Who is commonly credited as the Father of Western Monasticism?

• A. Thomas Becket
• B. Saint Benedict
• C. Charlemagne
• D. Magna Carta

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is who established the organized practice of Western monasticism by codifying a rule that guided monasteries.

Saint Benedict of Nursia, a 6th-century monk, authored the Rule of Saint Benedict. This text laid out a practical, balanced program for monastic life—regular prayer, communal living, work, study, and obedience to a spiritual father—together with the idea of a stable, single monastery community. This framework became the standard model for Western monasteries and gave rise to the Benedictine order. Because of his pivotal role in shaping how Western monks lived, he is commonly called the Father of Western Monasticism.

The other names don’t fit as the founder. Thomas Becket was a medieval church leader known for defending ecclesiastical independence, Charlemagne supported reforms and education across many monasteries but did not create the monastic system, and Magna Carta is a 13th-century charter about rights, not monastic foundations.