PROPOSAL THE ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES AND DIOCESAN BISHOPS. June 2011

Transcription

1 PROPOSAL Widening the sub-categories of Acknowledged Religious Communities to include Reimagined expressions of the Religious Life and New Monastic Communities. THE ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES AND DIOCESAN BISHOPS June 2011 Drafted and Proposed by: Revd Ian Mobsby, The Moot Community. Revd Chris Neal, Church Mission Society. Fr Colin CSWG,Secretary to the Advisory Council. Supported by: Abbot Stuart Burns, Mucknell Abbey, OSB. Revd Ian Adams, CMS Small Missional Communities and Morning Bell Network. Andy Freeman, Ordinand, 24-7 Community and Reconcile Community. Mark Berry, Lay Pioneer Minister, Safe Space Community. 1

2 Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Forms of Established First Order new expressions 3.0 Forms of Reimagining of the Religious Life 4.0 Forms of New Monastic Community 5.0 Features of New Monastic Communities 6.0 Proposed Definition of a New Monastic Community. 7.0 New Monastic Community as Bishop s Mission Order and potentially Acknowledged New Monastic Community. 8.0 Proposed Process for an expression of the Acknowledged Religious Communities to be fully recognised in the Church of England. 9.0 Expectations that need to be in place to be able to become an Acknowledged New Monastic Community in the Church of England Expectations for non-new Monastic Acknowledged Religious Community Sub-groupings Issues requiring further work to be discussed by Advisory Council 12. Pictorial Summary of the proposed breakdown of Acknowledged Religious Communities 2

3 1.0 Introduction Reimagined forms of the Religious life and New Monastic Communities have been bubbling up within the UK and beyond now for sometime. In the last 20 years, this process has accelerated. New Monastic Communities and their inherent missional orientation was recognised as a category of Fresh Expressions of Church as documented in the Mission Shaped Church Report. These New Monastic Fresh Expressions of church are now developing in all the main denominations, particularly the Church of England and Anglican, the Methodist Church, Church of Scotland, Roman Catholic Church and independent Evangelical Churches. There are self-defining New Monastic Communities in the UK, Germany, Holland, Canada, USA, India, New Zealand, Australia, South America and the Philippines. A number of Bishops in the Church of England have blessed and encouraged the birth and development of reimagined forms of the Religious Life and New Monastic Community s and have encouraged the making of professed life long or seasonal vows and aspirations. It should be noted, that the Advisory Council has had a few contacts with these emerging New Monastic Communities, but only a couple of Bishops have yet recommended exploration of becoming an Acknowledged Community, (The Bishops of Norwich, Chester and Liverpool two at least going back over 10 years). This suggests the need for encouragement, intention and a clear process to support Diocesan Bishops and the Advisory Council in the discernment of these New Monastic Communities and reimagining of the Religious Life as Acknowledged Religious Communities. This expansion is not just within the Fresh Expressions movement but also from established expressions of Monasticism and from different traditions of the life of the church. The first few years of the Fresh Expressions initiative established a mixed economy of the local church in the diversity of the Church of England. More lately we see this expanding further as groups engage with contextual mission to widen this to a further mixed economy of the religious life. We remember that there are two rich streams to the Church Diocese and Parish alongside monastic and friar communities. Sodality and Modality A brief review of Church history will show that it is often the movements on the edge of solid Church that have enabled the wider Church to re-discover its calling to true mission. This was true of the challenge of the Desert Fathers in the 3rd century, the ministry of St Benedict and St Francis in the 5th and 12th centuries, the Jesuits in the 16th century, the Wesleyan movement in the 18th century and on into the 19th with the creation of many of the Mission agencies and charities which are still with us. In his work at the end of the 20th century, the American Missiologist Ralph Winter explored different expressions of Church and suggested that, from the NT period itself, Christian Community has always been lived out in at least two ways the more settled which eventually became the Parish or local congregation, and the movement, such as the missionary band of St Paul, which was eventually expressed in and through the various Monastic Orders and movements. Winter called the first expression modal and the second sodal. 3

