Comments on: The Rule of Benedict and the Suburban Christian http://www.toddhiestand.com/the-rule-of-benedict-and-the-suburban-christian/02/ Missional Living in Suburban America Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:20:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Todd http://www.toddhiestand.com/the-rule-of-benedict-and-the-suburban-christian/02/comment-page-1/#comment-45372 Todd Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:21:29 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=1617#comment-45372 Tripp, I would love to hear how you guys process this as a community. Right now I am trying to wrap my mind around this personally. Actually, its not really my mind that is having a problem, its my life (lifestyle) that needs to figure this out. I would really recommend Benson's book as a great intro / conversation starter... Tripp, I would love to hear how you guys process this as a community. Right now I am trying to wrap my mind around this personally. Actually, its not really my mind that is having a problem, its my life (lifestyle) that needs to figure this out.

I would really recommend Benson’s book as a great intro / conversation starter…

]]> By: Tripp Hudgins http://www.toddhiestand.com/the-rule-of-benedict-and-the-suburban-christian/02/comment-page-1/#comment-45361 Tripp Hudgins Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:45:21 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=1617#comment-45361 Holy cow. Thank you for this post. I've been trying to find a way to get my suburban congregation to embrace a rule. They so clearly want to, but they shy away from the religiosity of Benedict, for example. I will keep reading your blog to see what I can see. Thank you for this post. Holy cow.

Thank you for this post. I’ve been trying to find a way to get my suburban congregation to embrace a rule. They so clearly want to, but they shy away from the religiosity of Benedict, for example.

I will keep reading your blog to see what I can see. Thank you for this post.

]]> By: Bret http://www.toddhiestand.com/the-rule-of-benedict-and-the-suburban-christian/02/comment-page-1/#comment-45124 Bret Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:01:48 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=1617#comment-45124 Todd, I think you are spot on - developing a Rule for suburban life is not only appropriate, it is needed. I found the chapter on developing a rule in Marjorie Thompson's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Feast-Invitation-Christian-Spiritual/dp/0664229476/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233871165&sr=1-1" rel="nofollow">Soul Feast</a> to be worth the price of the book. In my experience, developing a Rule is less about rules than it is about cultivating rhythm. This is both the most difficult part and the greatest potential for blessing in our scattered, busy, idolatrous lifestyles. Todd,

I think you are spot on – developing a Rule for suburban life is not only appropriate, it is needed. I found the chapter on developing a rule in Marjorie Thompson’s Soul Feast to be worth the price of the book.

In my experience, developing a Rule is less about rules than it is about cultivating rhythm. This is both the most difficult part and the greatest potential for blessing in our scattered, busy, idolatrous lifestyles.

]]> By: Phil Whittall http://www.toddhiestand.com/the-rule-of-benedict-and-the-suburban-christian/02/comment-page-1/#comment-45079 Phil Whittall Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:08:04 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=1617#comment-45079 Well that's the challenge - specific but general. To be honest we'll see if we've got it right, at the moment the responsibility is with me not the rule to make it specific and I think that's right but there is a basis to which I can be called back to. Because the people who are also making this promise are friends as we talk about life we bring this into it and so it begins to permeate life. We've been doing that accidentally and this just helps us have some focus to what we we're already doing. The process was a couple of years of conversation and thinking and then challenging two guys to actually write something, which we then sent round, prayed and decided to go for. So pretty loose really. Well that’s the challenge – specific but general. To be honest we’ll see if we’ve got it right, at the moment the responsibility is with me not the rule to make it specific and I think that’s right but there is a basis to which I can be called back to. Because the people who are also making this promise are friends as we talk about life we bring this into it and so it begins to permeate life. We’ve been doing that accidentally and this just helps us have some focus to what we we’re already doing.
The process was a couple of years of conversation and thinking and then challenging two guys to actually write something, which we then sent round, prayed and decided to go for. So pretty loose really.

