“… profoundly contemplative and rich in active work …” Reformed reflections on the reappraisal of monastic spirituality in the 21st century

Len Hansen

doi:10.7832/42-3-61

Abstract

Given the growing contemporary interest among Christians of all traditions in monastic spirituality, the latter is discussed with reference to the most famous 20 th -century monastic, former Protestant turned Trappist monk, Thomas Merton. Despite centuries of Reformed suspicion and disapproval of monasticism, it is asked whether, despite dogmatic differences, there are not elements of this “Roman Catholic” spirituality – e.g. monastic spiritual practices and virtues – worth reconsidering and incorporating into Reformed spirituality, especially given the challenges Christians face in the 21 st century, or whether elements of this spirituality did, in fact, not survive outside its monastic context within the Reformed tradition.

Highlights

A simple internet search will reveal the extent to which monastic spirituality, for many a remnant of the Middle Ages, is making a comeback
Given the growing contemporary interest among Christians of all traditions in monastic spirituality, the latter is discussed with reference to the most famous 20th-century monastic, former Protestant turned Trappist monk, Thomas Merton
Despite centuries of Reformed suspicion and disapproval of monasticism, it is asked whether, despite dogmatic differences, there are not elements of this “Roman Catholic” spirituality – e.g. monastic spiritual practices and virtues – worth reconsidering and incorporating into Reformed spirituality, especially given the challenges Christians face in the 21st century, or whether elements of this spirituality did, not survive outside its monastic context within the Reformed tradition

Summary

Introduction

A simple internet search will reveal the extent to which monastic spirituality, for many a remnant of the Middle Ages, is making a comeback. This essay is not a call for the introduction of monasticism into the Reformed tradition It does, want to understand what monastic spirituality entails and what its attraction may be for some Reformed Christians despite centuries-old Reformed hostility towards it. To understand it, one has to consider what lies behind monastic spirituality, how the relationship between “commitment to God and the practice of everyday life” is understood by monastics – something with which Thomas Merton may assist. Thomas Merton is probably the most influential American Roman Catholic author of the 20th century. His autobiography, The seven storey mountain, has sold more than one million copies and has been translated into 29 languages since it was first published in 1948.

Basic principles of monastic spirituality

But why monastic spirituality?