“The Rule of Benedict” and its relevance to the world of work

The Rule of Benedict is over 1,500 years old. In spite of its antiquity, what relevance does it have to the modern world of work? When Benedict complied his rule he envisaged a spiritual community, cut off from the world, that would pray, work and be economically sustainable. He had little idea that this “little rule for beginners” would become one of the most important documents in Western civilisation. Neither did he realise that he was laying the foundations for one of the oldest “multi‐national” organisations in existence today. This paper examines what has kept this spiritual “global community” alive and its relevance to the workplace.