St. Benedict Roles and Qualities

St. Benedict

Roles and Qualities of the Abbot

The Abbot bears the responsibility of not only his own actions, but also those of the persons serving under him. According to the Rule of Benedict, he is to give an account of both on the final judgment day. He therefore has a great responsibility not only towards himself, as setting an example of the perfect life in Christ to his disciples. He will be judged according to his teaching, and according to the actions of his disciples. The Rule also however acknowledges that the students may be unruly and unwilling to learn. In such a case, judgement will be negative only for the flock and not for the teacher, if the latter has adhered to the principles laid out for the Abbot.

The Abbot is required to teach both by word and deed. He is to impart knowledge to his disciples by words, be an example in his works, and also display a large amount of patience towards slow learners. He is also to demonstrate by works the concepts that the slower learners may find difficult to understand.

Being human, it is also acknowledged that the Abbot may make mistakes in his actions and words. If this happens, he is to emphasize to his disciples that such actions are incorrect and should not be copied. Instead, he should reiterate the fact that, as human beings, both the Abbot and disciples are to always strive towards perfection during their earthly lives, even though it is impossible that this will be attained during earthly life.

Like Christ, the Abbot is not to regard any of the persons in the monastery as more important or more worthy of attention than all the others, unless there is "reasonable cause" such as that the person in question is showing a particular example of good works and obedience, in such cases it is acceptable for the Abbot to show favor, as this will also inspire other disciples towards similar exemplary behavior. As such, the Abbot is also to ensure the appropriate response to each form of behavior, rebuking where necessary and praising where it is deserved, with increasing severity of disciples appear to be unwilling to mend their ways.

The Abbot is then to attach the utmost importance to the souls over which he has been given precedence. He should never neglect his duties, and indeed regard them as more important even than his own sense of physical well-being. He is to understand more than any under him the value of God's words above all else. He should therefore practice self-denial in everything, never complaining of physical lack, but trusting God to care for all his needs.

If the Abbot abide by all these duties, and admonish those who do not follow the word of God, according to the Rule of St. Benedict, he will not have to account for his own soul or for those who are led astray. He can rest assured in the knowledge that he has done all in his power to lead them to God's way.

Electing the Abbot

According to Chapter LXIV of the Rule of St. Benedict, the Abbot is to be elected not upon the basis of his social status, but rather on the basis of his works and his sincerity in following the Word of God. Furthermore, he is to be elected by a number of people in total consent. This can either be done by the whole community or by consensus of a group of people who are knowledgeable in the matters of the church.

As for the elected Abbot, he is to be fully versed in the Word of God, and understand every aspect of his service to the disciples under him. He is also to understand that he is no longer responsible only for his own soul, but also for every soul under his leadership. Furthermore, the Abbot must understand that he is to serve rather than to act as an important leader of souls. Instead, he is to aim to be like Christ in his leadership; always humble and always willing to listen. In these duties, he must also have a sound knowledge of the church and its doctrine, in order to impart it accurately to his followers. The person selected as Abbot should then also be fair in punishment, punishing where it is deserved, but also in such a way that he is loved rather than feared.

The Demands of the Rule

As seen above, the Abbot plays a very important part in the monastery. He is not only the Superior and leader of the monastery, but embodies the role of Christ for his followers. As such, he is to live a live exemplary and worthy of his Christ-like role. He should prove his worthiness to teach and lead, as well as to serve, on a daily basis. Indeed the very title "Abbot" is derived from Christ's name for the Father, "Abba." The role of the Abbot is therefore closely connected with the role of Christ in the church. This is one of the reasons for the strictness of the Rule of Benedict with regard to the Abbot and his role.

Another reason is, as seen above, that the Abbot is responsible for the souls of his entire flock. In this way, his Christ-role is fulfilled. According to the Rule, the day of judgment will require the Abbot to take responsibility for the way he led his flock and for the outcome of such leadership. If it is found that the Abbot's shortcomings resulted in some souls being lost, he will be punished for this. This is a very heavy responsibility, and the Abbot should therefore ensure that he sets a good example in his leadership and also in his actions.

At the basis of the Rule of St. Benedict and its strict requirements for Abbotship is therefore an attempt to ensure that the Abbot fulfills the role of Christ figure for the church. As such, the church entrusts to him the souls of several followers. The Abbot should therefore be the type of person who can fill Christ's role for his followers, and ultimately lead them to the way of salvation for the glory of Christ and his church. Before being elected, it is therefore vital to ensure that the Abbot to be can fulfill all his duties as perfectly as possible.