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This page contains:

• A definition;
• The Community of St Jude;
• We can think of three types of new monasticism;
• Things to keep in mind;
• Resources.

A definition: 'New monasticism' refers to a variety of approaches, all drawing inspiration from monastic traditions.

Similarities across all approaches include a stronger focus on intentional community, patterns of prayer, contemplation, hospitality and practical engagement in mission beyond itself (often to the poor) than is normal in an average church setting.

Like old monasticism, a defining mark of new monastic groups is the 'second decision' (the vows) members must make to join. (It is called a 'second decision' because the decision to become a Christian is considered the first decision.)

Unlike old monasticism, new monastic groups tend to have a dispersed life (though some may have more frequent patterns of gathering than others) and they welcome the married.

Differences across approaches lie in some groups being monastic orders, while others draw on aspects of monastic life in their fresh or inherited church setting, without seeking to be order.

Differences arise according to size, level of recognition from the wider church and gathered or dispersed patterns. They also depend on which monastic tradition is the source of inspiration and wisdom - ie, Celtic, Benedictine and Franciscan. Above all, each new monastic group will have its own particular calling and charism that reflect these variables.

The Community of St Jude (CSJ) is a non-residential community inspired by Sant'Egidio and based in Earls Court, West London. It is bonded together by a simple rhythm of prayer and working with those on the edges of life. CSJ began in 2005 with a vision for restoration (as something normative within the life of the church), a 'heartbeat of prayer' and a practical, hands-on Christianity, engaging in true friendship with people caught up in poverty, injustice and suffering.

Commitment to Christ is expressed by making a priority of the rhythm of prayer (which operates each midweek day - in the morning by arrangement in members' homes; in St Jude's Church at 12 and 3pm for 15 minutes; and on Tuesday and Friday evenings), and by proactively making friendships with those who are unlikely to have met others. As much as possible, CSJ volunteers help with existing projects, charities and local institutions. 

To emphasise that discipleship is a way of living and not primarily defined by attendance at Sunday worship, CSJ organises nothing on a Sunday. However, they do have celebrations to mark the major festivals of Advent, Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. It is at these celebrations that new members are received.

St Jude's expression of a new monasticism is intentionally less sophisticated than some other UK examples. They are exploring patterns of synagogue (teaching, festivals, family) as well as monastery. Tom Gillum is the Warden of the Community. He is an Anglican Priest appointed to the community by the Bishop of Kensington. The Community of St Jude is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status.

We can think of three types of new monasticism (though the phenomenon is very diverse):

Larger, officially recognised orders with links to mainline denominations. They are essentially dispersed with worldwide membership and have evolved liturgy to sustain the community in dispersed mode. Each has a mother house. Two examples are The Community of Aidan and Hilda and The Order of Mission - TOM.

Smaller communities officially recognised as orders by mainline denominations. Their patterns of gathering are daily or weekly, and most members live or work within a more closely defined geographical area than the previous category. They include The Order of Jacob's Well and The Community of St Jude, described above. 

Small, newly-planted churches that, while not seeking to become orders, have adopted a rule of life and gather daily or weekly to sustain a deeper sense of community for mission. Moot is one example.

Another is a mission community of spiritual seekers in Derby, based around home and food. The Odyssey Community began four years ago with six members. So far there have been seven new Christians as a result of Odyssey members, and two of these have gone on to join the community. The others are also members of local churches.

Current areas of mission include: theatre company, alcoholics, drug addicts, sex workers, vulnerable adults living in a particular street, young gay people, family and friends, people with eating disorders and survivors of abuse.

Meetings are kept to a minimum so members of the community are freed up to spend most of their time working in their area of mission. Members are encouraged to venture into one another's mission fields to offer prayerful support to one another.

They follow a pattern of prayer and hold a rule of life; both of these have been developed as they have journeyed together as well as sharing in the support of one another practically. Food, fellowship and honest relationships are the key to the community. (More information here.)

A third example is a fresh expression of church inspired by new monasticism working across a number of communities in Telford. The community began four years ago, exploring a call to live lives of hospitality and mission in the areas in which they lived.

Called Safe Space, members' calling is to share life with people where they are, including the many who wish to explore spirituality yet can't find space in traditional church structures.

