You'll Never Walk Alone: The Need to Belong

If I had a fiver for each time I've heard "new monasticism" recently, I'd be rich. Time will tell how much of it is fad or trend, and how much is the emergence of a widespread move of God's Spirit.

What draws me is the call to a consistent spiritual life that works through thick and thin, sustained by disciplines, some kind of rule of life, promises and so on.

But aside from that, I believe it's a call to a strongly relational life, not a solitary, self-contained spiritual existence. It bothers me that Western society is becoming more solitary and isolated (and lonely), and Christians are not exempt from this. We need to belong somewhere, even to a dispersed community held together by shared values and practices.

Two interesting articles here and here. Also see Odyssey blog about the formation of a new Order of Mission (not the same as the St Thomas Sheffield one). (Image from here)

Comments

[noel]

I agree with your insight. I believe that we have to cultivate a daily monasticism in all of us to brave the waves of materialism and cynicism.