Cluniac Monasticism Essay -- History

Cluniac MonasticismAssess the strengths and weaknesses of Cluniac monasticism between the tenth and twelfth centuries. The nature of Cluny puzzle in the circumstances of its foundation. It was endowed with a measure of license by its founder, Duke William, allowing the monks to elect their own abbot, placing the abbey directly under the kick of St Peter and the Apostolic See. As a ho physical exertion dedicated to restorative strict Benedictine observance Cluny was not unique, but it was this indepencence, the succesion of talented abbots and its organisation set up by Abbot Berno that laid the foundations of the abbeys later capitalness. The independence granted Cluny in its foundation exact was esssential in the development of Cluny free from the interference of lay magnates and local bishops. Its direct dependence on Rome was not initially of great importence other foundations had beemn bequeathed to the apostles before. However, this was an important foundation upon which la ter abbots were to build. By seeking overblown approval for Cluniac reforms the abbots forged a valuble direct link to the papacy, whilst gain officail open regognition and endorsement of the Cluniac regieme. In obtaining the right to accept monks from other orders in 931 Odo had support the righht of the Cluniacs to reform others houses, while Cluny gained freedom from the local bishops under Abbot Odilo in 998. it was the subsequent growth, under far straiter papal oversight, of Clunys exemption from episcopal control in uncanny matters, that did most to consolidate Clunys field of force houses under its own central authority . This meant Cluny was immune to challenges to its authority from both without and within the church. Cluny became of particular note to sucessive Popes, with its paper for reform, and the papacy continued to support the cluniacs, with Pope John XIX magnanimous Clunys monks complete freedom from interference whereever they were in 1024. However, this would have been slide fastener without the exemplary spiritual vivification that was seen to exist at Cluny. The continual use of vocal prayer was popular with the laity, with many wishing to be include in the prayers of the monks. The personal qualities of the abbots were as well much admired, as was the way of life practised at Cluny. The cluniac model of benedictine obervence was seen by many by the time of Abb... ... riches of success. The Cluniacs were criticised by those who favoured a more eremetic style of monasticism, and the stricter Cistercians. They were also criticised by laymen and other factions within the church. As an order, their popularity was on the wane by the twelfth century. The main strenghts of cluniac monasticism lay in its independence, its early spiritual energy, its observence of the benedictine rule and its sainly abbots. These provided very well for Cluny for a significant period, but over-growth of the order led to a slackening in observence of th e Rule, and with the disasterous abbacy of Pons and a basic shift in religious judgement these strenghts became weaknesses that Bibliography Evans, Monastic Life at Cluny 910-1157 (Oxford University Press, 1931) Ed. Hunt, Cluniac Monasticsm in the central middle ages, (Macmillan, 1971) Lynch, The Medeval Church, (Longman, 1992) Cowdrey, The Cluniacs and the Gregorian Reform, (Oxford, 1970) Lawrence, Medeval Monasticism, (Longman, 1989) Southern, Western Society and the Church in the Middle Ages, (Pelican, 1970) Ed. Holmes, The Oxford Illustrated History of Medeval Europe, (Oxford, 2001)