A Short History of Monks and Monasteries

A Short History of Monks and Monasteries

"Monastic History"

By Alfred Wesley Wishart

The aim of this volume is to sketch the history of the monastic institution from its origin to its overthrow in the Reformation period, for although the institution is by no means now extinct, its power was practically broken in the sixteenth century, and no new orders of importance or new types have arisen since that time.

CONTENTS

PREFACE.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

I

MONASTICISM IN THE EAST.

The Hermits of Egypt.

The Pillar Saint.

The Cenobites of the East.

II

MONASTICISM IN THE WEST: ANTE-BENEDICTINE MONKS 340-480 A.D.

Monasticism and Women.

The Spread of Monasticism in Europe.

Disorders and Oppositions.

III

THE BENEDICTINES.

The Rules of Benedict.

The Struggle Against Barbarism.

The Spread of the Benedictine Rule.

IV

REFORMED AND MILITARY ORDERS.

The Military Religious Orders.

V

THE MENDICANT FRIARS.

Francis Bernardone, 1182-1226 A.D.

The Franciscan Orders.

Dominic de Guzman.

The Dominican Orders.

The Success of the Mendicant Orders.

The Decline of the Mendicants.

VI

THE SOCIETY OF JESUS.

Ignatius de Loyola, 1491-1556 A.D.

Constitution and Polity of the Order.

The Vow of Obedience.

The Casuistry of the Jesuits.

The Mission of the Jesuits.

Retrospect.

VII

THE FALL OF THE MONASTERIES.

The Character of Henry VIII.

Events Preceding the Suppression.

The Monks and the Oath of Supremacy.

The Royal Commissioners and their Methods of Investigation.

The Report of the Commissioners.

The Action of Parliament.

The Effect of the Suppression Upon the People.

Henry's Disposal of Monastic Revenues.

Was the Suppression Justifiable?

Results of the Dissolution.

VIII

CAUSES AND IDEALS OF MONASTICISM.

Causative Motives of Monasticism.

Beliefs Affecting the Causative Motives.

Causes of Variations in Monasticism.

The Fundamental Monastic Vows.

IX

THE EFFECTS OF MONASTICISM.

The Effects of Self-Sacrifice Upon the Individual.

The Effects of Solitude Upon the Individual.

The Monks as Missionaries.

Monasticism and Civic Duties.

The Agricultural Services of the Monks.

The Monks and Secular Learning.

The Charity of the Monks.

Monasticism and Religion.

A little reflection will enable one to understand the great difficulties in the execution of so broad a purpose. It was impracticable in the majority of instances to consult original sources, although intermediate authorities have been studied as widely as possible and the greatest caution has been exercised to avoid those errors which naturally arise from the use of such avenues of information. It was also deemed unadvisable to burden the work with numerous notes and citations. Such notes as were necessary to a true unfolding of the subject will be found in the appendix.