Becoming a Community of Disciples

Introduction

9

Spiritual Teachings The Tools of Good Works Personal Behavior Virtues and Discipline Prayer Hospitality

Like the Bible, both rules are broken down into chapters and verses. In this way, you can always choose to read only a part of a chapter, picking up at the next verse when you return to the text. Texts from Christian monastic history almost always contain unfamiliar words. These words are unknown to us because we are not monks or nuns and because these rules were written about 1500–1700 years ago. When a word is used that is particularly unfamiliar, I will put its meaning in a footnote. Further, to ease discussion of the texts and to make this volume more user-friendly, I have consecutively numbered all the chapters of the selections. My hope is that these texts will change your life like they have changed mine. I was introduced to Christian monasticism in my last semester of college and I have not gotten over it yet. That was twenty-six years ago! I love the Bible, of course, and I love all kinds of books, but the rules of Benedict and Basil have been extremely helpful in teaching me how to live well with others and how to be a better Christian. I try to read a little bit of these rules every day. Why? Because I have seen how they help me love my neighbors better, love my friends and family better, love my fellow Christians better and, most importantly, love God better. As I mentioned above, I am not very good at meeting