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时代讲场文章(至2017年2月14日)

追溯西方大学内纪律处分的起源:〈圣本笃院规〉

延续着前三文有关大学未来的探索,本文将提出现今西方大学内的纪律处分程序实源自〈圣本笃院规〉(The Rule of St. Benedict)的看法。我会主要从比较两者的相同之处入手,再提出现今西方大学内纪律程序中蕴含的「怜悯悔改文化」(culture of mercy-repentance)实源自基督教的看法。

怜悯悔改文化的始源:〈圣本笃院规〉

如果碰到有大学人员犯错,一般具规模的西方大学都有清晰内部指引,指示大学管理人员须要按照什么样的程序去处理。于英国大学之内,除非涉案人仕所犯的过失已被校外人员或团体机构以书面提出正式投诉,大学并不会立即考虑以「免职」(dismissal)和有关的调查程序和手段去处理犯错人员。

一般来说,将犯错人员免职的基准是要求该人士已被判有刑事罪行、或已被裁定犯下不道德、具丑闻性、可耻的和不名誉的行为,和持续出现与职份不相符的不恰当行为等。所以,在英国的大学,除非事件已被公开而导致损害了大学的校誉,大学一般都会根据一般内部具保密性的纪律程序去处理事件。其实这些有关程序文件亦很容易被公众在英国的大学互联网上找到。1 一般纪律程序包括以下具保密性的步骤:2

一、初犯错误先须由该犯错人员的直属上司以「非正式讨论」(informal discussion)私底下向涉案人员了解内情和进行非正式警戒。
二、如有再犯,涉案人员将被给予正式「口头警告」(oral warning)。警告只会于犯错人员的人事档案内存放十二个月。
三、如有三犯,犯错人员将被给予「书面警告」(written warning)。该警告会被存档两年。
四、如有四犯,校方便可进行「免职」的有关正式调查和投诉程序。

但是,基于怜悯,犯错者也可以随时提出上诉。

可见,程序的目的是去指引执行纪律处分的人员要按步就班地去将处分行动渐进提升,并不能跳步。由于调查会由独立第三方人士进行,加上有工会的介入和监察,若然被发现跳步,执行纪律处分者也可能会面对纪律处分。其实,这种渐进式的机密纪律处分程序是不断去给予人反省自己和改过的机会。

由于程序保密,犯错者便有几次机会去反省自己的错误,从而改过。这种怜悯改过文化特色已一早被〈圣本笃院规〉所反映到。例如,「第二十三章:应受绝罚的过失」(Chapter 23: Excommunication for Faults)便提到如何处理修士所犯过失的程序:

‘If a brother is found to be stubborn or disobedient or proud, if he grumbles or in any way despises the holy rule and defies the orders of his seniors, he should be warned twice privately by the seniors, in accord with our Lord’s injunction (Matthew 18:15-16). If he does not amend, he must be rebuked publicly in the presence of everyone. But if even then he does not perform, let him be excommunicated, provided that he understands the nature of this punishment. If however he lacks understanding, let him undergo corporal punishment.’

(「如果发现有任何弟兄,或顽固、或抗命、或骄傲、或抱怨、或习惯性的违返某条会规,且藐视长辈的命令,长辈应该依照吾主的训示,私下劝告他二次(马太福音十八章15-16节)。如果他还不能改正,就让他在众弟兄前,受到公开的谴责。若他还不肯悔过自新,就将他和众人隔离起来,但是他该懂得这种处罚的严重性。假如他仍是刚愎自用,就施以体罚。」)3

而且,于「第四十六章:在其他事上犯过的人」(Chapter 46: Faults Committed in Other Matters),圣本笃再一次提出过失须于不公开之下去处理,犯错者的创伤才可被治疗:

‘If someone commits a fault while at any work – while working in the kitchen, in the storeroom, in the serving, in the bakery, in the garden, in any craft or anywhere else – either by breaking or losing something or failing in any other way in any other place, he must at once come before the abbot and community and of his own accord admit his fault and make satisfaction. If it is made known through another, he is to be subjected to a more severe correction. When the cause of the sin lies hidden in his conscience, he is to reveal it only to the abbot or to one of the spiritual elders, who know how to heal their own wounds as well as those of others, without exposing them and making them public.

(「当弟兄们在厨房、工厂、烤面包房、花园或其他任何场所工作,或从事某种工艺时,犯了过失,损坏东西、遗失东西,或其他方面犯规矩,若他不立即自动到院主持和众人面前承认过错,并做补赎,后来被发现,应让他受较严厉的处罚。若他所犯的心灵罪过是隐密的,那么他只需阐明院主持或属灵导师,因为他们知道如何治疗自己和别人的创伤,而不将之洩漏或公开。」) 4

结语

由此可见,现今西方大学的纪律处分程序除了改正行为之外,保密的原则给予改过空间和机会给予犯错人员。我认为这种深层的怜悯侮改文化可被追溯到中世纪时的天主教修道院制度。而〈圣本笃院规〉则提供了一些线索。

(作者为英国巴斯大学政治、语言与国际研究学系副教授)

http://christiantimes.org.hk,时代论坛时代讲场,2016.10.12)



1. For example, see: Clauses 25.4 & 25.5, ‘The Statutes of the University’, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom. URL: http://www.bath.ac.uk/about/pdfs/StatutesAug14.pdf

2. Clause 25.13, ‘The Statutes of the University’, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom. URL: http://www.bath.ac.uk/about/pdfs/StatutesAug14.pdf

3. Timothy Fry O.S.B. (1981). The Rule of St. Benedict in Latin and English Notes. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press. Chapter 23: Excommunication for Faults. (Chinese translation is available in the blog of the Oblates of St. Benedictine Sisters, Tamshui, Taiwan. URL: http://stbenedictineoblatestw.blogspot.co.uk/2009/02/229-1-2-1516-3-4-5.html)

4.Timothy Fry O.S.B. (1981). The Rule of St. Benedict in Latin and English Notes. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press. Chapter 46: Faults Committed in Other Matters. See also: Appendix 4: P. 420. (Chinese translation is available in the blog of the Oblates of St. Benedictine Sisters, Tamshui, Taiwan. URL: http://stbenedictineoblatestw.blogspot.co.uk/2009/03/1-2-3-4-5-6.html)

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