Regula et Traditio – The Rule and the Tradition
The Rule of Benedict is
a written document, and most communities have a written
statement that defines their identity and purpose and
order. Nations have constitutions. Religions have
scriptures. Many institutions today have mission
statements. The written document typically defines the
core values and processes for the group. In Latin, this
is the regula.
The tradition is the living
memory of how the written document has been interpreted
and adapted over time to different situations. The Latin
word traditio means that which is “given or
handed over.” Often the tradition is captured by
stories. Both the written document and the living memory
are needed for the ongoing life of a community.
One can
neither understand nor create a monastic community only
by reading the Rule, the written document.
Every book needs a community of interpreters to
understand and live the written text. Without a text, a
community is left to the whim of the present. Both the
written text and the tradition embodied in a living
community are necessary. Tradition, then, is very
important to us at Saint Meinrad.
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Stabilitas
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