What is a vow of silence?

Answer

A vow of silence is a practice in which an individual commits to not speaking or talking for a specific period of time, usually for spiritual or meditative purposes. The practice has been observed by many religious orders throughout history, both Christian and non-Christian. For instance, the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras required his students to observe vows of silence for significant periods of time as they learned his teachings (Iamblichus, Life of Pythagoras, ch. XVII).

Within Christianity, the practice is mainly observed in Catholic and monastic traditions as a part of their more formal religious framework. For example, The Rule of St. Benedict states, “Since the spirit of silence is so crucial, permission to speak should rarely be granted even to perfect disciples“ (ch. 6), and “When they come out from Compline, no one shall be allowed to say anything from that time on. And if anyone should be found evading this rule of silence, let them undergo severe punishment“ (ch. 42). Interestingly, some secular organizations have started practicing vows of silence to raise awareness about various social issues such as child poverty or the marginalization of specific people groups.

There is no mention in the Bible of a “vow of silence.” Therefore, Christians are not required to take a vow of silence. In fact, the Bible never instructs a Christian to take a vow of any kind. There are a few instances in the Bible of people taking vows, but most of them are from the Old Testament and rooted in the Mosaic Law. In the book of Acts, Paul is documented as taking a vow while on his missionary journeys «And Paul after this stayed there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow. », (Acts 18:18)

We do not know the exact nature of the vow, but it was probably a Nazirite vow (see Numbers 6:1-21). Once again, this was something Paul did voluntarily and not out of obligation. Such a decision by Paul is understandable as he sought to live above reproach among his fellow Jews: “And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law” (see 1 Corinthians 9:20).

Since Jesus completely fulfilled the requirements of the law through His life and ministry (Matthew 5:17-18), Christians are not obligated to keep any vows to appease God or fulfill His commands. Rather, the Bible teaches to simply keep your word. Jesus taught to let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no”: “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil” (Matthew 5:37).

Although a Christian is not obligated to take a vow of silence, there is still benefit in observing moments of quietness and internal reflection. God once revealed Himself to the prophet Elijah through a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-13). Christians should be generally known as peaceful people: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: you should mind your own business and work with your hands” “and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you” (1 Thessalonians 4:11). And James 1:19 says, “Everyone should be quick to listen, s

“low to speak.”

This is especially true for Christians living in Western, developed countries where life is “loud.” With a constant flow of “noise” coming from news agencies, sports, social media, phones, advertisements, and more, silence is a foreign concept to many people. A Christian can avoid such distractions by living a quiet and content life—being responsible before God and living humbly (see Ecclesiastes 2:24). A believer can seek out times of silence and purposefully shut out the clamor of the world: sitting in silence to pray, taking a media fast, turning off the phone for the weekend, or simply going out for a walk to enjoy the natural, “quiet” sounds of God’s creation.

So, while a Christian is not required to take an official vow of silence, it can nevertheless be beneficial to one’s spiritual growth to observe moments of quietness and reflection throughout life.