Ildephonse Schuster

Despite the importance of St. Benedict of Nursia in the history of the Church and of the world, we know precious little about his life. He left no written documents except his great Rule, which has wisely guided countless God-seeking souls for a millennium and a half. In the absence of an Augustinian Confessions, Benedict's Rule supplies a self-effacing but unmistakable biography, for the Patriarch could not have lived otherwise than as he taught. Ildefonso Schuster, one of the outstanding ecclesiastical scholars of the twentieth century, has fitted St. Benedict into the times in which he lived, using the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great as his point of departure. With an immense fund of knowledge at his disposal-historical, juridical, liturgical, archaeological, and literary-the author is able to invest the rather sketchy outline of St. Benedict with flesh and bones. No other biography of the Patriarch of Western Monasticism has ever come close to matching Schuster's in breadth of vision or richness of scholarship.

Despite the importance of St. Benedict of Nursia in the history of the Church and of the world, we know precious little about his life. He left no written documents except his great Rule, which has wisely guided countless God-seeking souls for a millennium and a half. In the absence of an Augustinian Confessions, Benedict's Rule supplies a self-effacing but unmistakable biography, for the Patriarch could not have lived otherwise than as he taught. Ildefonso Schuster, one of the outstanding ecclesiastical scholars of the twentieth century, has fitted St. Benedict into the times in which he lived, using the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great as his point of departure. With an immense fund of knowledge at his disposal-historical, juridical, liturgical, archaeological, and literary-the author is able to invest the rather sketchy outline of St. Benedict with flesh and bones. No other biography of the Patriarch of Western Monasticism has ever come close to matching Schuster's in breadth of vision or richness of scholarship.

St. Benedict And His Times is a book written by Ildephonse Schuster that provides a detailed account of the life and times of St. Benedict, the founder of the Benedictine Order. The book begins with a brief introduction to the historical context in which St. Benedict lived and then delves into his life story, including his early years, his decision to become a hermit, and his eventual establishment of the monastery at Monte Cassino. Schuster also explores the impact that St. Benedict had on the Church and the wider world, examining the ways in which his teachings and practices influenced monasticism and the development of Western civilization. He discusses the Rule of St. Benedict, which outlines the principles and practices of the Benedictine Order, and provides insights into the daily life of Benedictine monks. Throughout the book, Schuster draws on a variety of primary sources, including St. Gregory the Great's biography of St. Benedict, to provide a comprehensive and engaging account of this important figure in Christian history. Whether you are a scholar of medieval history or simply interested in learning more about St. Benedict and his legacy, this book is an excellent resource.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.