Applying monastic principles to deepen spiritual experience today

Too often people’s understanding of and engagement with ‘church’ is reduced to corporate worship, when it is so much more. George Lings identifies seven characteristic elements in Christian communities through the ages, which when held in balance enable a richer expression of discipleship, mission and community.

In the monastic tradition these elements have distinctive locations: cell (being alone with God), chapel (corporate public worship), chapter (making decisions), cloister (planned and surprising meetings), garden (the place of work), refectory (food and hospitality) and scriptorium (study and passing on knowledge). Through this lens George Lings explores how these seven elements relate to our individual and communal walk with God, hold good for church and family life, and appear in wider society.

• Asks how and where we meet together, and what impact spaces have on spiritual life
• Redefines a Christian community and develops a new view on what Church is
• Thorough research, rich thinking and coherent theology
• Spaces discussed include kitchens, gardens and corridors
• Addresses key questions about the discipleship of church members
• Accessible book for personal devotion or small group use, including questions for discussion