A few weeks back I read a fascinating article by actor/freelance journalist Elizabeth McCafferty on I left my party lifestyle behind for a week in a nunnery – and began to see the light.
Interesting piece Mike. Bonhoeffer, Stott, Mouw & others have shown interest in forms of New Monasticism. There are a few of these communities around Melbourne. Also, Palace, I think at the Kino, Mon night at 8 is showing Free, a doco on bunch of Spanish monasteries.
"Friday, Oct. 22. Uncommonly weaned from the world today: my soul delighted to be a stranger and pilgrim on the earth; I felt a disposition in me never to have any thing to do with this world. The character given of some of the ancient people of God, in Heb. 11:13. was very pleasing to me, `They confessed that they were pilgrims and strangers on the earth,' by their daily practice; and O that I could always do so! — Spent some considerable time in a pleasant grove, in prayer and meditation. O it is sweet to be thus weaned from friends, and from myself, and dead to the present world, that so I may live wholly to and upon the blessed God!”
Interesting piece Mike. Bonhoeffer, Stott, Mouw & others have shown interest in forms of New Monasticism. There are a few of these communities around Melbourne. Also, Palace, I think at the Kino, Mon night at 8 is showing Free, a doco on bunch of Spanish monasteries.
Gordon, yes, very interesting, I've always enjoyed my visits to Catholic monastries.
From David Brainerd’s diary (18th century):
"Friday, Oct. 22. Uncommonly weaned from the world today: my soul delighted to be a stranger and pilgrim on the earth; I felt a disposition in me never to have any thing to do with this world. The character given of some of the ancient people of God, in Heb. 11:13. was very pleasing to me, `They confessed that they were pilgrims and strangers on the earth,' by their daily practice; and O that I could always do so! — Spent some considerable time in a pleasant grove, in prayer and meditation. O it is sweet to be thus weaned from friends, and from myself, and dead to the present world, that so I may live wholly to and upon the blessed God!”
https://nosweatshakespeare.com/quotes/famous/get-thee-to-a-nunnery/