A note of caution I’ve heard about President Obama and our leadership expectations of him is this: we must remember he is not the Messiah.
And indeed he’s not. But it made me think of Benedictine spirituality. Chapter Two of the Rule of St Benedict sets out What Kind of Person the Abbot/Abbess Should Be. Chapter Three is On Summoning the Brethren to Council. (You can read a full translation of these two chapters in this text.)
Re-reading these chapters, a couple of things occur to me:
- The sophistication with which the Rule simultaneously encourages and restrains the Superior of the monastery
- How well these two chapters fit with current business teaching on leadership
In the place of Christ
The Superior stands in the place of Christ in the monastery. He must “fulfil his actions in the name of one who is called greater”. She “…should not teach or ordain or command anything that lies outside the Lord’s commands, far from it; but her commands and her teaching should mingle like the leaven of divine justice…”.
This immediately gives grave responsibility tempered with great comfort: to act in the place of Christ for a community would seem an impossible burden were it not for the example of exquisite leadership his life gives us.
And remember that the Rule was written in a time when rulers were often absolute and feared. Joan Chittister has this to say:
The social revolution of the Rule starts in this paragraph on authority. This will be a different kind of life than the sixth-century Roman ever saw. The head of the monastery will not be a chief or a queen or a feudal lord. The superior of a monastery of Benedictines will be a Christ figure, simple, unassuming, immersed in God, loving of the marginal, doer of the Gospel, beacon to the strong.
Walking the talk
Chapter Two goes on to explain how the Superior “…must show forth all good and holy things by his words and even more by his deeds.”
And “…she should show herself equally loving to all, and maintain discipline impartially according to the merits of each.”
Well any of us with experience of being in authority, perhaps as a manager, a teacher or a parent, knows how challenging these sections of the Rule can be! And any of us on the receiving end of a manager, teacher or parent who does NOT act like this knows how frustrating it can be…
A very modern leader
Next, we hear that the Superior must use different techniques to lead different personalities:
…one, indeed, to be encouraged, another to be rebuked, another persuaded, each according to his nature and intelligence. Thus he must adapt and fit himself to all…
I just did an Amazon search for books on management and leadership. There were 204,211. I doubt many have under 200 pages. Chapter Two of the Rule covers four pages and seems to me to have everything a leader must know to deal with people fairly and effectively.
(The only thing that might not fit our modern sensibilities is a small section suggesting corporal punishment for “…the shameless, the thick-skinned, the proud or disobedient.” Tempting, but perhaps not…)
Collegiality
Chapter Three is no less revolutionary for its times. The superior is explicitly instructed to take counsel with the community when decisions must be made.
For “less important matters”, the Superior “…should take counsel only with the senior monks…”. But for the big, important decisions, the whole community must be assembled to consider the matter. Why? Because the youngest, most junior monk may have the grace and imagination to see the best solution.
Chittister again:
Benedict knows that there is a spark of the divine in all of us. The function of an abbot or prioress, of leaders and spouses everywhere, is not so much to know the Truth as to be able to espy it and to recognise it in the other when they hear it. Calling the community for counsel is Benedict’s contribution to the theology of the Holy Spirit.
And what a huge gift and relief for the Superior, who does not have to come up with all the ideas! The actual decision-making is his (“…the decision should, however, depend mainly on the Abbot’s judgement, and all should be joined in obedience to what he considers the soundest course.”) but the wisdom arises collectively from the community, like prayer, and the smoke of incense (psalm 141).
Communal responsibility
Responsibility is enjoined upon the whole community, not just the superior. The monks must behave like grown-ups:
…the brethren must give their counsel submissively and humbly and not presume stubbornly to defend their opinions.” “…no-one is to presume to argue rudely with the Abbot, or to argue at all outside the monastery.”
Perhaps this all comes back to the tension between the individual and the communal. A monastic community is there to support the individuals in it as they seek God. But the community will outlast the individuals in it, whether monk or superior.
(A sober note here: as the number of people in monastic life falls, some monasteries will close. But I believe there’s a sense in which generations of prayer and monastic life leave an indelible mark, quite separate from the buildings that housed them.)
I think these chapters echo the note struck so forcibly in Obama’s inaugural address: that of individual and collective responsibility.
And I realise I was wrong in describing them as modern. They are ageless.
image: hamed saber
Meanwhile, elsewhere in cyberspace:
I’m reading two stories of being called and of change, at Episcopal Cafe and at Football and Faith.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
This is absolutely fascinating. How visionary, far-sighted and realistic Benedict was! I find some resonance between the Benedictine approach to leadership and the Baha’i approach. The emphasis in the Baha’i texts is on leadership as service and as enabling the members of the community (and others who wish to walk the path with the community) to use their God-given talents and capacities to the very best in service to their fellow human beings.
There is no individual Superior in the Baha’i community. Authority resides in elected bodies, but we do have individuals appointed to counsel and inspire and guide.
