Do-It-Yourself Tradition
That’s the title of an article of mine on a movement among many, mostly young, Protestants, a movement sometimes called “the new monasticism.” It’s now up on the First Things website.
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Doing without is getting very sexy these days.
— Tony Comstock · Feb 20, 03:21 PM · #
I find it hard to take these monastics who are not living in a monastery seriously. I don’t like the way they use language.
I have read a little about the authors you wrote about. It’s hard for me to take McClaren seriously, too. What he’s doing seems like some sort of syncretism to me, where everything gets watered down. Depth in every area is reduced.
I think if someone wants to hark back to the early church, they should start investigating the Orthodox. Frederica Mathewes-Green is accessible.
Having Catholic friends, I have been bothered by the “movement’s” lack of authenticity that stems from this:
“Clearly these books and the general movement they represent constitute an attempt to borrow or transfer charisma: Ancient and monastic traditions of piety embody a community-building power and a devotional richness that these folks want to appropriate—but not at the cost of embracing either the doctrine or the authority of the Catholic Church or any other church.”
— Julana · Feb 21, 12:09 AM · #