This book looks at the life and work of Saint Benedict through the history of sixth-century Italy, throwing fresh light on Benedict's Rule and Pope Gregory the Great's Life of Benedict (his second Dialogue). Commentaries on the Rule concentrate-quite naturally-on Benedict's spirituality but rarely take into account modern historical scholarship on the period.

Though often thought of as a medieval figure, Saint Benedict was, in fact, a Roman. During the first half of his adult life he lived in an Italy that was peaceful and the Roman social and political order essentially intact, even though under the ruled of a Gothic king. Benedict's community inherited much from this late-Roman cultural background and from the eclectic intellectual atmosphere of the time. During the last years of his life the Roman order finally collapsed-thanks to Justinian's invasion of Italy, an epidemic of plague and exceptionally poor harvests

Write a review

Over 14,000 churches and schools have upgraded to an Advance Account and we‘d love to welcome you into this free program. We know that church volunteers and school teachers often use their own money, then have claim it back on on an expense form. We can take all of that hassle away by invoicing your church or school directly and delivering your order straight away.

Opening an account is quick and easy, with most accounts being approved and setup within a few hours of filling in the form below (on weekdays, not weekends). As soon as we‘ve approved the application we‘ll send you an email to let you know that its done.

Upgrade to a FREE Eden Advance Account