The Marks of the New Monasticism - Part 2
In the previous introductory post in this series on the New Monasticism, I introduced the 12 marks of the movement, looking at number 1 (Relocation to the abandoned places of Empire). In this post I want to look at the next three marks:
2) Sharing economic resources with fellow community members and the needy among us:
When I lived and served with YWAM on the more traditional ministry centers, sharing of resources was much easier, as we lived in facilities where we shared housing and meals in a style somewhere between dorms and monasteries and large families. It was a powerfully formative experience, something I have rarely seen replicated (as well) in other contexts.
However, with very few exceptions, out of necessity these facilities were located in rural, even secluded settings. Even when they were within larger communities, it was easy to create something of a bubble in which our lives took place separate from the neighbourhood. So when we founded our ministry in Winnipeg, we intentionally looked for a house in the community where we would naturally be neighbours. This came with its own set of challenges, such as the need to be more intentional about sharing our lives, space and property. We are working to improve this, but we have a long way to go. Sharing with the needy in our community is something we are also working to become more intentional about. The bookstore (The Dusty Cover) is one place where we hope to express this more explicitly.
For the larger church this will perhaps be the most challenging to embrace. While the church has been very good at giving to the poor through programs, sharing our wealth (and for those of us living in the West, it is wealth) within the context of our own churches and communities flies in the face of everything we have accepted to normal- our rights, our privacy, even our convictions. And the need for sharing with the needy among us must flow from personal relationships and the acknowledgment of our mutual need for each other. Ultimately, though, it has more to do with embracing a new theology and worldview of wealth and ownership that, if taken seriously, WILL transform the church (and will probably be chaotic).
3) Hospitality to the stranger:
One of our foundational values in YWAM is hospitality. We try to take it very seriously, not only in welcoming the stranger, but also in our treatment of one another as we share our lives and space. Here in Winnipeg, we attempt to make room for the stranger. However, we also know that this has not extended far enough, especially in respect to the poor. There are legitimate (and selfish) concerns about property, safety, etc. On a personal note, as an introvert, I already struggle to find adequate rest without losing what little self-time I have. I acknowledge the selfishness, but it is a concern.
For the church, the need to open our homes to each other on regular, genuine ways is critical. So much of Scripture is about hospitality largely due to how much the live of God’s people interacted. In this age of individualism and privacy, those verses often get dismissed as mildly interesting, if at all relevant. Rest assured, true hospitality (like true community) exacts a heavy price. However, beyond the fact that we are commanded to embrace it as Christians, we would also need to realize how much there is to discover of God and each other if we obey.
4) Lament for racial divisions within the church and our communities combined with the active pursuit of a just reconciliation:
This is particularly a passion of mine. Rather, it is a by-product of my passion for celebrating and learning from diversity of all kinds, be it racial, gender, age, socio-economic, etc. All of us in our local ministry are the racial minority as white people in our neighourhood. One of the challenges we face in this is that, as representative of the race that has enjoyed the benefits of exploitation, racism and colonialism, we have to approach racial justice issues carefully. Our desire to work for restorative justice can end up becoming another exercise in using power above the marginalized. Despite our best intentions, we have to go out of our way to humble ourselves in this process.
It is my conviction that sin is defined largely what it fails to be. For example, greed is sin not so much because of its inherent “badness”, but because it fails to be generous and selfless. In respect to racism, therefore, it is not enough for us to be opposed to prejiduce and inequality- no, in order to not be guilty of the sin, we MUST live lives that intentionally celebrate diversity, even pursue it. Therefore, seeking just reconcilication is not merely a admirable work for some who are called, but a necessary discipline of every believer and every church.
The issues of racial reconciliation are inseparably connected to so many other issues of injustice. In that respect, the importance of this point cannot be understated. I can think of few issues in the church today that needs more immediate and consistant response.
How do you or your faith community measure up with each of these points? Any point you think particularly important?
