The buzz surrounding the Benedict Option has spawned many spinoffs, each looking to a particular spirituality to focus the renewal of Church and culture. As a Benedictine oblate, I agree with Rod Dreher that the Benedictines provide a crucial and necessary witness on how to rebuild Christian culture. We need strong local communities that find new w...

As a Benedictine oblate, people ask me regularly: what does it mean to be an oblate? Most importantly, it entails taking the Rule of St. Benedict as a spiritual charter for how we live the Gospel. St. Benedict is clear at the opening of the Rule: incline your ear to the words of the Master and run to meet Him. The Master is Christ and the Rule help...