4 The modality is a more structured and diverse expression of Christian Community, which, in some senses makes little demands on members. The default is to be inward looking and focused on maintenance, and this introspection can command criticism. However, modal expressions of Church can be inclusive and safe and provide a place where people can explore and embrace the Christian faith. In many ways it is the modal form of ecclesial community which shapes most people s understanding of Church. The Sodality can either be expressed alongside the modal form of Church, or can sometimes be discovered within it. The default is to look for a deeper level of commitment, both a commitment to the group relationally, but also to the mission focus to which the group is called. Sodal expressions of the ecclesial community can be criticised for being exclusive and even superior, but they can help and encourage the wider Church re-discover and re-express its true missional nature, calling and ministry. It may well be that within the re-discovery of these ways of expressing Christian Community, and finding a unity in Christ, (despite diversity of outworking), the true mixed economy of the local church will be found. It is hoped that this proposal will help to give permission and recognition to new monastic and reimaginations of the religious life to support the local church in its worship, mission and community in partnership for the Gospel. This proposal suggests that the Acknowledged Community definition requires three further sub-divisions: 1. New expressions of the religious life being developed by established first order communities. 2. Reimagined and contextual forms of the Religious life. 3. Forms of New Monastic Communities. All three subdivisions may be a Dispersed or Network community under a Rhythm of Life or Vow, or an Ecumenical Community. These are defined below: Dispersed or Network Community these are communities that do not live together, but, having made vows, are living a common rule or rhythm of life. Some have a particular commitment to celibacy. Ecumenical Community these are communities drawn from many different Christian traditions and backgrounds. They can be dispersed or gathered, living to a rule or rhythm of life, but committed to shared values and vision. The ecumenical dimension may bring a particular challenge if there is a request to be acknowledged within one Christian tradition. It is anticipated that all Acknowledged Religious Communities will share the same general Charisms: 1. Clear calling to purpose of serving God. 2. Commitment to prayer and practice. 3. Commitment to a shared life. 4. Commitments to a Rule or Rhythm of Life. 4

5 5. Commitment to a Model of Contextual Theology. 6. Commitment to contemplative action. 7. Evidence of this emerging. Note: Contextual Theology is here understood as defined by S B Bevans, as the task of orthopraxis holding in tension the Holy Scriptures, the ongoing traditions of the Church, the context and culture that one is theologising in, and the complexity of cultural change. 2.0 Forms of Established First Order new expressions Lay Non-First Order Community living alongside e.g. Hilfield Friary Others to be compiled in future reports 3.0 Forms of Reimagining of the Religious Life Single Consecrated Life this is a group of people who feel called to consecrate themselves to the single consecrated life. There is no common rule of life, but it appears that a network around this calling is emerging. Ministry Communities these are communities which discern that they have a particular calling to exercise a ministry within the wider Church, to enable that wider Church in its own understanding and ministry and mission. Pastoral Communities these are closely linked with Ministry Communities, but members feel called to a ministry of prayer and pastoral care within their local churches and communities. Religious Societies these are church related societies where participants have made vows or aspirations to a rhythm of life, and meet regularly as a society. A good example of this is the Society of Catholic Priests. 4.0 Forms of New Monasticism There appear be a number of different sub-forms: Networked New Monastic Communities - A good examples of this is CMS or the Church Army, or the Order of Mission. Localised intentional community or a particular small local expression. Good examples of this are the MayBe Community Oxford, and the Moot Community London. The Earlsfield Friary is a network of households in Earlsfield, South London. Both may seek Acknowledged Community status, but are quite different expressions of the religious life. Common to all New Monastic Communities is a concern to nurture small local initiatives arising out of mission or a fresh expression initiative which have established themselves as sustainable communities and declared themselves to be New Monastic. It is envisaged, that the expertise of the Advisory Council could help shape a process for these small missional communities to be formally recognised, with clear expectations of what is expected to be in place for these to be fully recognised by the Council as Acknowledged New Monastic Communities 5

