(Dis)obedience in the Cistercian Order - Some Reflections on Bernard of Clairvauxʼs Letter to Brother Adam

Abstract

In 1124 a group of monks abandoned their Cistercian community of Morimond and set off for the Holy Land (the venture was unsuccessful). Since the Order’s authorities had not approved this departure, it was considered a great scandal, severely damaging the spiritual life of the community. Bernard of Clairvaux, a great Cistercian theologian, compiled several letters in which he tried to convince the »fugitive« monks to return. In the longest letter, addressed to monk Adam (who assumed the leadership of the »fugitive« monks), Bernard explains that the misdeed of the Morimond monks was committed because of their wrong understanding of authority. Hence, Bernard offers a rather complex account of obedience, explicating its spiritual and functional implications. The article analyses how Bernard of Clairvaux understood true obedience, and how he related it to the Order’s highest spiritual values. Additionally, it studies the role of conscience in the monastic life, the implications of disobedience, and the concept of the abbot’s and monk’s responsibility for observance. Finally, it discusses Bernard’s views on how obedience should function when juxtaposed with the Order’s structures of authority and the authority of ecclesiastical dignitaries.

Keywords

• obedience and love
• Bernard of Clairvaux
• responsibility
• conscience
• Cistercian common observance