Acclaimed as a significant treasury of uniquely inclusive monastic history, this fast-paced book surveys a vast landscape of saints, scholars, mystics, and reformers whose impact continues to shape worldwide Christianity and monastic life. The book engages readers with a comprehensive description of the history of Benedictine monasticism from the earliest beginnings to challenges facing the present day. The story unfolds as a sweeping panorama of intrigue, controversy, and commitment across the fifteen-century development of both men's and women's communities. The chronicle's broad lens...

Acclaimed as a significant treasury of uniquely inclusive monastic history, this fast-paced book surveys a vast landscape of saints, scholars, mystics, and reformers whose impact continues to shape worldwide Christianity and monastic life. The book engages readers with a comprehensive description of the history of Benedictine monasticism from the earliest beginnings to challenges facing the present day. The story unfolds as a sweeping panorama of intrigue, controversy, and commitment across the fifteen-century development of both men's and women's communities. The chronicle's broad lens...