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Document Details : Title: Monastische Thanatologie Subtitle: Lebens- und Todessymbolik in der Regula und Vita Benedicti und ihre Bedeutung für den modernen Kontext Author(s): QUARTIER, Thomas Journal: Studies in Spirituality Volume: 22 Date: 2012 Pages: 127-148 DOI: 10.2143/SIS.22.0.2182850 Abstract : In this article, thanatological insights are combined with monastic spirituality, especially the roots of Benedictine tradition. This relationship is often underestimated, as Saint Benedict does not seem to be very explicit about thanatological practices. A deeper analysis of the Regula Benedicti and the Vita Benedicti shows, however, that mortality leads to a concrete way of living and dying in early Benedictine abbeys. By using insights from symbolic theory, we try to show that life there is always directed towards death, and death – vice versa – towards life (after death). In this respect, monastic thanatology is essentially Christian. In modern culture, it can form a challenging counterpart to views on life that are self-referential. Death is then denied by images of continuity, experienced individually and interpreted immanently. Monastic practices as symbolic acts offer a perspective to combine continuity and discontinuity, individuality and collectivity and immanence and transcendence. |
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