The Rule of St Benedict of Nursia, composed in the sixth century—a time of social disintegration and political decay—has been an inspiration ever since for those who seek to live the Gospel in community and build up society on the basis of humane virtues and evangelical hope. In Glory in All Things, lifelong educator André Gushurst-Moore shows (perhaps to the surprise of modern people) how even today—nay, especially today—this Rule offers valuable guidance on the means and ends of education, the proper conduct of leaders, the fundamental virtues needed for the happy life, the elements of a well-ordered academic curriculum, the unfolding of one’s vocation in prayer and service, and the ever-bubbling wellsprings of joy in the midst of adversity.
Over the centuries, this oldest form of Christian education has touched every facet of European culture and spread far beyond it to the rest of the world. In his timely work, Gushurst-Moore shows that such a model has acquired new urgency as modern schools yield to a monotonous preoccupation with quantitative results while their students meanwhile suffer from existential homelessness, cultural deprivation, anomie, and fear of the future. At a time of crisis in civilization, education, and humanism, St Benedict and his Rule have lost none of their power to enlighten and inspire.
Praise
“In this beautiful study, Gushurst-Moore compels us to ask the right questions about the present and future prospects for humane and Christian education.”
— RYAN N. S. TOPPING
“André Gushurst-Moore sets out a vision for education in which the assumption is not so much (as some say) that we need a new Benedict, but that we need to be deeply re-acquainted with the original one.”
— DAVID CLAYTON
“This book is an enchanting read. It sets out the hallmarks of a Benedictine education with such erudition that one comes away feeling hopeful for the future.”
— TRACEY ROWLAND
“André Gushurst-Moore outlines the priceless inheritance of Western civilization, and shows, especially, how the inheritance of the Benedictine tradition can be passed on to future generations.”
— JOSEPH PEARCE
“A wonderful sense of relief follows upon a reading of André Gushurst-Moore’s work on Benedictine education—for he has patiently walked us through the ancient yet still living wisdom flowing from fifteen centuries of this classical education.”
— PETROC WILLEY
“In this ground-breaking, profound, and counter-cultural book, the author demonstrates that the Benedictine ethos and its pedagogical principles offer crucial lessons for all Catholic educational institutions facing the challenges of the Modern Age.”
— GERALD GRACE
“An intelligent, well-written, thought-provoking book that applies Christian realism to education in a way that is challenging, wise, inspirational, and full of hope.”
— JOHN SULLIVAN
“Any parent who worries about the formation their child is receiving should read Glory in All Things and encourage their child’s school to draw upon a tried and tested tradition that provides a map and compass to navigate the hazards and crises of life.”
— DAVID ALTON
About the Author
André Gushurst-Moore is a graduate of Oxford University and, since 2003, has taught in Benedictine schools, previously at Downside and presently at Worth School, where he is Second Master. His work has appeared in a number of periodicals in the UK and the US, such as the Catholic Herald, Political Science Reviewer, University Bookman, and Chesterton Review. He is the author of The Common Mind: Politics, Society and Christian Humanism, from Thomas More to Russell Kirk (Angelico Press, 2013). He is married with three grown children, and lives in West Sussex, England.
