Saint Bernard articulated the monastic view of learning by stressing that learning in and of itself was evil for it turned one away from the pursuit of God. However, learning in order to gain wisdom and love of God was to be encouraged. This is one reason why Saint Bernard was in conflict with men like Abalard, who began to ask questions that need not be asked. The spirituality of the modern world is much different than that of the monastic medieval world. The most significant difference between the world now and the world of the monastic medieval culture is the decline of religion.
Religion is no longer the center of man's existence nor the center of society itself.
The question of being and meaning in life is now wide open. The decline of religion in modern times means simply that religion is no longer the uncontested center and ruler of man's life, and that the Church is no longer the final and unquestioned home and asylum of his being. Thus, the period of enlightenment had brought man a new feeling of hopelessness. Henceforth, in seeking his own human completeness man would have to do for himself what once was done for him, unconsciously, by the Church, through the medium of its sacramental life. For the medieval man what is in heaven preceded what is on earth.