NEW MONASTICISM AND THE
TRANSFORMATION OF AMERICAN
EVANGELICALISM
By Wes Markofski
Oxford University Press. 382 pages. £22.99
ISBN 978 0 190 258 016
This is a big book on a small subject that really merits an article or two but not much more.
It is about what is called the new monasticism, which is a sort of movement in the United States and elsewhere in which mostly youngish Christians commit themselves to living intentionally in communities in cities in order to do mission.
Many come from evangelical backgrounds and seem to be reacting to the conventional evangelicalism of the United States, epitomised in the programme-driven megachurch that ministers largely to the evangelical subculture and the religious right.
Holistic, hipsterish church
The new monastics want to break out of that and do church in a more holistic and hip-sterish urban way. I can understand that, but I am not sure it is quite so earth-shattering as the author thinks. I suspect that these churches, if conservative evangelical, will evolve into ordinary churches – albeit more urban than suburban – but, if on their way to some form of liberalism or Catholicism, will eventually peter out. The book is full of sociological theory and analysis, interviews, case studies and profiles, although relatively light on the Bible and theology. What the book is indicative of is what many other writers are identifying and that is the transformation of American evangelicalism. Like us in the UK, American churches are living in a time of massive cultural change to which many are trying to adapt. While remaining faithful to the gospel and its ministry priorities, as well as being governed by Scripture in our practice as well as our doctrine, there is room for new ways of doing church that are appropriate for the various contexts in which the Lord has placed us. We need all the help we can get in doing this, but I don’t think that this is the book in which to find it.
