New Monasticism and Race

We try to live in "intentional community" here at the Stevens House. We pray together, share meals and life together and try to be a part of the Whittier Community.

One movement of "intentional community" within the Christian Tradition is the New Monastics. New Monastics are characterized by these "12 Marks"

1) Relocation to the abandoned places of Empire.
2) Sharing economic resources with fellow community members and the needy among us.
3) Hospitality to the stranger
4) Lament for racial divisions within the church and our communitiescombined with the active pursuit of a just reconciliation.
5) Humble submission to Christ’s body, the church.
6) Intentional formation in the way of Christ and the rule of the community along the lines of the old novitiate.
7) Nurturing common life among members of intentional community.
8) Support for celibate singles alongside monogamous married couples and their children.
9) Geographical proximity to community members who share a common rule of life.
10) Care for the plot of God’s earth given to us along with support of our local economies.
11) Peacemaking in the midst of violence and conflict resolution within communities along the lines of Matthew 18.
12) Commitment to a disciplined contemplative life.



I don't think that anyone at the Stevens House would consider ourselves part of the New Monastic movement, but there are elements of what the New Monastics are about that intersect with what we're about here. There have been a series of posts by various "Intentional Community" types regarding race and privilege on the God's Politics Blog this week. Here's a link with some good food for thought. The discussion started with an article critiquing the leadership of the New Monastic movement being predominantly white and male.