Dealing with the divine creation

Today even monasteries have to become involved in sustainable management in accordance to societal demands. Therefore, the project investigates the importance of a sustainable agriculture, forestry, energy management and human nutrition (LFEnEr) in four Austrian Benedictine monasteries. Can the monastery take on a model function in this area? What is the significance of spiritual rules? How can monasteries deal with their economic needs and the demands of sustainable management at the same time? And: in which way do monasteries follow societal trends? Do German Benedictine monasteries with a different societal-historical background react differently to societal trends? With this research project we try to give answers to these complex questions in three parts involving disciplinary, inter- and transdisciplinary procedures. In subobjective 1 we study the development of monasteries via an environmental historical sustainability analysis and a theological analysis. What was the original mission of the monasteries? What was the significance of the monasteries for their region? Does the previous and present management stand for sustainability? Which were the specific characteristics of these forms of sustainability? Which cooperation and interactions existed within the region? And: how does society perceive the monasteries? Finally: how can the findings be interpreted with theories of societal change? Looking ahead (scenarios) (subobjective 2): How can the management of monasteries be shaped in the sectors of LFEnEr in the future? How do spiritual rules / Benedictine rules influence and contribute to a new understanding of sustainability? Which are the local population`s expectations of the the monastery or rather which mission has the monastery adopted for itself? Can we expect reciprocal impulses? Which attitudes, values, norms and expectations are related to the sectors LFEnEr? Do economic necessities require restrictions in sustainable management? Will monasteries succeed in taking on leadership positions in sustainable management? Is there any consensus about future developments between clergy and secular members of the monasteries? And what is the contribution of this knowledge for the development of societal and organisational theories? Under subobjective 3 we will study the transfer and forms of communication of new sustainability strategies. How do monastic models change? What are new forms of Corporate Social Responsibility concepts in monasteries? Which learning processes are the monasteries passing through? What are the effects of sustainable strategies on the monastic structure and organisation? And how are relations with the regions around changing? With this research approach we enter thematic and scientific-theoretic new territory. This innovative research project will use document analysis (e.g. with archivists of the monasteries) as well as different participatory procedures and methods of qualitative social science research. We synthesise the results, which are compiled / aquired from different scientific perspectives, following neo-institutionalistic theories as well as the above mentioned and other theoretical models. The extensive integration of stakeholders guarantees that the results will be disseminated immediately in the monastic communities and the local region.

"Dealing with the Devine Creation" was a 3,5 year research project studying the role of ethics and spirituality1 in the context of sustainable development in Benedictine monasteries (Austria and Bavaria/Germany). Our key question was: What is the role of ethical principles transmitted through faith when it comes to sustainable practices? In order to determine the importance of spirituality for sustainable practices, we studied the current practices in four Austrian and two Bavarian Benedictine monasteries. While monasteries are predominantly seen as centers of spirituality and charity, most monasteries have also developed sustainable models for agriculture, forestry, food production (e.g. herbs, beer or wine), or tourism (e.g. natural, religious or cultural heritage) and employment (e.g. restoration, services). Does this mean that the life and business in the monasteries is ethically and spiritually guided through the Benedictine Rules? Since the Rule of St. Benedict as well as the Bible are the two central ethical references of the Benedictine monks, we studied them and identified several inherent connections to sustainable living and economics: Ranging from the responsibility for resources (e.g. sufficiency as a guiding principle) and for future generations, to personnel management and mobility issues. Interviews revealed that this overlapping between the monks Benedictine ethical and spiritual orientations and the concept of sustainability seems plausible to the monks. But while many of the observed sustainable practices in the monasteries have been practiced because of a good habit or tradition, the interviewed monks rarely ever discussed the concept of sustainability in detail or referred to it on an organizational level linking the Benedictine Rules with their ecologically oriented practices. When it comes to the question which dimension of sustainability is considered more often within decision making processes, the social and economic dimensions of sustainability are clearly prevalent, given the fact that they are going back to a longer tradition in monastic history. The idea of an ecologically responsible approach to dealing with the Divine Creation is only recently starting to gain momentum with different dynamics in our studied monasteries depending also on the knowledge on ecological sustainability and the openness to (re-)interpretation of spiritual foundations in vision of current environmental challenges. Still we can conclude, that if social, economic and ecological impacts of certain practices are reflected and understood within the whole community, monasteries almost always prioritize sustainable practices to practices that simply aim to maximize profit. With this approach to ethically based decision making on monastic actions (e.g. eco-social investments), monasteries could under certain conditions provide inspiration for the private sector and other institutions. Furthermore some of the interviewed monks concluded that the transdisciplinary setting of the project allowed for an intensive exchange within and beyond the project and ultimately provided an interesting stimulus to a reflection of their own ethical foundations and spirituality in the context of environmental sustainability. 1 Here understood as internalized and practiced faith