Wayward Monks and the Religious Revolution of the Eleventh Century by Phyllis G. Jestice

Abstract

Wayward Monks and Religious Revolution of Eleventh Century. By Phyllis G. Jestice. [Brill's Studies in Intellectual History, Volume 76.] (Leiden: Brill. 1997. Pp. x, 309. $115.00.) Dr. Jestice has written a provocative and wide-ranging examination of monastic reform, role of some monastics in Church reform of eleventh century, and emergence within Benedictine monasticism of some new ideas about monastic spirituality and expanded role of monks and ascetics in world. Yet, readers should be warned that rigor and clarity of Ms. Jestice's argumentation waxes and wanes, she often does not cite most current scholarship, and book contains some topographical as well as factual errors. The book contains introduction, a conclusion, and seven chapters, which form body of text. Jestice begins her introduction with a statement of her main argument that the driving force behind monastic reform was issue of monks' active involvement in world: She addresses state of and explains how she intends to provide an on how and why monastic life diversified in eleventh and twelfth For this alternative theory she offers altered orientation, choosing to focus on German empire including Italy during tenth and eleventh centuries. The first three chapters provide a topical overview of worldly and spiritual dimensions of monasticism in tenth century (chap. 1), investigate changing notion of monastic mission and new interpretations of concept of stabilitas (chap. 2), and examine recluses as links between monks, stability, and monastic work in world (chap. 3). While these chapters present essential background of emerging ideas, one has to question how widespread some of them were within broad range of monasticism in empire. Moreover, author underestimates use of monasteries in imperial missionary activity in tenth century (e.g., St. Maurice, Corvey, and probably Memleben) and perhaps overestimates number and impact of recluses on monks. Chapters 4 and 5 address monks and monastic reform in early eleventh century. This reviewer found these chapters to be most uneven and least rigorous in book. The first sections of chapter 4 suffer from over-generalizations and lack of focus, whereas last three sections present interesting ideas and relatively solid scholarship. One senses that Ms. Jestice pushes her hagiographical sources too hard and thus portrays a Benedictinism that was on verge of collapse from number of monks about to stream out doors. Much of this literature indeed does demonstrate a growing diversity of thought and opinions, but author seems to overstate her case. …