6 within the Church of England. A clear approach would also assist Diocesan Bishops to approach, nurture and develop New Monastic communities as authentic Church of England fresh expressions of the Church. 5.0 Features of New Monastic Communities (a) Seasonal Aspirations, Spiritual Practices and Postures Most New Monastic Communities put a focus on a holistic understanding of formation and Christian discipleship beginning with Orthopraxis (right living) with Orthodoxy (right thinking) but often and very importantly with Orthopathy (right feeling, wellbeing). This holistic approach to Christian identity within New Monasticism is shared with more established religious and monastic communities of the church and begins with Jesus Great Commandment to Love God, love yourself and love others. Many communities formally meet before a Bishop or other perceived authority figure within the Church to commit to a Rhythm of Life or Rule of Life. For some, this rhythm of life begins with aspirations which seek to answer the questions How should we live in but not of the world? and What does it mean to be a mission-centred disciple in the contemporary world?. Aspirations are an entry point for spiritual seekers who need to be able to belong before they are able to explore belief. This is a deliberate missional strategy using what S B Bevans called the transcendent model of contextual theology. Most New Monastic Communities are radically contextual. Much of these aspirations are about living counter-culturally to our overly-consumptive, individualistic and materialistic society. Spiritual Practices are also committed to. These vary but tend to include prayer, meditation, work, rest, evangelism/mission, learning, participation in shared worship, tithing, living justly and commitments to being a dispersed network community. Attitudes, or what some New Monastic Communities call Postures, seem to be expressions of the religious life and connect with the virtues such as sufficiency, generosity, gentleness, humility, wonderment. (b) Commitment to being Missional and Contextual As with other Fresh Expressions of Church, the vision starts with birthing new monastic communities out of contextual mission. Many are very committed to be present in the places members of the community live. Some have deliberately moved to places abandoned by the Church or Estates which are tough to live in, with a vision of serving God and bringing God s love to places where there is great social deprivation, poverty and community breakdown. Some communities focus more on those who are unwell, addicted or face spiritual impoverishment, who desperately seek meaning, belonging and healing. In all there is the vision of the now but not fully yet Kingdom of God, where mission is about catching up with what God is doing. Mission and evangelism then is about transformation and growing human becoming in a culture that is losing a sense of what it means to be human let alone what it is to be Christian. 6

7 As with other Anglican expressions of Church, new monastics are committed to the following marks of mission: To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom, To teach, baptise and nurture new believers, To respond to human need by loving service, To seek to transform unjust structures of society, To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth. (c) Dispersed Network and distributed household networks Most New Monastic Communities are dispersed networks of lay people in a particular City or place. Some such as the Earlsfield Friary are a network of intentional households and some such as the All Hallows Community in Bow are an intentional community after taking over a large clergy house. Some maintain a deep daily intentionality through liturgies and prayers that are shared through out the day through s, text messages, podcasts and other information technology. (d) Participative Governance Most New Monastic Communities have a shared Governance System inspired by the Benedictine and Franciscan traditions. Here there is a commitment to listening and contributing to decision-making. People do have differing vocations, but these are ones of function not of privilege. New Monastics have differing vocations, where people are given room to exercise these ministries in the context of being one community. (e) Contemplative and Sacramental Most New Monastic Communities are liturgical, and are extremely creative in writing original and experimental liturgies. They draw heavily on ancient spiritual practices such as Lectio Divina, the Examen, Ignatian meditation, Centering Prayer and many other disciplines that require you to reach beyond the egoic self. Most practise table fellowship, and have a high view of the Eucharist or Holy Communion. (f) Commitment to non-dualism and non-tribalism Many New Monastic Communities are influenced by postmodern theology, missiology and the works of the mystics and monastics. Richard Rohr in particular is an important teacher to New Monastics. Given the abuses that the institutional church has perpetrated, particularly with Christendom s attempt to wield power over people, and the terrible violence done to the Christian church created by tribalism and sectarianism, New Monastics seek to be humble, non-dualistic and post-tribal. As with most monastics friars and sisters, New Monastics have a high view of Christ s New Commandment for unity (in diversity and not conformity) in the Church. (g) Commitment to Post-Christendom and Servant Discipleship Fundamentalism and fractionism in the Church can be associated with a Church in power abuse mode, and the church has much to seek repentance for. After all, the original desert mothers and fathers went into the desert to form radical 7

