Monastic Orders: Then and Now

[Spiritus Naturae]

I have a few questions on the subject. Those in the know feel free:

What Monastic Orders are still in existence today?

Which are the oldest?

Do they exist only within the Eastern Orthodox or the Catholic Churches?

Are there any outside of these Churches?

What are their origins?

What is the Biblical precedent or motivation for these orders?

Thanks,
Jonathan

[keith]

I have a few questions on the subject. Those in the know feel free:

What Monastic Orders are still in existence today?

Which are the oldest?

Do they exist only within the Eastern Orthodox or the Catholic Churches?

Are there any outside of these Churches?

What are their origins?

What is the Biblical precedent or motivation for these orders?

Thanks,
Jonathan

Hi

The first Christian monks appeared in Egypt and there are still active monasteries there (Coptic Orthodox). Check out the Life of St. Anthony as the first definitive biography of a monk. There were, and are, three types - hermits, sketes (small groups of 3 or 4 monks) and full scale monasteries.

I'm sure there must be plenty of EO and RCC readers who could tell you where things have developed in their respective churches so I will not even go there. In my own church - Anglican - monastic orders were reintroduced some time during the 19th century after Henry VIII had abolished them all. We have both Franciscans and Dominicans to my knowledge. In the RCC and Anglican churches the appearance of new orders were often associated with renewal movements of some kind e.g. St Francis. Early monks in Egypt saw themselves as successors to earlier martyrs (sacrifice of poverty, chastity and so forth). Lots of their early writing talks about the imminent return of Christ (hence no need of possessions etc) and retreat to the Desert as a place to do battle against the demonic (a common belief that the desert was a dwelling place for evil spirits). Now you have me wondering why they thought that (not sure, perhaps the Temptation of Christ is a model?) Now that you have mentioned it I too would be curious to know if there are any other churches with monastic orders. What about Lutherans? Old Catholics?

Anyway, this is an opening reply. Hopefully others will contribute interesting material.

[Spiritus Naturae]

Thanks, Keith for your input. Is there no one else that has any info or expertise on the subject? Why I am I always interested in the most obscure topics?

[Rdr. Arsenios]

Is there no one else that has any info or expertise on the subject?
Why I am I always interested in the most obscure topics?

Orthodox monasticism has an unbroken tradition of 2000 years - It involves, in different ways, going into the desert of one's own soul, of being alone MONastic] with God - It is a deep and abiding tradition of prayer and self-denial. Men and women in Orthodoxy are equally monastic - It is just that in the various formats, there is more or less "lateral" support - eg social support of/from one's brethren...

The health of Orthodoxy is a function of the health of her monasteries. There are thousands of monasteries in Russia, Egypt, the middle east, Romania, Serbia, Albania, and a growing number of them in the US and Canada - Peerhaps a hundred or so - I really do not know the number. The Island of Athos in Greece is monastic, men only, and is the very Holy Mountain of Orthodox Christians, and we have monastic communities in the US that are descendents of Athonite fathers...

When I go on vacation, it is always to family and to monasteries and to other Orthodox Churches - making pilgrimages is a wonderful thing to do, spiritually not only uplifting, but edifying, for events speak louder than words, and Orthodox monastics are not strangers to spiritual intercession for those who are both ready and in need...

One monastery I went to arises at 2AM each day to begin a two hour prayer rule, followed by services, and then chores, and then a nap till breakfast... They retire early to their cells for prayers into the evening, to arise again at 2AM... They permanently fast from meat, except for fish on feast days, and labor hard, and live lives akin to St. John the Baptist... And they are the most loving bunch of humble and joyful souls you can imagine...

There is only one monasticism in Orthodoxy, for men or for women, yet particular elders will operate more strictly or more lax, and the whole issue of finding a spiritual father is in part one of finding an elder suited to one's needs... Monks are often spiritual fathers to clergy and laity, and bear much fruit... If you ask them, they will simply tell you that they are living as Bible Christians... [What are you expecting? A willow blown by the wind?] They live spiritual lives turned from the flesh... As we all do... Except that they get to do it more... For they give up possessions, embrace poverty and obedience, and chastity in deed, in word, and in thought... It is the arduous way to follow Christ in deed... They take mortification of the flesh seriously...

Where do you live, S-N? I bet there is an Orthodox monastery nearby you might visit... But you have to do it as if you were visiting an operating room with a patient in open heart surgery - You can't just walk up and grab a hunk of intestine and give it a pull to see what happens... You can't touch anything, unless told to do so... But you can talk with monks or nuns, and learn what holy ones are like, at all stages of their Christian development...

And having a monastic pray for you is an awesome thing...