Safe Space seeks to live out their three values (or DNA) of pilgrimage, mission and community through a number of different rhythms that have echoes of monastic, as well as of Anglican tradition. They encourage daily prayer, Scripture reading and meditation, accompanied by the weekly pattern of meeting round the meal table and breaking bread together. Longer seasonal and annual patterns are also embraced in their ongoing life.

Things to keep in mind:

• Friars may be better examples for fresh expressions to draw on than contemplatives because of the way they balance community and spirituality with mission.
• Pursue clarity about your charism at all times. Charism is a term to describe the special combination of calling, gifting and identity which makes a community distinctive and one of God's gifts to the wider church.
• Don't underestimate the important of values. Values are what hold a community together regardless of the task you are doing. When a community knows what it values, it can make decisions, establish priorities and appoint future leaders more easily. Communities will also be helped if the spiritual practices they develop are linked in with their values, to undergird their community life with relevant spiritual nourishment.
• Yet don't be too quick to determine your values. Let the charism slowly shape your values. The shorter the time you take to establish your values, the harder the task of living by them will be. Resist the pressure to go public with your values before you've begun. Values must arise out of the life of the community and what God is already doing among you, otherwise they will ring hollow.
• Don't make it too easy for new members to join. Take seriously the classic monastic element of 'second vocation'. To have a core of permanent members committed to the charism of the community will benefit the stability and sustainability of the community in the long-term.
• Keep expectations realistic. When sharing the vision of your community with others, especially potential members, care must be taken to communicate that living in intentional community has its ups and downs. Any group with a strong emphasis on community will look very attractive to potential members, especially Christians disillusioned with existing models of church.
• Take conflict seriously. Conflict is an inevitable and necessary part of community building. Prepare well for it by establishing boundaries or rules for handling conflict before you need them. Although it might feel awkward and onerous at the time, think about appointing an outside visitor or guardian who is familiar with the community as an outside mediator in a conflict situation. Conflict is always painful, but being open and realistic about it beforehand will help protect the community from falling apart when it occurs.
• Balance inward and outward journeys. It is tempting for many fresh expressions to err on the side of activism, seeking results in order to justify their existence before the watching church. Celtic, Franciscan and Jesuit monastic traditions offer helpful patterns in which monastery and mission are deeply necessary to each other.

• Explore the pattern of shared leadership modelled in traditional monastic communities. One leader who does everything may undermine the ability of everyone to use their gifts and serve their community.
• Ensure ongoing mission is not eclipsed by pastoral needs in the community or vice versa. The different roles of Bishop and Abbot in Celtic communities offer a useful focus for balancing the needs of any new monastic community.
• Be sensitive in your use of historic terms and labels such as 'abbot' or 'bishop'. To outsiders, using such terms in fresh expressions contexts might appear presumptuous. Find a term, if necessary a new one, that aptly describes what you are doing.

Resources

Classic

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, SCM Press Ltd, 1954.
• Scott Peck, A Different Drum, Arrow, 1990.
• Jean Vanier, Community and Growth, DLT, 1989.

Recent

• Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical, Zondervan, 2006.
• Claire Dalpra, Encounters on the Edge 37: Chasing the Dream - Starting community, Church Army, 2009.
• Claire Dalpra, Encounters on the Edge 38: The Cost of Community - Issues of maturity, Church Army, 2009.
• Chris Edmondson and Emma Ineson (eds), Creating Community, DLT, 2006.
• Andy Freemand and Pete Greig, Punk Monk: New Monasticism and the Ancient Art of Breathing, Regal Books, 2007.
• Tobias Jones, Utopian Dreams, Faber and Faber, 2007.
• George Lings, Encounters on the Edge 29: Northumbria Community - Matching Monastery and Mission, Church Army, 2006.
• George Lings, Encounters on the Edge 43: Seven Sacred Spaces - Expressing community life in Christ, Church Army, 2009.
• Rutba House Schools for Conversion, 12 Marks of a New Monasticism, Cascade Books, 2005.

Websites

New Monasticism Network - contains talks given at conference in October 2009 on new monasticism and fresh expressions.

This page was written by Claire Dalpra. She has worked in Church Army's research team The Sheffield Centre for more than ten years. Her role as assistant researcher involves writing, editing, consultancy and conferencing in the area of fresh expressions of church.

What are some examples of fresh expressions?

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