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Benedictine Spiritualityand the Way of Dialogue
Benedictine Oblate ConferenceSt. Scholastica Monastery
Duluth, MinnesotaSeptember 20, 2015
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AGENDA• Midday Prayer• Announcements
– "Library Thing" to browse & comment– Retreat on Nov. 7, 9am to noon. (Free)– Oblate Retreat: Susan Stabile– Next month: October 18
• Conference• Discussion• Adjourn for snacks by 2:45pm
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DIALOGUE
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Dialogue: A term and practice we invoke when we already recognize different viewpoint and ideas.
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Debate vs Dialogue• Debate presumes winning and losing.• Debate does not seek understanding,
common ground or compromise.• Debate is for influencing minds of others.• Debate is the common model in our culture
for exploring varying viewpoints.
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Dialogue
• The roots of the word dialogue come from the Greek words dia and logos.
• dia means “through”• logos translates to “word” or “meaning.”
• In essence, a dialogue is a flow of meaning.Grey
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Dialogue • The purpose of
dialogue is to create ‘shared meaning’ or coherence in a group.
• The challenge of dialogue is to simply allow multiple points of view to be.
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BENEDICT'S ERA
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Political Ethos: Warfare & Conquest
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Social Ethos: Hierarchy
• Distinct social classes• Absolute authority by rank and gender• Slavery a possible outcome of war for
members at any level.
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Church Hierarchy• Rule of obedience • Moderated by popular
nomination and selectionof bishops
• Local rather than centralpower predominated
• Rome (city) was weak• Tension between local
bishops & nobility
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DIALOGUE AND ST. BENEDICT
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Life of Benedict – St. Gregory
• Told in dialogue format
• Largest in a collection of lives of saints in dialogue.
• Many encounters with rulers, monks, in which listening and humility are key.
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Dialogue with Scholastica
• Famous story of "holy conversation"• Valued by both Benedict and Scholastica• Benedict saw rule authoritatively, but his
sister less dogmatically.
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DIALOGUE IN THE RULE
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Listen• First, for the voice of God
– In Scripture– In the needs of others– In the voices of those around
• Those who take the place of Christ– The Abbot / Prioress– The pilgrim– The sick and the aged
• Mutual obedience = mutual listening
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Porter: Chapter 66• Wise person• "Knows how to take
a message and to give one."
• Scripted dialogue opens with:"Thanks be to God" or"Please give your blessing."
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Summoning Monks for Counsel
• Unique to Benedict's Rule• Listen even to youngest / newest• "Do everything with counsel and you will
not afterwards repent of it."
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Reasonable Requests• Chapter 36: Care of the sick
– Served as Christ himself– Sick should not "sadden …
with superfluous demands."– "Patiently borne"
• Chapter 31: The Cellarer– Deal with unreasonable
requests– Distribute what is allocated – Appropriate hours for requests
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Dialogue in Dispute• Chapter 3
– Not to contend harshly with the abbot
– Neither inside or outside monastery• Chapter 68
– Impossible things– What do we mean by impossible? – Dialogue assures that both
viewpoints are known to both parties
– Authority still rests with the superior
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CONTEMPLATIVE DIALOGUE
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Contemplative Dialogue• Grew from works of Thomas Merton as
well as contemporary organization theory• Connects the prayerful and listening
stance of the monastic with the needs of discussion when views are different.
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Awareness of Thoughts• Assumptions and beliefs
color the way we seeand understand theactions of others.
• Focus on the "data"helps get past that.
• Awareness of theladder of assumptionshelps circumvent it.
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Guidelines for Contemplative Dialogue - 1
• Speak slowly: Relax, speak and listen from an inner attitude of quiet contemplation
• Make eye-contact: Maintain a shared center; remain fully present in the group.
• Speak briefly: Speak what matters from your deepest place (your contemplative center) then STOP.
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Guidelines for Contemplative Dialogue - 2
• Create shared meaning: Build on what has already been shared when you speak
• Listen deeply: Let the words disappear by pausing and returning to inner silence.
• Stay curious: ask questions to the group as a way to explore differences and limit assumptions
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Guidelines for Contemplative Dialogue - 3
• Remain open: Speak with vulnerability, not righteousness allowing for different versions of the same reality
• Be accepting: hold the tension of someone with an opposing point of view without reacting to it.
• Hold your own understandings lightly, tentatively. Relax!
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Benedictine Spiritualityand the Way of Dialogue
Benedictine Oblate ConferenceSt. Scholastica Monastery
Duluth, MinnesotaSeptember 20, 2015
29