New Monasticism with Jonathan

It's 4:22 PM EDT on Easter Monday in Albany as I begin to write this entry. I've just completed my Eastertide plan for the 3 PM to 5:30 PM "Watch of the Steward" that is my dedicated Sunday-Friday horarium block for labor on this specific blog, New Monasticism with Jonathan .  Every day from Easter Monday through Pentecost Friday, less Saturdays for the Sabbath, I have earmarked the hour from 3-4 PM each day for the following tasks: Medical Records Family Support Financial Upkeep Digital Inbox Zero Paper Inbox Zero After this, I have scheduled from 4-5:30 PM each day until Friday, 1 May 2026, to wrap up my initial blog series on The Story of Monasticism by Greg Peters. Then, from Saturday, 2 May 2026 until Monday, 31 August 2026, I will study the Rule of Saint Benedict every single day (including on the Sabbath) during this same 4-5:30 PM time slot. To the extent that time allows between now and the start of my Saint Benedict marathon, I will relabel the old posts on...

I. The Apostolic Template: Communal Life as a Holy Mark In our ongoing study of Greg Peters’ The Story of Monasticism , we have already explored the "Set of the Soul" (contemplation) as the foundational DNA of the monastic calling. However, Peters argues that contemplation does not exist in a vacuum; it is historically and theologically bolstered by three additional marks: Communal Life, Vows, and Hourly Prayer . While we will turn our attention to the specific structures of Vows and the rhythmic discipline of the Horarium in future articles, today we focus on a radically inclusive communal life. This is not merely a social arrangement, but a distinct relational marker of the Holy Spirit—an outward sign that the superorganism of the Church has moved from individual survival to a shared, prophetic existence. This communal impulse, as we shall see, ultimately provides the blueprint for a global vision of solidarity. The template for this life is found in the high-definition sna...

I. From Kitchen to Yeshiva The encounter between Martha, Jesus, and Mary in Luke 10 is often discussed in theological circles as a contrast between the active life and the contemplative life. Greg Peters, in his book The Story of Monasticism , explains how different theologians over the course of church history have used this encounter in Luke 10 to support the superiority of either the contemplative life, the active life, or the mixed life. However, beneath these historical debates lies a radical disruption of first-century social boundaries. When Martha appeals to Jesus to send Mary back to the kitchen, she isn't just asking for help with the dishes; she is invoking the traditional domestic order of her day. By defending Mary’s place at His feet, Jesus is validating her entry into the Yeshiva—the house of study. He declares that a woman's primary calling is not defined by her domestic utility or her social function, but by her status as a scholar-disciple. For the modern ...

I. Introduction: Defining the "Set of the Soul" In the frantic velocity of our digital age, contemplation is often dismissed as a luxury of the idle or a psychological escape for the overwhelmed. We tend to view the contemplative life as a literal withdrawal—a shuttering of the windows against the noise of the world. However, as Greg Peters argues in the opening of The Story of Monasticism , this view misinterprets the very DNA of the biblical narrative. Monasticism was never intended to be a new invention or a flight from reality; rather, it was an intensification of a fundamental human calling. To understand this calling, we must move beyond vague mysticism. Peters grounds his survey in Tom Schwanda’s precise definition from the Zondervan Dictionary of Christian Spirituality : contemplation is "the conscious set of the soul on God." This definition shifts our focus from where we are to how we are oriented. It suggests that contemplation is not defined by the abs...