MONASTIC SILENCE - A HISTORY

Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch delivers the second Gifford lecture, THE TRIUMPH OF MONASTIC SILENCE, to the University of Edinburgh on 24th April 2012 in Saint Cecilia's Hall Edinburgh.

It embraces the emergence of new positive theologies of silence in the mainstream Church from the third century, and their possible sources: the coming of eremetical life in Christianity and the place of silence in the development of monasticism. 

The transformation in its use and function after the Carolingian expansion of Benedictine monastic life, and the remarkable further development through the great years of Cluny. Counter-currents on silence in the medieval West, and the significance of hesychasm in the Byzantine world.

Neither Edinburgh University, nor Professor MacCulluch, are usually regarded as exponents of Catholic teaching, but this series contains many points which will assist us to discern and deepen our Faith.

This lecture is part of series on Christian Silence, details HERE, the others, including Silence up to and including the Reformation period.  They may be found on YouTube HERE.