Recently a Catholic friend who has frequently visited a monastery for much of his adult life asked me about how Protestants can create stable communities that will preserve and pass on the Christian faith without monasteries. For many Catholics, he said, the monastery is the most stable institution within the church.
The spirit behind his question is roughly in line with what David Nolan wrote for Fare Forward several years ago when he argued for the necessity of monks. The vocation of the monks, my friend said, tends toward a level of stability and fidelity that is deeply helpful not only to the monks, but also to any lay Christians living nearby. The monastery essentially says “This is a good life. We will live here and dedicate ourselves to this work. Even if no one else is here, even if no one else notices us, even if no one else cares, this is what we will do.”
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