Arsenios

[George Murphy]

I have a few questions on the subject. Those in the know feel free:

What Monastic Orders are still in existence today?

Which are the oldest?

Do they exist only within the Eastern Orthodox or the Catholic Churches?

Are there any outside of these Churches?

What are their origins?

What is the Biblical precedent or motivation for these orders?

Thanks,
Jonathan

There are monks in both the Lutheran and Anglican traditions, though quite small in numbers, especially in the US. I believe that St. Augustine's House in Michigan is the only Lutheran monastery in this country.

Luther - who was an Augustinian monk - and other reformers had a lot of problems with medieval ideas that monasticism was a higher calling than that of "ordinary" Christians, that monastic vows were a kind of second baptism, and so forth. But that doesn't mean that the basic idea of a monastic vocation for some Christians is invalid.

Shalom,
George

Shalom,

[Spiritus Naturae]

Orthodox monasticism has an unbroken tradition of 2000 years - It involves, in different ways, going into the desert of one's own soul, of being alone MONastic] with God - It is a deep and abiding tradition of prayer and self-denial. Men and women in Orthodoxy are equally monastic - It is just that in the various formats, there is more or less "lateral" support - eg social support of/from one's brethren...

The health of Orthodoxy is a function of the health of her monasteries. There are thousands of monasteries in Russia, Egypt, the middle east, Romania, Serbia, Albania, and a growing number of them in the US and Canada - Peerhaps a hundred or so - I really do not know the number. The Island of Athos in Greece is monastic, men only, and is the very Holy Mountain of Orthodox Christians, and we have monastic communities in the US that are descendents of Athonite fathers...

When I go on vacation, it is always to family and to monasteries and to other Orthodox Churches - making pilgrimages is a wonderful thing to do, spiritually not only uplifting, but edifying, for events speak louder than words, and Orthodox monastics are not strangers to spiritual intercession for those who are both ready and in need...

One monastery I went to arises at 2AM each day to begin a two hour prayer rule, followed by services, and then chores, and then a nap till breakfast... They retire early to their cells for prayers into the evening, to arise again at 2AM... They permanently fast from meat, except for fish on feast days, and labor hard, and live lives akin to St. John the Baptist... And they are the most loving bunch of humble and joyful souls you can imagine...

There is only one monasticism in Orthodoxy, for men or for women, yet particular elders will operate more strictly or more lax, and the whole issue of finding a spiritual father is in part one of finding an elder suited to one's needs... Monks are often spiritual fathers to clergy and laity, and bear much fruit... If you ask them, they will simply tell you that they are living as Bible Christians... [What are you expecting? A willow blown by the wind?] They live spiritual lives turned from the flesh... As we all do... Except that they get to do it more... For they give up possessions, embrace poverty and obedience, and chastity in deed, in word, and in thought... It is the arduous way to follow Christ in deed... They take mortification of the flesh seriously...

Where do you live, S-N? I bet there is an Orthodox monastery nearby you might visit... But you have to do it as if you were visiting an operating room with a patient in open heart surgery - You can't just walk up and grab a hunk of intestine and give it a pull to see what happens... You can't touch anything, unless told to do so... But you can talk with monks or nuns, and learn what holy ones are like, at all stages of their Christian development...

And having a monastic pray for you is an awesome thing...

Arsenios

Wow...thanks for the reply, George. I live in Houston, Texas and I am sure there are a few monasteries around here...somewhere. I promise I won't touch anything...I'm good about that. Like for instance when I go to the museums here I make sure not to touch the exhibits or the walls, ya know, well mannered stuff like that.

Again, thanks for your informed reply.

Jonathan

[Spiritus Naturae]

There are monks in both the Lutheran and Anglican traditions, though quite small in numbers, especially in the US. I believe that St. Augustine's House in Michigan is the only Lutheran monastery in this country.

Luther - who was an Augustinian monk - and other reformers had a lot of problems with medieval ideas that monasticism was a higher calling than that of "ordinary" Christians, that monastic vows were a kind of second baptism, and so forth. But that doesn't mean that the basic idea of a monastic vocation for some Christians is invalid.

Shalom,
George

Shalom,

Thanks, George. I imagine there are alot of Anglican monasteries 'across the pond' in England, Scotland and Wales. Ireland too perhaps? Long ago, I had entertained the idea of a monastic lifestyle, but I find that the Lord had different plans for me. I can see the appeal of taking such a path on our Christian walk.

[Rdr. Arsenios]

Wow...thanks for the reply, George. I live in Houston, Texas and I am sure there are a few monasteries around here...somewhere. I promise I won't touch anything...I'm good about that. Like for instance when I go to the museums here I make sure not to touch the exhibits or the walls, ya know, well mannered stuff like that.

