Today, we continue our slide into the Middle Ages with a look at Monasticism in general and St. Benedict in particular. Not that long ago, monks were viewed as odd and quirky. Today, they are often celebrated for their wines and cheeses, and their monasteries have gained quite a bit of cultural cache as exactly the kind of place to go to detox from this crazy world.  Neither view is particularly accurate, so in this episode, Mike will be exploring the origins of monasticism as well as tracing its development, paying particular attention to the Father of Monasticism himself, Saint Benedict.