That said, many of the principles you’ve outlined here, Tess, would apply equally in a Baha’i setting. They are, indeed, ageless.
I had an image of Benedict above my computer in my college office. His ageless approach to management works well for teachers, too. I find so much wisdom in this part of the Rule, so much balance, so much humanity.
Well said–I did not know those Benedictine details and appreciate your insights. Those lessons of leadership are indeed ageless. We just need to remember those classic models and how to apply them to our world today.
So many lessons are not so new–if we would only listen and learn from the masters who learned before us!
Hi Tess, I, too appreciate this look into the Benedictine world, the ageless wisdom, and agree the world would be a better place if all leaders lived by this credo.
In reference to your sobering note is a quote I cut out years ago that speaks me and to this subject:
“Although I do not worship places, I do feel there is a certain sense of holiness in some places, where thousands have journeyed to apprehend the Spirit of God. In these holy places, the barrier between the physical and the spiritual has become thin, making it easier to enter into a prayerful state. In this state, I am joined with the whole communion of saints, those who came before me, those who pray with me, and those who will follow me. Such a place takes on a spiritual character, because of the love spilled there. I do not believe that the rocks, dirt, trees, and grass are holy…. Nevertheless, I think a place can be changed, I suppose consecrated, by the devotion and love of God experienced by people there.” – Laura Inscoe
Grace and peace, friend!
@Barney, this insight into Baha’i authority is interesting. Are the individuals appointed to counsel etc. also in the elected bodies, or separate?
@Barbara, you just reminded me of the great schools founded and run by Benedictines.
@Pam and Barbara Anne, yes it’s in the applying of the lessons that we fall down. Beautiful quote, BA.
@Tess, the individuals appointed to counsel etc are separate from the elected bodies, so they can give good advice independently and assist the elected bodies by providing a view from a different perspective. This is invaluable.
Barney, makes sense. Thanks.
Thank you, Tess, for your thoughtful reflections on leadership and the Rule of St. Benedict. When I read your first line about our expectations of President Obama, I immediately thought of a bumper sticker that neighbors of mine put on their car during the long campaign season; it reads, “OBAMA: FOR THE WHOLE WORLD.” Every time I see it, it still strikes me as a whole lot of messianic expectation to place on one person!
I’m an oblate of St. Brigid of Kildare Monastery, a community that draws on both Benedictine and Methodist traditions. One of the things I really appreciate about Benedictine folks is that, as part of a tradition that’s been around for more than a millennium and a half, they tend to be able to take the long view of things. They know how history has rhythms and cycles, as do our own lives; they know the importance of having spiritual practices that ground us and help keep us steady amid the constancy of change; they know how crucial it is to not freak out (at least for not too long) when things fall apart, because, taking the long view, and having a sense of history and God’s providence, they know that systems tend to eventually stabilize (or transform into something new–as seems to be happening with many monastic communities these days; the St. Brigid’s community is one example of how the ancient monastic tradition is finding new expression in a new millennium).
As we weather the drastic economic changes around the world and deal with other intense challenges that require wise and courageous leadership, Benedictine traditions and values invite us to keep our heads, develop spiritual practices that will provide sustenance, and give attention to cultivating communities that call forth and support wise leaders (and can stay afloat even when the leaders are less than wise). Modern and ageless: thank you for reminding us!
Jan, thanks for this. I don’t know much about Methodist tradition, but one of the things I value so much about Benedictines is the way in which in which their spirituality is universal.
And yes, the long, cyclical view. Buddhists have that also.
First, I have to tell you, our pastor said the same thing on the Sunday after the election: “Obama is not the messiah.” Some people got upset by the comment, but I know exactly what he meant. Obama is human, and he has stepped into a huge responsibility at a tremendously challenging time. As happy as I am to see Obama in office now — I campaigned for him — I do worry about people’s expectations.
I’m always fascinated by Benedictine spirituality, too, having been introduced to it by Kathleen Norris a while back. Thanks for the interesting thoughts.
Thanks Tess for this thoughtful and very insightful post. I am really enjoying taking in your vision of Benedictine values. And thanks too to Jan for her great comment.
Tess
I really like this beautiful and insightful post about the benedictiness. I also feel that a lot of my fellow countrymens hopes have been set so hi that the President can’t possible reach them.
@Cindy: thanks for your comment, and welcome to my site. Kathleen Norris has been such a wonderful inspiration to so many people.
@Christine: I love that you’re one of those sharing this Benedictine journey with me xx
@Yolanda: you raise an important point. President Obama (oh the thrill of typing those words!) cannot fulfil the world’s expectations, but what I’m hoping so fervently is that by his example he can inspire us all to become leaders in our own way. I don’t quite know where I’m going with this – perhaps another blog post some time – but there’s something around the touchstone of a leadership of service (which is a Christ-like concept) that I think will be an enormously important legacy of his presidency.
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