Today's guest blogger is Rev. Dawn B. Young, Ed.D., the Director of Christian Education for the Louisiana Conference.
There is much talk and concern about how to engage young adults in the church. And interestingly enough, young people tell researchers that while they are not particularly interested in “church” they are interested in the things that churches do. Surprisingly, or not, a large majority of young people say that there are people in the world and issues of the world that need to be addressed and they are interested in working towards solutions. Hence, young adults who claim that the church is “hypocritical” and “judgmental,” want to engage in what amounts to mission. No group is more representative of this particular reality than those involved in the “New Monastic” movement. Although the leadership of New Monastic communities largely emerges from Christian related educational programs, they have attracted a large following of people who are not initially Christian. Let’s review several books that could serve as study tools to prepare a church for associating with or establishing a New Monastic community in their neighborhood, or would serve as a challenge to churches about living in a radical way even within the comfort of our own homes.
Living Faithfully in a Fragmented World: Lessons for the church from MacIntyre’s After Virtue. Wilson, Jonathon R. Wipf and Stock Publishers; Eugene, OR. 1997, pp. 85.
The original credit for “new monasticism” is often linked to Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s quote “the restoration of the church will surely come only from a new type of monasticism which has nothing in common with the old but a complete lack of compromise in a life lived in accordance with the Sermon on the Mount in the discipleship of Christ.” However, the modern day reality of “New Monasticism” is credited to Jonathon Wilson in his book Living Faithfully, which is in itself drawing on the ideas of Alasdair MacIntyre. Regardless of the ultimate source, Wilson calls upon the Christian community to become the living body of Christ throughout the world by “recovering the telos of the world, as reveled by Jesus Christ.” Wilson suggests that this be done by living with, not separate from those who most need the love of God revealed to them. This is a short text that is a very easy, but somewhat disturbing read. Taken seriously this little book has the power to shake the comfortable nature of a good many of our pews. Wilson puts the question directly to us “What must the church do in order to live and witness faithfully as a minority in a culture where we were once the majority?” (p. 19). That is a question that could have your Sunday school class occupied for many days. The book does not have a study or leaders guide, and it is only five short chapters. It would be great to intersperse a study of this book with practical application of this text. If studied thoughtfully, this little book could change your church.
New Monasticism: What it has to say to today’s church. Wilson-Hartgrove, Jonathan, Brazos Press, Grand Rapides, MI, 2008. 147 pp.
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove seems uniquely qualified to be the author who reveals to and explores with us the movement of New Monasticism. Wilson-Hartgrove is not only participates in the movement, he is married to the daughter of Jonathan R. Wilson. Within the pages of this book there is a brief history of the church, monastic fathers, and the importance of this movement in the context of today. His purpose in writing the book is to state the obvious, it is difficult being a Christian in America, and to reveal that several Christians are rediscovering dynamic ways to live out Christ in the margins of society. This book should not be construed as a “how to” but more of a “why not” text.
Following the brief history lesson, Wilson-Hartgrove takes us into the heart of the movement. He examines a gathering of people who were had independent of one another come to the realization that 1) something was wrong with the church, 2) God’s plan was to save a world through the people (p. 58), 3) and had moved into positions on the margins of society to be “bound with every other person” (p. 103). The remainder of the book examines examples of different communities, ways that daily bread and debts are managed, and how this movement still needs the organized church. That the church is the “only way we know what discipleship means” (p. 144), and without the church this movement becomes something else.
I appreciate this text for the concise nature that it handles such a wide series of topics. It stays on course, and does not become something unintended. For example, it does not become an expose on the emergent movement, which could have easily happened. It is not a how to text, but does provide some back material to gain information about ‘how to.’ Finally, it offers the rationale that if the church wants to continue to be the church that it was intended to be, then we the people who are the church need to get out of the physical structure that we call the church. While there are no leaders’ guides, the book does include addresses to the website supported by the author and others that are participating in the New Monasticism.
School(s) for Conversion: 12 Marks of a New Monasticism. (2005). Ed. The Rutba House, Cascade Books, Eugene OR. pp. 173
The New Monastic movement took root in several different places at roughly the same time. Only in 2004/2005 did these young people realize that their practice was actually part of a larger movement. They called a gathering of those involved to join them in North Carolina, and they were stunned by the number of those in attendance. Truly this movement was spread throughout the country. This book, School(s) for Conversion, is an explanation of the 12 marks of New Monasticism. This is essentially the typical standard that those engaged in this practice follow on a daily basis. The editors are those that lead and guide New Monastic houses throughout the United States, and offer their insight to what each of the “marks” means. This would be a particularly insightful book to use in a small group or Sunday school setting, and perhaps even with a youth group. Each week a new mark could be discussed and covered. And although there is no leader guide with the book, a great exercise would be to explore what that particular mark means for me and how could I go about living that out, even if I am not in a “monastic” setting. There are many challenges within some of the simple marks outlined in this text. This would be a great book to use with a group of young adults in an “extra-church” setting, especially if the young people were not particular involved in a church group.
Inhabiting the Church: Biblical wisdom for a New Monasticism. (2007) Jon Stock, Tim Otto, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgove. Cascade Books, Eugene OR. pp. 173
While the other books reviewed here focus on the history and implementation of New Monasticism, Inhabiting the Church places its emphasis on the Biblical heritage that supports the movement. It focuses specifically on the “monastic” and Biblical aspects of the movement, such as, vows, obedience, conversion and stability, and then examines how these not only inform the life of these new communities, but how they might inform our life today. A particularly challenging aspect of this New Monasticism may be for a small group to consider how could I live this out in my life today? I may not be in a place to move to the inner city and live in a common dwelling, but does that make me any less Christian? No, but considring poverty, and our lack of recognition of its effects on all of us, will reveal to us some of the points that Jesus was attempting to make. Wilson-Hartgrove makes it clear when he proclaims “Christianity is a culture – a set of beliefs and stories and practices that shape our vision of the world around us and the decisions we make about ways to act in the world (p. 49). Perhaps it is simpler in a monastic setting to recall that, and a study of this book or any of the others might bring that reality of how difficult it is to be Christian in the world. Again, no study guide accompanies this book, but there are many Biblical references in the chapters, and with only five sections this is a very accessible book for most adult groups.