There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why the different orders were developed. Most of them probably evolved in greater or lesser degrees away from their original mission. The Dominican were certainly founded to promote preaching and to oppose heresies, but later became famous for scholarship (Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, etc.). The Benedictines and the Franciscans were early on contemplatives, but soon became missionaries and/or scholars. The Jesuits, who were created as a special Order directly serving the interests of the Pope, later became missionaries and scholars. That tensions exists between the Orders there can be no doubt. The Dominicans recently advanced Savonarola, the great Renaissance monk and one of their own, for sainthood. In this, it seems, they are opposed by some Jesuits. By any chance would that be in part because Savonarola attacked the papacy of Alexander VI as thoroughly corrupt? Perhaps that’s a bit of a stretch? I wish a Jesuit would weigh in on this at CA.
Just when you think you can apply a stereotype to any single order, your stereotype is blown apart by studying the history of the Order.
