Lectio Divina: The Ladder of Monks

The Complete Text of Scala Claustralium in a Faithful and Readable Translation.

How to Pray with Scripture

In the twelfth century, the Carthusian monk Guigo II composed a short letter that would become one of the most enduring guides to Christian prayer: Scala Claustralium, or The Ladder of Monks. In it, he describes a fourfold path—reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation—as the steps by which a soul can pray with Scripture. This method, known today as Lectio Divina, has shaped monastic and spiritual life for centuries.

This edition features:

• “Lessons in Lectio Divina” accompanying each chapter, offering straightforward, Scripture-based exercises and 100 additional passages for continued practice.
• Pope Benedict XVI’s distinctive formulation of Lectio Divina, presented alongside Guigo’s text, using four simple guiding questions and a fifth step (actio) that carries prayer into daily life.
• Guidance in attentive, receptive prayer, teaching the reader how to listen to the voice of God speaking in Sacred Scripture.

As Pope Benedict XVI observed, “If it is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the Church—I am convinced of it—a new spiritual springtime.” In the spirit of his call for a renewed practice of Lectio Divina, this volume is offered as a practical aid to that effort.