In Wolf Hall, we become enmeshed in the English Reformation and enthralled by the figure of Thomas Cromwell, who dissolved the monasteries. Four centuries earlier, the planting of Cistercian monasteries had been envisaged by an English genius, Stephen Harding, a 12th-century monk from Sherborne, Dorset, who wrote the two-page constitution of the new monastery in Cîteaux, France. He urged the founding of further houses, with annual visitations and a General Chapter.
He was the third Abbot at Cîteaux, and also the mentor of a young novice, Bernard, who was encouraged to set up the monastery at Clairvaux and matured into a major theologian and key figure in medieval Europe. One night, the novice Bernard did not complete his private Psalms and went to bed early. His Abbot asked in the morning: “Bernard, where, I ask, did you leave your Psalms yesterday after Compline, or to whom did you entrust them?” Bernard was astonished at this mystical insight, blushed and threw himself at Harding’s feet, asking for pardon.
The story of the venerable monk has nothing to do with the ordination of women as priests or the consecration of female priests to be bishops. Nice try.
It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with Wolf Hall either. Nota bene US viewers: Wolf Hall, book and film, are brilliantly done, but take a very hostile view to Catholicism. Poor old Thomas More can literally do nothing good in this accounting. Hilary Mantel was RC in her youth. Definitely not a friend of the Church now, it would seem.
By film I meant TV series.
I agree Katherine. There is nothing in the article to support Bishop Kings’ claim that Abbott Harding in the 11th – 12th centuries AD had some relevance to the ordination of women.
On the positive side, Stephen Harding did some great work in insisting that the Latin translations of the Old Testament in general use during his time should be checked for accuracy against Hebrew texts.