The Life of St. Benedict by Gregory the Great: Translation and Commentary by Terrence G. Kardong OSBMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked up this book over the summer, mostly because I didn't have an edition of the Life of St. Benedict, which seemed odd, given my interest in Benedictine spirituality. Kardong's edition is a good one, with an informative commentary and a readable translation. Kardong gives a good sense of context and structure of the Life, which is really helpful when reading it.
Ancient and mediaeval hagiography can be something of an acquired taste, given the predominance of miracles and wonders which can put off more skeptical modern readers, whose tastes may lie more towards biography and personality. Yet, the aims of these hagiographies are different- focusing on establishing their subject's spiritual power as reflecting God's power. This life is very much in that tradition, focusing especially on Benedict's miracles. Yet, there is much that is human which comes out. Benedict, for all of the efforts to depict him as the spiritual master, has moments of very real humanity- in his reaction to the community which tried to poison him, his interactions with his sister, Scholastica, who summoned a storm to keep him from leaving overnight and his lovely vision of the world towards the end of his life. I can't say that our reading of Benedict is as well rounded as a modern biographer would prefer (this is ancient hagiography, after all), but I think we see the person as well as the saint.
This biography is an excellent one for those interested in the saints and especially in Benedictine spirituality and history and is well worth reading.
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment