"One Heart Beat"
And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one
language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And
nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
Genesis 11:6
My eyes you see are the deep depths of my Soul
Yearning to always achieve my Goals
Thus my free time will be spent
On what I fear most things of the flesh
basin my life:
On wisdom, power, riches, social service, religion and
pleasure
To realize in the end I am bankrupt and my story is one for God
Does my existence here have any meaning at all?
Yes, I see what is happening a love story
Where God pursues us ending with a happy forever marriage
In heaven, forgiven, adopted, empowered and loved
It is a sad fact of history that the more churches prosper
and become successful in a worldly sense (numbers, dollars prestige, etc.) the
heavier can be the temptation to become too much like the world, to lower
standards, and to water down the Word of God. Even before the time of
Constantine and the imperial legitimizing of Christianity, this was beginning
to happen in many places. It seems that the easier it became to become a
Christian, the easier it became for Christians to act in ways unbecoming a
Christian and sometimes even to obscure the Gospel. I will try to look at two
ways in which the Holy Spirit led the Church to respond in the Middle Ages:
monasticism and pre-Reformation reforms.
Monasticism, which is usually thought of as special communal
living for spiritual purposes, originally was a more solitary pursuit. The
first monks were individuals who spent time in the deserts of Egypt and Syria.
One of the very first was a man named Antony (c.256-356), from Egypt. He became
a hermit, living alone, with frequent fasting, Bible reading, prayer,
meditation and worship. Perhaps the most famous of these hermits was a man
named Simon Stylites, who spent thirty years atop a pillar in the desert east
of Antioch in Syria. It’s ironic: known for being a hermit, he nonetheless must
have had many devoted followers who fed and supported him! Also, it is reported
that many people became followers of Christ after coming in contact with him!
Communal monasticism, where monks or later women too, lived
cloistered but communal existences, is by far the more common type, still
existing in many places today. This kind of monasticism was begun about 320 by
a man named Pachomius, who set up a community along the Nile River in Egypt. Is
it a mere coincidence that the monastic movement began at about the same time
that the church was beginning its takeover of the Roman Empire and, in the
process, perhaps becoming more “secure”? Much more likely it was the work of
the Holy Spirit, calling the church to purity and renewal. In any event,
monasticism soon spread to Western Christianity and became a major influence
throughout the middle Ages, especially through the work of Benedict and his
famous Rule for Monasticism. Monasteries were communities emphasizing worship
and individual spiritual pursuits, along with service to others. Various orders
of monks varied immensely in the shape and quality of their lives, but most
stressed a three fold vow, often permanent, after an extensive period of
initiation: poverty, obedience and chastity.
Motivations for monasticism were quite varied, and it is
difficult to generalize about them. Why do some people join communities with
radical lifestyles today? Psychologists can suggest many possible reasons. But
powerful spiritual forces were also at work. In the middle ages, as we have
seen, there was a tendency for the church to become secular in many ways, and
God called some people to demonstrate a more radical Christian obedience.
Perhaps the fact that more people had joined the church as infants made more
attractive the notion of a radical free decision for Christ. Ancient
philosophies often promoted an ascetic lifestyle. But perhaps most basic to
monasticism’s appeal was the promise of a simpler life that left much time for
worship, prayer, meditation, Christian fellowship, etc.
No institution is perfect, and there were failings in the
monastic movement. As with any significant spiritual endeavor, it is always
possible for pride, legalism, and holier than thou attitudes to creep in.
Monasticism as an institution could perhaps be accused of fostering a double
standard in the Church. Many followed the “idea” of poverty, in contrast to all
other church members, who might be considered “worldly” by comparison. On the
other hand, some monks became too prosperous and comfortable. Also, was the
stress on obedience to authority too heavy? Perhaps that is an unfair charge,
because the abbot was required to consult with the older monks on most issues
affecting common life, and it was also mandatory for him to get the opinion of
all of the brothers on major issues. Another possible weakness of monasticism
was its temptation to become a retreat from, or turning away from, this world
and its needs and responsibilities.
On the other hand, the accomplishments of monasticism were
impressive. Not always a retreat from the world, it often turned to the world
with highly significant ministries, evangelism; schools the fostering of
literature, art and history and in general, preserving culture during the so-called
Dark Ages. These pursuits challenged the increasing secularization of the
church. Although not aiming to be worldly at all, monasticism had some
profoundly positive effects on the world. Many reform movements before the
Reformation also sought an upgrading of purity and renewal in Christian faith
and life.
God Bless You and This Ministry