Again, thanks for your informed reply.

Jonathan

A pretty good place to start on the web is:
http://aggreen.net/monasteries/monastic.html

For a great pic of a Siberian winter monastic baptism, see:
http://avva.faithweb.com/Baptism_at_Valaam_Russia.jpg

West Texas? Head west to Arizona:
http://www.stanthonysmonastery.org/
But I should warn you, this one is very busy handling Orthodox pilgrims, for it is Greek Orthodox, speaks Greek, [some English, not much], and is headed by an old country [Greek] Athonite Elder... He resides there, but has established a whole string of monastic communities across the US - Even a women's monastery here in Washington State, where Mother Ephpraxia is the Abbess...

This website lists 97 Orthodox monasteries in the US, with 4 in Texas [Houston, Austin, Blanco and Kendalia]:
http://www.orthodox-monasteries.com/us/texas/

In any group of a thousand folks or so, you will normally find one or two who are what I like to call 'closet monastics'... [And there may very well be more who you do not find!] You sound like you might be one of us... Of these, some actually become monks and nuns...

But there is no substitute for the real thing, and that means visiting an Orthodox monastery... St. Catherine's in Egypt is still up and running, having the oldest ikon of Christ known [6th century], and the place where the oldest copy of the hand-written Bible has been found [Codex-Sinaiticus] - It was not a very well done copy, with lots of corrections [eg mistakes], and was being used to start fires... When the British "rescued" it from the flames and spirited it off to the British museum...

Enjoy your wanderings! I wanted to be baptized in cold water - Until I saw that Valaam Siberian pic...

Arsenios

[Rdr. Arsenios]

This is an add-on from:

http://www.monasteryofstjohn.org/monasticism.php

__________________________________
Are you called to the monastic life?

The Holy Fathers, especially St. John Cassian, tell us that there are three main ways that people are called to the monastic life: directly by God, by other people, and by circumstances. All three are legitimate, but the first is the strongest sense of a vocation to monasticism.

There are several signs of this vocation. First, one may have a sense of God's calling, a burning desire to live a life entirely devoted to God as a monastic. Or one may have a profound sense of the utter vanity of this world, and that while able to do anything, the world holds nothing for oneself. Another is that all doors but monasticism close, and one feels compelled to embrace it.

No one can run away from his problems by going to a monastery. Rather, in the quiet and undistracted life of the monastery, all problems come into agonizing focus so that they can be dealt with. Every passion, every habit, and every sin will become absolutely apparent. We join a monastery to repent: not to somehow try to make up for our sins, but to turn to God knowing our weakness and embrace a whole new lifestyle. Monastic life is not a life lived without responsibility. Rather, it is an empowering to fully accept responsibility for our life, to face one's issues, and to be healed.

The older one is the harder it is to enter true monastic life. The best time is before the age of 25, while still young and strong, and before one is too corrupted by the world. After 25 our identities are solid, and our habits and will are strongly entrenched. That does not mean it's impossible, just hard.

The disciplines of obedience and self-denial are the real challenge. Obedience means to "listen thoroughly." One embraces obedience on one hand, as an act of love and respect, and on the other as a means of self-denial. Our faith in God, in our spiritual father, and just about everything are tried and tested as we embrace radical repentance. We are barraged by thoughts, images, and sensations of past sins and desires, and the longing for worldly consolation.

The demon of despondency drags us into depression, and the demon of vainglory into self-exaltation. We have to steer clear of both. The goal of this, though, is to tame our will and bring us to authentic humility, an honest evaluation of ourselves, and a comprehension of our faults and proclivities. Then we can begin to strive towards freedom from bondage to our old man, our ego.

Life in community is the crucible that burns away our self-centeredness. Constant interaction purges us from our selfishness and makes us face ourselves. Our vocation is to love God and our neighbor, and it is only by freeing ourselves from bondage to our passions, fallenness, and egocentrism, that we can do this. The fundamental values of our life (poverty, chastity, obedience and stability, for the sake of Christ) give us the context to work out our salvation. They are our support as we try to enter into authentic relationships in the intimacy of community, as we grow and are healed. Each aspect of the monastic life is directed at enabling one to grow to spiritual, emotional, and psychological maturity, in union with one another and in Christ. The key to discerning one's place is to find one's spiritual father, or spiritual mother, and to enter into a relationship of discipleship in mutual love and respect. This relationship is the context for obedience, and the process of our sanctification.

Hieromonk Jonah (Paffhausen)

[Spiritus Naturae]

Thank you, brother Blaisdell for your wonderful and informative postings on this subject.

Jonathan