lanfranc play in monastic reform?
A: He introduced strict rules at Canterbury, based on the Rule of St Benedict, and set a hierarchy of senior monks.
Q: What was enforced more strictly under Lanfranc’s reforms?
A: The Rule of St Benedict.
Q: What was the Cluniac Order, and when was the first Cluniac monastery established in England?
A: A strict monastic order from Cluny, France; the first was established in Lewes, Sussex, in 1078.
