The other day I came across this thing about the
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary's Mr. Taylor and the monks. This article (
Bridges across the divide: Protestants are adopting elements of Catholic spirituality) originally appeared in the
National Catholic Reporter (Dec 15, 2006), and this is what we read about half way into it (links at the end)...
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The Pentecostals and the monksA small Trappist monastery, Assumption Abbey, located in the hill country in southern Missouri, hosts weekend retreats made by seminarians from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in nearby Springfield. Headquartered there, the Assemblies of God are the world's largest Pentecostal denomination with 52.5 million members worldwide, with churches all over the country.
Jay P. Taylor, director of spiritual formation at the seminary, told NCR that these retreats have become a key part of a holistic spirituality program that's been developed at the seminary.
"One of our professors, Gary McGee, has been involved in Pentecostal dialogue with Catholics for years, so we have an association already. Our own DNA as a denomination is found in two scripture passages: Matthew 28:19, 'Go and make disciples,' and Acts 1:8, 'But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me ... even to the uttermost parts of the earth.' Thus, our ministries are mostly outward directed; we're all about evangelism and mission, about doing work in the world."
Taylor said the seminary is not trying to create monks, but wants its seminarians to learn the importance of inward-directed spiritual disciplines. "We try to focus not just on what we do for God but who we are, so that inner spiritual work becomes important."
Taylor sees Assumption Abbey as a place where students can experience firsthand the value of silence and solitude "so they can merge these into their own spirituality, trying to find avenues and spaces in their lives for these spiritual qualities and practices."
Taylor describes to the seminarians the Catholic monastic tradition, explaining that the mission of the Trappists is prayer and solitude and that there are theological differences between their Pentecostal Christianity and Catholicism. "The monastery is a resource in helping our seminarians learn they can find common ground with others whatever their spiritual persuasion."
The seminarians typically arrive on a Friday evening in time for the 5:30 p.m. Vesper service then attend all the monks' communal prayer sessions. "We get up at 3 a.m. like the monks do to pray Vigils, leaving after Compline on Sunday night."
Taylor said the monastery's Catholicism is not as alien to the seminarians as is the quiet and solitude. "The hushed quiet there is a shock, even a little intimidating. They're used to noise; when it's gone then they discover all the internal noise. It's a shock when they can hear their hearts beat, their stomachs make noise, and experience their mind flying all over the place, hearing that chatter inside for what it is."
Meeting with the monks, seminarians hear about the Trappists' daily life, Taylor said.
At daily Mass, the seminarians don't join in Communion or in the prayers to Mary, but do share in the exchange of peace gestures and the final blessing, and the prayers of the faithful. "The abbot, Br. Mark Scott, told me he enjoys the seminarians because they participate; they're not just passive spectators."
Out of this real immersion in silence and solitude at the monastery, Taylor said, the seminarians are offered ways to continue some of these practices in their daily life at the seminary and at home. They are expected to find three or four days a year "to invest in silence and solitude," he said. "We offer them days when they can fast, either from food or from music or technology. Many students can easily give up eating but have a harder time doing without the music or time spent on their computers."
Taylor said the weekend retreats are advertised on campus for usually only two days before the group is fully signed up. "Students come back and tell others. It's very popular. I meet with all of the seminarians regularly for spiritual direction and they tell me how much the weekend retreats meant to them. Even the fact that we do spiritual direction--that's very unique for Protestant Pentecostals.
"At the end of the day, we can all pursue Christ. That's what matters." Taylor said.
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Bridges across the divide: Protestants are adopting elements of Catholic spirituality by Rich Heffern,
National Catholic Reporter, Dec 15, 2006
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The rest of the article, which is all about how Roman Catholic practices aren't just for Catholics anymore, mentions other well known names such as Scot McKnight (author of
The Real Mary: Why Evangelical Christians Can Embrace the Mother of Jesus) and Rick Warren, who has "depended upon concepts from his readings in Catholic spirituality to form his own vision for his church" and..."From the early church fathers and mothers through the monastic traditions and up to
Henri Nouwen and
Thomas Merton, Warren said these traditions and writings have all ministered to him."
The complete article can be found here:
Bridges across the divide: Protestants are adopting elements of Catholic spirituality.http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Bridges+across+the+divide%3A+Protestants+are+adopting+elements+of...-a0156581426OR here:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1141/is_8_43/ai_n26712917/pg_4/?tag=content;col1OR here:
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-156581426.html
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Related:
*Assemblies of God Seminary Promoting Contemplative Books and Things*Ancient-Future Faith Or Do All Roads Lead to Rome
by Gary Gilley
www.svchapel.org
