Monastic Wisdom of St. Benedict Presentation
/Torvend Presentation from Jeff on Vimeo.
The following handout was provided at this presentation:
St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church
Soup and Soul | March 6, 2024
Benedict’s Ecological Values for Contemporary Christians
The Rev. Samuel Torvend | torvensa@plu.edu
Pope Francis, Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home (2015)
If you have not yet read what is the most significant work by a contemporary religious leader on the climate crisis, I encourage you to do so. The work is available as a book and online:
Pope Francis, Laudate Deum: To All People of Good Will on the Climate Crisis (2023)
This sequel to Laudato Si’ is a heartfelt plea to earth’s inhabitants, especially its powerful land polluting nations, including the United States, to make drastic changes now as poor nations and suffer the growing effects of climate change and pollution. This shorter work is available online:
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/20231004-laudate-deum.html
A Catechism of Creation: An Episcopal Understanding (2005) was created by the committee on Science, Technology, and the Faith of the Episcopal Church. It is available here:
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/20231004-laudate-deum.html
On early monastic sustainability:
Samuel Torvend, Monastic Ecological Wisdom: A Living Tradition (Liturgical Press, 2023) available at https://litpress.org/Products/6797/Monastic-Ecological-Wisdom
On contemporary monastic environmental sustainability:
St. Martin’s Abbey: https://stmartinsabbey.org/our-work/monastic-stewardship/
St. John’s Abbey: https://sjabbey.squarespace.com/stewardship?rq=stewardship
Christ in the Desert Abbey: https://christdesert.org/about/sustainable-stewardship/
Concerning the unconscious training of Americans in consumerism:
The Century of the Self (4 parts): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnPmg0R1M04
The sixth baptismal vow of the Episcopal Church: “We will cherish the wondrous works of God, and protect and restore the beauty and integrity of all creation.” On the significance of this vow, see “Covenant and Care: A Baptismal Promise to Safeguard Creation,” a short article on the baptismal vow, first articulated in the Anglican Church of Canada: https://www.anglican.ca/news/covenant-and-care-a-baptismal-promise-to-safeguard-creation/3006799/
