Monastic Ecological Wisdom

Samuel Torvend, PhD, is a priest, emeritus professor of religion, Benedictine oblate, and instructor in diaconal formation in western Washington. He is a member of the ecology and liturgy seminar of the North American Academy of Liturgy, and the author of Still Hungry at the Feast: Eucharistic Justice in the Midst of Affliction published by Liturgical Press. His books, articles, and lectures focus on liturgy and social ethics.

"In his impressively researched Monastic Ecological Wisdom, Samuel Torvend sifts through scholarly literature on environmental history, church history, and biographies/hagiographies of Benedict of Nursia in order to demonstrate the values that are timely in our current ecological distress—values such as attention to local ecology, friendship with other creatures, humility, and simplicity—are in fact hallmarks of Benedictine spirituality. Readers of all kinds will come away from this book with renewed appreciation for the deep resonances between Christian discipleship and responsible care for the Earth. Monastic Ecological Wisdom is well-suited for use in classrooms, parish discussion groups, and individual reading."Timothy Brunk, Associate Professor of Theology, Villanova University

• ContentsIntroduction    ixChapter 1Early Christian Resistance to Imperial Domination of the Earth    1Chapter 2Benedict’s Journey Out of Imperial Christianity    28Chapter 3Benedict’s Refuge in Nature    53Chapter 4Praying the Seasons of Life on God’s Earth    75Chapter 5An Environmental Rule    97Chapter 6Monastic Ecological Values    117Chapter 7The Land Is in the Church    139Bibliography    145Index    156