The Great Beginning of Citeaux by Benedicta Ward

The Great Beginning of Citeaux by Benedicta Ward

Conrad, a monk of Eberbach in Germany, weaves both documentary history and edifying exempla into a history of monasticism and the founding years of the Cistercian movement.

Benedicta Ward and Paul Savage have done a great service in making this important text easily accessible to students, scholars, and all those interested in the Cistercians and their storiesThey offer a lucid translation of Conrad of Eberbach’s difficult prose and provide extensive commentary that places Conrad’s work in its monastic context.Martha G. Newman, PhD, Associate Professor of History and Religious Studies, The University of Texas at Austin, Author of The Boundaries of Charity: Cistercian Culture and Ecclesiastical Reform, 1098-1180
The Great Beginning of Cîteaux is a rich treasure trove of stories, visions, and miracles that should be a mandatory reading for all those interested in twelfth- and thirteenth-century spirituality, history, and culture. The translation is superb, and the introduction very helpful for general readers and scholars alike.Stefano Mula, PhD, Director, Comparative Literature Program, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
Sister Benedicta Ward and Paul Savage must be congratulated for their important and successful translation of one of the most significant works of the Cistercian Middle Ages, which is now finally made available to non-specialists. Reading the Great Beginning of Citeaux, in fact, will not only appeal to those interested in the history of the Cistercian Order. In this collection of stories readers will find a wealth of information on medieval spirituality, history and culture, and it is a work that could be of benefit in any course on the Middle Ages.

Stefano Mula, Middlebury College, Horizons
Here we have an accessible English version which gives a well-defined picture of life in Cistercian monasteries, from the foundation of the Order until the early thirteenth century. . . . Although at first sight this book appears to be one for scholars or members of the Cistercian Order, I discovered that it has a wider appeal. In scholarly terms Conrad's is not a critical history, but stands nearer the tradition of the Desert monastics, relating stories that are designed to build up the reader in faith. However, the serious student will find the extensive footnotes and bibliography particularly useful.
Sister Christine SLG, Fairacres Chronicle

Benedicta Ward (1933-2022) was a Reader in the History of Christian Spirituality at the University of Oxford. Her most recent book was Anselm of Canterbury: His Life and Legacy (SPCK 2009). She was a member of the Anglican monastic community of the Sisters of the Love of God. Paul M. Savage holds a PhD in medieval history from the University of Notre Dame. He teaches history and economics in Salt Lake City, UT. E. Rozanne Elder is Professor of History and Director of the Centre for Cistercian and Monastic Studies at Western Michigan University.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780879071721
ISBN 10	0879071729
Title	The Great Beginning of Citeaux
Author	Benedicta Ward
Series	Cistercian Fathers Series
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Liturgical Press
Year published	2012-05-01
Number of pages	664
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.