8 communities in opposition to Christianity becoming the state religion. Now that the Church is increasingly losing power, this focus on servant discipleship is a deliberate approach inspired by Christ the Servant and loving teacher. (h) Deeply Trinitarian in belief and practice Without exception, New Monastic Communities are deeply Trinitarian. Inspired by the Great Monastics and Mystics, The Holy Trinity is seen as an expression of perichoretic community. As God is one yet three expressing perfect love, justice and inclusion, so we the Church are beckoned so to do. So Worship and prayer is about joining in with God, and mission is about catching up with what God is already doing as God seeks to restore all things into right relationship with God. (i) Experimental and Creative in spirit and practice New Monastic communities on the whole have been birthed from a spirit of creativity, a need to find a way of community, living and worship which is flexible and contextual and a desire to exercise creative and artistic gifts. These communities have become crucibles for new liturgical forms and patterns as well as revisiting those from current and ancient traditions. Liturgy and rhythm have grown from the real and raw experience of community members and the culture in which they dwell. As such they have a real grounding in the now, a healthy provisionality and yet maintain a sense of the continuum of Christian heritage and worship. This creativity involves the exploration of a form of hospitality described by Bishop Michael Perham as real and radical, an openness and welcome to others beyond the community and the tradition. 6.0 Proposed Definitions of a New Monastic Community. New Monasticism, Neomonasticism or the New Friars, are a modern day iteration of a long tradition of Christian monasticism that has recently developed within certain Christian communities. The Twelve Marks of New Monasticism formulated at a conference in the USA are offered as an example of the distinctiveness of those communities called to a New Monastic vocation. These require reflection and future synthesis as we attempt to name what God is seeking for New Monastic communities who seek to become fully in communion with the Church of England. 1. Relocation to the "abandoned places of Empire" [at the margins of society]. 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 communities combined 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 singles alongside monogamous married couples and their children. 9. Where possible, geographical proximity to community members who share a common rule or rhythm of life. Note: For the more networked New Monastic Communities, there is an important commitment here to relational connection 8

9 through information technology and a rhythm of national or international gatherings. 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 Chapter Commitment to a disciplined contemplative and prayerful life. 7.0 New Monastic Community as Bishop s Mission Order and potentially Acknowledged New Monastic Community. With the implementation of the agenda proposed in the Mission Shaped Church Report and A Measure for Measures Report, the Church of England has begun to implement the now legally accepted Bishop s Mission Orders. This Church of England Legislation recognises a particular church community to address a particular missional function in a particular place or network. These are seen to be outside but in parallel to parish churches and come under the authority of a particular Diocesan Bishop. As most New Monastic Community s are missional, it may be a possibility that particular communities seek to become Bishop s Mission Orders as well as Acknowledged New Monastic Communities. There is a particular discernment track for BMOs to be considered, which requires formal governance and accountability structures to be clear and visible. A key role with BMOs is the Mission Accompanier which in many ways is similar to a Visitor to a Religious Community. So it may be possible that the requirements of a BMO would also resonate with some of the requirements of the Advisory Council Visitation responsibility. This needs further thought and reflection. It is right though for Diocesan Bishops to consider and recognise this dual identity and vocation both fresh expression and new monastic. 8.0 Proposed Process for an expression of the Acknowledged Religious Communities to be fully recognised in the Church of England. Process in Summary 1. Where a professed individual or a Community is situated in a particular place or Diocese, then the leadership of the community or individual should write to their Diocesan Bishop and Archdeacon and seek permission to begin the discernment process whether the particular community is to become an Acknowledged New Monastic Community. Where a community is dispersed in a number of Dioceses and possibly international, then the leadership should write to a leading Bishop of advice how to proceed. 2. Bishop writes to the Advisory Council to seek discernment if they are in support of this. 3. Advisory Council appoints one of its number as a named Advisor to liaise with the community who then communicates with the Diocesan Bishop about the process, and liaises with the leaders of a particular community to begin the process. 4. The particular community is expected to write up a governance constitution to be clear how they operate and meet the expectations of the Advisory Council stated below. 9

