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How The Catholics Church Built The Western Civilization

The Catholic Church and Benedictine monks played a critical role in developing Western civilization through technological advancements and agricultural innovations. [1] Benedictines pioneered modern agricultural techniques, developed industries like cheese making and wine production, and were skilled craftsmen in areas like clock-making and metalworking. [2] They constructed sophisticated water-powered systems and applied mechanization in monasteries, advancing beyond what existed in Roman times. [3] In addition to these contributions, St. Benedict compiled his famous Rule in 530 AD, which guided monks and remains one of the most important books for European development, demonstrating how prioritizing spiritual values can achieve worldly accomplishments.

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71 views2 pages

How The Catholics Church Built The Western Civilization

The Catholic Church and Benedictine monks played a critical role in developing Western civilization through technological advancements and agricultural innovations. [1] Benedictines pioneered modern agricultural techniques, developed industries like cheese making and wine production, and were skilled craftsmen in areas like clock-making and metalworking. [2] They constructed sophisticated water-powered systems and applied mechanization in monasteries, advancing beyond what existed in Roman times. [3] In addition to these contributions, St. Benedict compiled his famous Rule in 530 AD, which guided monks and remains one of the most important books for European development, demonstrating how prioritizing spiritual values can achieve worldly accomplishments.

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Eli S
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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3.

How the Catholics Church built the Western Civilization

"The monks played a critical role in the development of Western civilization. This historical fact
comes as less of a surprise when we recall Christ's words: 'Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven,
and all these things shall be added unto you.' That, stated simply, is the history of the monks."

Benedictines were agricultural pioneers. Every Benedictine monastery has an agricultural


college. The monks developed Sweden’s commerce corn, Ireland’s salmon fisheries and Italy’s
cheese making. It was also them that foster the production of wine and also developed many of
the modern ways or techniques used in making champagne.

They were skilful clock-makers. One such clock installed in Magdeburg around 996 AD is the
first ever. Another sits in excellent condition in London’s science museum. They also made
astronomical clocks. One such was at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Alban; it was designed by
Abbot Richard of Wallingford. In short, monastic know-how pervaded Europe thus preventing a
complete reverting to barbarism.

The Benedictine band made technological advancements in architecture and buildings. From the
monasteries of Saint Laurent and Saint Martin the monks redirected the waters of St. Gervais and
Belleville to Paris. They taught people irrigation on the plains of Lombardy which has always
been some of the richest and most productive in Europe. They constructed technologically
sophisticated water-powered systems at monasteries which were hundreds of miles away from
each other. The monasteries themselves were the most economically effective units that had ever
existed in Europe. Water-power was used to crush wheat, sieving flour, making cloth, and
tanning. Not even the Roman world had adopted mechanization for industrial use to such an
extent.

The English Benedictines developed advanced furnaces for the production of metals —
specifically the extraction of iron from ore. In the 13th century they became the leading iron
producers in the Champagne region of France. They quarried marble, did glass-work, forged
metal plates, mined salt . Within in the last 20 years an archeometallurgist discovered that the
slag (a byproduct of smelting) from an early 1500s English Benedictine smelting furnace showed
a level of technological sophistication that was not achieved until much later by other inventors. 
4. The Rule of St. Benedict

St. Benedict is also known for another accomplishment: compiling his famous Rule in about 530
AD. Other than the Bible, the Rule of St. Benedict has been called the most important book in
the development of European civilization.

This Rule for monks, sisters and nuns guides many people seeking to dwell with God. That was
the goal to which St. Benedict aspired. All else was secondary. 

For St. Benedict who lived in a time of cultural chaos and wars, he was guided by a simple
charge: "prefer nothing to the love of Christ". All the accomplishments flowed from that truth
about the human condition. The Benedictines' accomplishments have earned them the right to be
heard by anyone wanting to live in the "real world" — it is the one the Benedictines help build.

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