The Three Orders
In medieval France, society was divided into three distinct orders or estates, as articulated by French priests. The foundational belief was that individuals function within these orders: the clergy, who are responsible for spiritual care and prayer; the nobility, who are tasked with protection and defense; and the peasantry, who provide labor and sustenance. This tripartite structure was not just a social construct but also had theological implications as Abbess Hildegard of Bingen emphasized. She argued for the necessity of diversity among humans, akin to the differentiation among animals; this was deemed essential to prevent chaos and promote order, as every person, despite their societal rank, was loved by God but had specific roles. Furthermore, the term 'abbey' is derived from the Syriac term 'abba', meaning father, indicating the authority of abbots or abbesses in the governance of these religious communities.