A BRIEF HISTORY OF ANGLICAN MONASTICISM
Christian religious communities may have begun in the first century
after the Resurrection when, according to Scripture, "all the believers
were together and had everything in common" (Acts 2:44, NIV). Formal
monasticism, however, dates from the fourth century A.D. when the Roman
Emperor first tolerated and later embraced Christianity. No longer
subject to intermittent but deadly persecutions, many men and women
felt called to seek a new form of martyrdom to test and strengthen
their faith. The Great Desert Fathers and Mothers, led by St. Anthony
(c. 250-350), abandoned the material corruption of cities and moved out
into the wastelands of Egypt, Palestine, Arabia, and Persia, living
alone in caves as hermits but often worshipping and eating together.
Over time, colonies of hermits formed whose leaders acquired the name
"Abba" (father) or Abbot. Pachomius (292-346), an Egyptian soldier
converted to Christianity, introduced cenobitic monasticism in which
monks lived in close-knit communities under a definite and severe rule,
performing assigned tasks, keeping regular hours of worship, and
wearing similar dress. Cenobitic monasticism flourished, later modified
by St. Basil (c. 330-379) to include more normal occupations and a more
wholesome atmosphere. After the breakdown of the Roman Empire in the
fifth century A.D., monasticism became the main strength of the church
and a major influence on secular society. Monasteries fostered
learning, dignified manual labor, developed practical and innovative
farming techniques, and preserved much of ancient classical learning.
St. Benedict of Nursia (480-547) reformed western monasticism, saving
it from excesses of ascetism which had developed, and founded the
mother monastery of the Benedictine Order on the hill of Monte Cassino,
Italy (c. 529). The effectiveness and popularity of the monasteries
brought wealth and power which, in turn, attracted the indolent and
those who only wished to escape the cares of the world. When,
periodically, monastic discipline became lax and spiritural zeal
declined, a series of reform movements appeared, among them the
monastery at Cluny (founded 910) and the austere Cistercian order
(founded 1098). The revival of town life in the 13th century saw the
rise of orders of mendicant (begging) friars to meet the needs of the
townspeople. [The monk (Greek *monachos*-solitary) was a person apart,
but the friar (Latin *frater,* Middle English *frier*-brother) broke
away from the monastic enclosure to preach and teach where the people
lived." *Highlights of the Story of Christianity* by Alice Parmelee,
copyright 1980] St. Dominic (1170-1221) founded the Dominican Order
(Black Friars) and St. Francis (1182-1226) the Franciscan Order (Grey
Friars).
As the western world moved from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance,
vast political, economic, cultural, and intellectual changes began,
bringing with them equally great changes in religious thought.
Movements of church reform spread across Europe. Religious, political,
and personal interests led to England's break with the Roman Church.
Beginning in 1535, Henry VIII and his advisors ruthlessly suppressed
monasticism and, apart from a brief revival during the reign of Queen
Mary, it disappeared from England for over 300 years. In the decades
following the Reformation, a great distrust for anything "Romish"
developed in England, and the Anglican Church came to think of itself
as strictly Protestant. Not until the Oxford Movement in the early
1800s did some churchmen begin to see the Anglican Church as the *Via
Media,* the "middle way" between Catholicism and Protestantism. With
these ideas came interest in the revival of "religious life" in
England. Between 1841 and 1855, several religious orders for women were
begun, among them the Community of St. Mary at Wantage and the
Community of St. Margaret at East Grinstead. Religious orders for men
appeared later, the first not-too-successful community in 1863,
followed in 1866 by the Society of St. John the Evangelist (Cowley
Fathers). In the USA and Canada, the founding of Anglican religious
orders began in 1842 with the Nashotah Community (men) in Wisconsin,
followed in 1845 by the Sisterhood of the Holy Communion (now defunct)
in New York. At present, there are approximately 168 Anglican religious
orders for men and/or women throughout the world. Of these,
approximately 38 are in the USA and about 7 in Canada. (These numbers
are estimates based on a 6 year old directory. I hope soon to obtain
more accurate and up-to-date information.)
[Much of the information in this short history came from *Highlights of
the Story of Christianity* by Alice Parmelee (copyright 1980) and from
*A History of the Church in England* by John R. H. Moorman (published
1953).]
