Christianity In The Canterbury Tales

What does it mean to be devout, or better yet what does it take to be devout as a member of the clergy? You may assume that all priests, monks, and nuns got their jobs by devoting their entire lives to the church and while this is sometimes the case it is not always 100% true, especially during the Middle Ages. This essay will discuss two of the Canterbury Tales pilgrims, the monk and the parson, and compare the lifestyles they lived, mostly in regard to biblical teachings. Members of the church should devote their time to the church and do other things in their free time only if it doesn’t negatively affect their work. The monk is the first character of the pair. He is strictly nonconformist and ignores the status quo and lived by “the modern world’s more spacious way." It is made clear that he was not very devoted to biblical teachings and spreading them, likely at least partially due to his view of some being outdated and overly strict. By taking the “modern world’s more spacious way” he spent his time out hunting and doing other leisurely
He was poor but “rich in holy thought and work”, spreading the word of the Lord throughout the citizens of the town. Monetarily he was extremely impoverished but was “rich in holy thought and work” meaning he received self-fulfillment for his religious work rather than things done in vain. He was like this because he genuinely cared about the citizens of the town he preached to and cared so much as to give back to the ones who could not afford anything. Material goods held no intrinsic value to him, especially not in comparison to helping others. He was quick to draw sinners to repent their sins and to get them to seek forgiveness no matter their social class. The most important thing is that he actually practiced what he preached, leading a similar life to that of Jesus. In that sense, the quote describes him and his lifestyle veraciously and