47 A reconsideration of the ideal of stability in Byzantine monasticism resolving disputes.159 If brothers would leave the community, this could lead to suspicions, according to Basil. These suspicions presumably concern whether the leaver had a problem with any other brother, as Basil ends his advice with Christ’s words from the Sermon of the Mount, according to the Gospel of Matthew: if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.160 The brothers should thus resolve disputes instead of moving away. This would benefit the preservation of the community, as leaving might cause suspicions and friction in the remaining community. Basil’s advice therefore prescribes mechanisms (mutual control, individual responsibility and peace-making) to establish and maintain a righteous spiritual community. The ideals reflected in this passage thus do not so much relate to monastic travel, but rather to ideals of a community building, to stability of community rather than a stability of place. Other questions in the Long Rules, not cited by Herman, imply that a degree of mobility was to be expected in the day-to-day operations of religious communities. In these questions Basil expressed some reservations concerning these journeys, but these do not concern movement itself, but the (spiritual) dangers in leaving the community.161 Questions 38, 39, 44 and 45 all imply that members of ascetic communities might make journeys, although questions 38 and 39 suggest that Basil thought it preferable not to travel. Question 38 concerns permissible occupations and recommends farming as the best option, for ‘farmers are not obliged to do much traveling or running about hither and thither’.162 In question 39, Basil advises to avoid travelling to distant markets for selling products. He indicates that staying in one place is more suitable (εὐπρεπεστέρα) and more beneficial (ὠφελιμωτέρα).163 The perceived problem with travel, for Basil, in question 38 is the potential disruption of their ascetic lifestyle and the potentially harmful interaction with people outside the spiritual community. In question 39, he also stresses the importance 159 Resolving disputes and keeping the peace in a community is also reflected in question 47 and 49. Question 47: ‘Anyone who does not approve of the superior’s prescriptions should take up the matter with him either publicly or in private, if his objection is a sound one and consonant with the Scriptures; if not, he should hold his peace and do the thing that was enjoined’. And question 49: ‘Now, with regard to disputes which arise among the brethren: Whenever certain individuals are in disagreement on any matter, they should not contend with one another in a wrangling spirit, but refer the settlement to those who are more competent than they’. Basil of Caesarea, Regulae fusius tractatae 47, 49 (PG 31, pp. 1036-1040; translations by Wagner (1950), p. 325-327). 160 Matt 5:23-24, NKJV. 161 E.g., danger of occupation with worldly affairs, of distraction, and of the lack of social control. See questions 38 (avoid too much travel as to not to cause distraction), 39 (preferably not distant journeys, staying in one place beneficial for mutual edification and for keeping to the daily routine), question 44 (only ‘spiritually fit’ brothers should go on a journey, fear of interaction with the world, lack of social control), question 45 (implies occasional journeys of superiors of the community are to be expected). 162 Basil of Caesarea, Regulae fusius tractatae 38 (PG 31, pp. 1016-1017). Translated in Wagner (1950), p. 312. 163 Basil of Caesarea, Regulae fusius tractatae 39 (PG 31, p. 1017). 1
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTk4NDMw