++++++++++In the List of Links below, "traditional" generally
means *un-married* religious living in *vowed life* (some form of
poverty, celibate chastity, and obedience) in *community.*
"Non-traditional" generally means including both married and single
members and/or not living in community. Neither word reflects a
"progressive" or "traditional" interpretation of theology or
Scripture.+++++++++
Anglican Religious Orders already on-line (Updated and alphabetized: 6-30-99)
- ALL SAINTS' SISTERS OF THE POOR
- a traditional religious order for women
- All Saints' Sisters of the Poor (CORL)
- information about ASSP from the Conference on Religious Life
- ORDER OF ST. ANDREW
- a non-traditional religious order for men and women
- Order of St. Anne-Bethany (CORL)
- a traditional religious order for women (information from the Conference on Religious Life)
- Order of St. Anne-Chicago (CORL)
- a traditional religious order for women (from Conference on Religious Life)
- ST. GREGORY'S ABBEY-ORDER OF ST. BENEDICT
- a traditional, Benedictine monastic community for men
- St. Gregory's Abbey-OSB (CORL)
- information about the Benedictines of St. Gregory's from the Conference on Religious Life
- ORDER OF THE HOLY CROSS
- a traditional, Benedictine monastic community for men
- Order of the Holy Cross (CORL)
- information about the Benedictines of Holy Cross from the Conference on Religious Life
- INCARNATION PRIORY-OHC-BERKELEY,CA
- a monastery of the Holy Cross monks
- Servants of Christ Priory-OSB (CORL)
- a traditional, Benedictine monastic community for men (information from the Conference on Religious Life)
- ANGLICAN COMMUNITIES (MEN OR WOMEN)
- following the Benedictine Rule
- ANGLICAN COMMUNITIES (MEN OR WOMEN)
- following a modified Benedictine rule
- COMMUNITY OF CELEBRATION (The Fisherfolk)
- a non-traditional religious community within the Episcopal church
- COMMUNITY OF ST. FRANCIS
- a traditional religious order for women
- Community of St. Francis (CORL)
- information about CSF from the Conference on Religious Life
- SOCIETY OF ST. FRANCIS
- a traditional religious order for men
- Society of St. Francis (CORL)
- information about SSF from the Conference on Religious Life
- THIRD ORDER OF THE SOCIETY OF ST. FRANCIS
- a lay order for men and women
- FRANCISCAN ORDER OF DIVINE COMPASSION (ECUSA)
- a Franciscan community (in formation) of First, Second, and
Third Order Frandiscans and oblates emphasizing Anglo-Catholic liturgy
and theology
- BROTHERHOOD OF ST. GREGORY
- a non-traditional religious order for men and women
- COMPANION SISTERHOOD OF ST. GREGORY
- a women's community in formation, under the sponsorship of BSG (see above)
- ORDER OF ST. HELENA
- a traditional religious order for women
- Order of St. Helena (CORL)
- information about OSH from the Conference on Religious Life
- SISTERHOOD OF THE HOLY NATIVITY
- a traditional religious order for women
- Sisterhood of the Holy Nativity (CORL)
- information about SHN from the Conference on Religious Life
- COMMUNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- a traditional religious order for women
- Community of the Holy Spirit (CORL)
- information about CHS from the Conference on Religious Life
- COMMUNITY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
- a traditional religious order for women
- Community of St. John the Baptist (CORL)
- information about CSJB from the Conference on Religious Life
- SOCIETY OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST (Cowley Fathers)
- a traditional religious order for men
- Society of St. John the Evangelist (Cowley Fathers)
- information about SSJE from the Conference on Religious Life
- ORDER OF JULIAN OF NORWICH
- a monastic community for men and women (changing but generally excellant info about "vocations" at this site)
- Order of Julian of Norwich (CORL)
- information about OJN from the Conference on Religious Life
- SOCIETY OF ST. MARGARET
- a traditional religious order for women
- Society of St. Margaret (CORL)
- information about SSM from the Conference on Religious Life
- COMMUNITY OF ST. MARY-EASTERN PROVINCE
- a traditional religious order for women
- Community of St. Mary-Eastern Province (CORL)
- information about CSM (East) from the Conference on Religious Life
- Community of St. Mary-Southern Province (CORL)
- a traditional religious order for women (information from the Conference on Religious Life)
- SISTERS OF ST. MARY (CSM-WESTERN PROVINCE)
- a traditional religious order for women
- Community of St. Mary-Western Province (CORL)
- information about CSM-West from the Conference on Religious Life
- Society of St. Paul (CORL)
- a traditional monastic community for men (information from the Conference on Religious Life)
- Sisters of Charity (CORL)
- a traditional religious order for women (information from the Conference on Religious Life)--see also Sisters of Charity in U.K.
- Order of the Teachers of the Children of God (CORL)
- a traditional religious teaching order for women (information from the Conference on Religious Life)
- Community of the Transfiguration (CORL)
- a traditional religious order for women (information from the Conference on Religious Life)
- CHRIST THE KING HERMITAGE (solitary)
- a "hermit" or solitary in the Episcopal Church
- FRANCISCAN ORDER OF CELI DE (solitary)
- an order of solitaries ("hermits") emphasizing a Celtic Anglicanism
- SOLITARIES OF DEKOVEN (solitary)
- an order of solitaries ("hermits")
- CANADA: Sisterhood of St. John the Divine (CORL)
- a traditional religious order for women {based in Canada} (information from the Conference on Religious Life)
- CANADA: Community of the Sisters of the Church (CORL)
- a traditional religious order for women {based in Canada} (information from the Conference on Religious Life)
- DIRECTORY OF ANGLICAN RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
- some general info. and addresses for many religious orders in the U.K.
- Conference on Religious Life
- an organization for information and support among religious communities
- Religious orders/communities in the Episcopal Church USA
- definitions and regulations according to canon law (information from the Conference on Religious Life)
- Religious orders/communities in the Anglican Church of Canada
- definitions and regulations
- Daughers of the King
- a devotional society for women
- Oratory of the Good Shepherd
- a religious society for men
- BETHLEHEM PRIORY
- a traditional monastic order for men within the ANGLICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH (see "Outside ECUSA")
- ORDER OF ST. JOHN THE BELOVED
- a non-traditional religious order for men and women with the TRADITIONAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH (see "Outside ECUSA")
- OBLATES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- a non-traditional religious order for men and women within the TRADITIONAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH (see "Outside ECUSA")
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