10 5. The named Advisor outlines the process and to be clear how this is to be concluded. 6. In consultation with the Advisory Council, a Visitor is named. 7. The named Advisor to communicate findings and decisions to Advisory Council and then write to the Diocesan Bishop or Bishops who originally requested the discernment. The process should formally end with some form of commissioning service, and enters into the Religious Communities Year Book. 9.0 Expectations that need to be in place to be able to become an Acknowledged New Monastic Community in the Church of England. 1. To have clearly expressed Aspirations and Spiritual Practices. 2. A commitment to making (at least) seasonal vows renewed annually to be made before a named Retired, Suffragan Bishop, Diocesan Bishop, Abbot, Minister Provincial, Superior or Archbishop. 3. Clear leadership and governance structures. 4. Clear financial structures and governance. 5. Clarity about ongoing Visitation and participation in the Church of England. Note: If the particular New Monastic Community is an Ecumenical partnership, then there needs to be clear lines of accountability and expectations concerning participation in the various Church traditions. 6. Clarity about particular vocation and charism for mission and evangelism. 7. Clarity about Christian formation utilising a whole of life approach and growing in belonging. 8. Where possible - a commitment to utilising liturgy as authorised by the liturgical commission or under local dispensation for pastoral needs in context by the Diocesan Bishop. Note: New Monastic Communities need permission to innovate and experiment to be able to respond to the local context reflecting missional and pastoral needs. This necessitates a healthy discussion about how this is going to work between the particular New Monastic Community and those appointed with Diocesan oversight. 9. A commitment to participate in local Diocesan structures and to relate to monastic and friar communities in the Church of England. 10. Clear accountability structures. 10. Expectations for non-new Monastic Acknowledged Religious Subgroupings. 1. That vow or profession is authentic and realistic. 2. Particular Charism, calling and gifting there should be clarity on the part of each community as to the particular charism the Spirit has given. From this foundational understanding, the Community will be able to exercise its gifting and calling, and so enable the wider Church to fulfil its mission and pastoral ministry. 3. Formation there needs to be clarity as to the formation of the Community and individuals within it. This should include an understanding of the spirituality which shapes and forms the life of the community, the rhythm or rule which enables that life to be lived and a constitution or founding document which expresses all of the above. 10

11 4. Rule or Rhythm of Life this needs to be clearly expressed and owned by the Community and individual members. 11. Issues requiring further work to be discussed by Advisory Council 1. For localised New Monastic Communities operating within the parish or Diocese system there is an issue to be considered regarding the named Visitor. It is important to separate out line management/accountability from the Community Visitor or there may be a conflict of interest. This needs further clarification. 2. For Ecumenical Communities clarification of what minimum standards need to be in place for this to be recognised by the Church of England. Further what are the implications for Church traditions that the Church of England is in Communion with Scandinavian Lutheran Churches, Old Catholics and plans for the covenant with the UK Methodist Church. 11

12 12. Pictorial Summary of Acknowledged Religious Communities SODAL CHARISM 12