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School(s) for Conversion: 12 Marks of a New Monasticism (New Monastic Library: Resources for Radical Discipleship)

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An ancient breeze is beginning to blow in unexpected places in North America. While monastic spirituality and institutions have been part of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox communions for centuries, some North American Protestants are beginning to explore this approach to spirituality and community. Inspired by traditional monastic forms and disciplines as well as some Anabaptist traditions, proponents of a "new monasticism" advocate a turn, at least in part, to the kinds of "intentional community" seldom seen in American Protestant churches.

Jonathan R. Wilson coined the term "new monasticism" in his short monograph, Living Faithfully In a Fragmented World. Drawing on the social analysis of Alasdair MacIntyre (After Virtue) and the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Life Together and Letters and Papers From Prison), Wilson called for a "new monasticism ... that will sustain the [church's] witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ through faithful living." (Living Faithfully, p. 69) This call assumes that the contemporary church is so compromised by its identification with and embrace of the forces and institutions of modernity and empire, that disentanglement from these forces and institutions is necessary for the church to recover its identity and mission.

In June 2004, the Rutba House ("a Christian community of hospitality, peacemaking, and discipleship" in Durham, N.C.) invited representatives from various neo-monastic communities across the country to a conference designed to "discern a possible shape of a new monasticism." School(s) for Conversion: 12 Marks of a New Monasticism is one result of this meeting. Participants in the conference identified twelve "marks" or common characteristics of these neo-monastic communities. These marks include: sharing economic resources with fellow community members and the needy, hospitality to the stranger, lament for racial divisions within the church and our communities combined with the active pursuit of a just reconciliation, geographical proximity to community members who share a common rule of life, and peacemaking in the midst of violence and conflict resolution along the lines of Matthew 18.

Edited by the Rutba House, School(s) for Conversion contains an eloquent introduction by Wilson and one essay, written by various conference participants, on each of the twelve marks. Essay contributors include members of The Simple Way and New Jerusalem Now recovery center in Philadelphia; Reba Place Fellowship in Evanston, Illinois; and Communality in Lexington, Kentucky. The essays are generally well written and offer a helpful balance of theory and practice.

Many Christians in "the last remaining superpower" believe that the church in America is in need of deep renewal and reform. The forces of empire: capitalism, militarism, consumerism, individualism and pursuit of the "American dream" have taken us far from our common life with Christian brothers and sisters in service to and for the Kingdom of God. New monasticism or intentional community is a potentially fruitful way of renewing both the identity and mission of ecclesial communities. However, as Wilson warns in the introduction, "The task of forming communities of the NM [new monasticism] will be marked by deep struggle, perhaps a great deal of pain, and the hard work of reconciliation." (p. 4) School(s) for Conversion: 12 Marks of a New Monasticism is an excellent introduction to the cost, benefits, and possible priorities of new Christian communities capable of bearing faithful witness to Jesus Christ and his Kingdom

This book is a compilation of essays written about the 12 principles that many new intentional Christian communities live by in today's world. First is "Relocation to Abandoned Places of Empire." Second is "Sharing Economic Resources with Fellow Community Members." Third is "Hospitality to the Stranger." Fourth is "Lament for Racial Divisions Within the Church and Our Communities Combined with the Active Pursuit of a Just Reconciliation." Fifth is "Humble Submission to Christ's Body, the Church." Sixth is "Intentional Formation in the Way of Christ and the Rule of the Community Along the Lines of the Old Novitiate." Seventh is "Nurturing Common Life Among Members of Intentional Community." Eighth is "Support for Celibate Singles Alongside Monogamous Married Couples and Their Children." Ninth is "Geographical Proximity to Community Members Who Share a Common Rule of Life." Tenth is "Care for the Plot of God's Earth Given to Us Along with Support of Our Local Economies." Eleventh is "Peacemaking in the Midst of Violence and Conflict Resolution." And, finally, Twelfth is "Commitment to a Disciplined Contemplative Life." Each interesting essay is written by a person(s) associated with a specific community/house/church in the United States. Because the chapters are relatively short it will make for a good introduction (for small group discussion) around if not how to live in Christian community full-time, then how can all or most of these principles help members of a church to become more deeply involved with each other and in their Christian faith. I look forward to using this thoughful and easily readable book to provoke deep discussion in a small-group setting.

The Rutba House's book "School(s) for Conversion: 12 Marks of a New Monasticism" provides readers with a collective snapshot of an emerging American network of groups interested in recapturing some of the grassroots basics of the early church and also the spiritual values of classic monastic figures of the past like Benedict and Francis. It is referred to as the "New Monasticism." The book is the result of a conference of like-minded souls held in 2004 in Durham, North Carolina, in order to "help us discern a possible shape of a new monasticism." (page X). It contains a Preface, Introduction, and 12 subsequent chapters each outlining one of the 12 values that were discerned at the conference, namely, relocation to abandoned places, sharing goods, hospitality to strangers, lament for racial discrimination, submission to the church, spiritual formation, common life, support for singles and marrieds, geographic proximity, ecological stewardship, peacemaking, and contemplative prayer.

There are several strengths of the book (and the movement). First, it is a collective effort which helps give the reader a snapshot of the movement's diversity and depth. The variety of backgrounds and experiences of the authors adds to this sense. Second, the 12 marks are important aspects of Christian life and mission which have been forgotten in many quarters of the church (especially the financially and socially comfortable) and are rightly being re-animated. Third, real-life stories punctuate each chapter illustrating how each value is being applied practically in a variety of contexts. Fourth, it is a readable book since it is written in a conversational style that I found winsome and appealing, and it is only about 170 pages long. Fifth, authors freely draw upon the rich history found in the Bible itself, but do not suffer from amnesia (as some do) as they look also to the history of God's dealings with the church through figures such as Benedict, Francis, and Dorothy Day.

There are, however, notable weaknesses of the book (and the movement). First, there is virtually no discussion or "mark" devoted to presenting the lost world with the basic message of salvation, i.e., that people need to recognize and forsake their sin and turn to Christ as the only door to God (Mark 16:15-16, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, and Acts 19:10). Second, there is no discussion or "mark" devoted to church planting or verbal evangelism. It could be argued that "Mark 1. Relocation to Abandoned Places of Empire" reflects something of the heart of church planting and that "Mark 3. Hospitality to the Stranger" reflects something of the heart of evangelism. However, I wish these items were more explicitly dealt with. Third, there is a good focus on helping the marginalized and needy, but no real recognition that the middle and upper classes also need to encounter Jesus Christ and be transformed. Despite "Mark 1", ironically, is the movement willing to abandon people just because they are well-to-do? Fourth, the book never deals with the issue of the supernatural, i.e. signs and wonders, as a tool that God uses to reach people and establish his presence among them (Mar 16:17-18, Acts 19:11-12). Fifth, overall the movement is really a renewal effort within the institutional church by reminding believers of certain values. But, it does not seem brave or interested enough to see itself as a network of legitimate New Testament churches.

Overall, it is a worthwhile read for those interested in the re-emergence of this new form of grassroots Christian community in America.

RAD ZDERO, author of LETTERS TO THE HOUSE CHURCH MOVEMENT and THE GLOBAL HOUSE CHURCH MOVEMENT