The Cistercians

The way of the Cistercians, says the author, is basically the Christian way lived with a certain clarity and simplicity precisely because it is lived in a place apart which fosters a greater freedom to do what one wants to do, to be who one wants to be. The basic elements of the Cistercian life are the basic elements of every Christian life. Father Pennington invites the reader to experience the Cistercian way. He begins with its history and footings in the Rule of Saint Benedict, and how it sought to correct any imbalance in the observance of the rule by wisely balancing its three elements: lectio, liturgy, and labor. He relates how these elements are woven into the concrete daily program of the Cistercians today and how today is shaping tomorrow. Included also are a number of documents—some written by the first Cistercians, others the expression of today's Cistercians—that define this way of life.