]]> By: Todd http://www.toddhiestand.com/the-rule-of-benedict-and-the-suburban-christian/02/comment-page-1/#comment-45069 Todd Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:39:37 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=1617#comment-45069 Benson, yeah that book was really helpful. Al actually came out to The Well to speak on the topic on a Saturday last August. You can hear the audio here if you are interested. http://church.thewellpa.com/podcast/the-church-in-suburbia-audio/ Benson, yeah that book was really helpful. Al actually came out to The Well to speak on the topic on a Saturday last August. You can hear the audio here if you are interested.

http://church.thewellpa.com/podcast/the-church-in-suburbia-audio/

]]> By: Todd http://www.toddhiestand.com/the-rule-of-benedict-and-the-suburban-christian/02/comment-page-1/#comment-45068 Todd Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:37:32 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=1617#comment-45068 Phil, this is really cool. Of course, I have questions. Have you found that it is specific enough to be helpful and general enough to find freedom? How do you guys help each other live this out well? What was the process like to create this? Phil, this is really cool. Of course, I have questions.

Have you found that it is specific enough to be helpful and general enough to find freedom? How do you guys help each other live this out well? What was the process like to create this?

]]> By: Phil Whittall http://www.toddhiestand.com/the-rule-of-benedict-and-the-suburban-christian/02/comment-page-1/#comment-45060 Phil Whittall Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:46:46 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=1617#comment-45060 Good stuff Todd, some friends and I have been thinking about this for a while and we've come up with 'Our Promise of Life' to help us British suburbanites live intentionally but not necessarily bound to rules. Promise of Life Because life is a gift, we live it thankfully Savour what we have Pray for what we need. No longer hurried, distracted, or worried, We’ll walk through each moment with God. Because everything is a gift, we live with open hands, Tread lightly on the earth Share freely our homes and our things. No longer restlessly chasing identity, We’ll be known by our love not our logos. Because giving is a gift we live generously, Give ourselves deeply to family and community, Give joyfully to those in need. No longer caught in the consumer dream We’ll invest our all in the kingdom of love. We're trying to remember our values and live them on a daily basis... Good stuff Todd, some friends and I have been thinking about this for a while and we’ve come up with ‘Our Promise of Life’ to help us British suburbanites live intentionally but not necessarily bound to rules.

Promise of Life
Because life is a gift, we live it thankfully
Savour what we have
Pray for what we need.
No longer hurried, distracted, or worried,
We’ll walk through each moment with God.
Because everything is a gift, we live with open hands,
Tread lightly on the earth
Share freely our homes and our things.
No longer restlessly chasing identity,
We’ll be known by our love not our logos.
Because giving is a gift we live generously,
Give ourselves deeply to family and community,
Give joyfully to those in need.
No longer caught in the consumer dream
We’ll invest our all in the kingdom of love.

We’re trying to remember our values and live them on a daily basis…

]]> By: Jenn http://www.toddhiestand.com/the-rule-of-benedict-and-the-suburban-christian/02/comment-page-1/#comment-45039 Jenn Tue, 03 Feb 2009 04:25:00 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=1617#comment-45039 Just watched a great documentary on Thomas Merton (Soul Searching: the journey of Thomas Merton). Great person to study for more on monastic and contemplative life. There is something about living in a place of tension. Just watched a great documentary on Thomas Merton (Soul Searching: the journey of Thomas Merton). Great person to study for more on monastic and contemplative life. There is something about living in a place of tension.

]]> By: benson http://www.toddhiestand.com/the-rule-of-benedict-and-the-suburban-christian/02/comment-page-1/#comment-45029 benson Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:39:44 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=1617#comment-45029 this is good stuff todd. i like the Chittister quote. have you heard of this book? http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/083083334X. it really rocked my world in terms of uncovering some of the unspoken and assumed rules that suburban living comes attached with. this is good stuff todd. i like the Chittister quote.

have you heard of this book? http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/083083334X. it really rocked my world in terms of uncovering some of the unspoken and assumed rules that suburban living comes attached with.

]]> By: Beth http://www.toddhiestand.com/the-rule-of-benedict-and-the-suburban-christian/02/comment-page-1/#comment-45021 Beth Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:04:40 +0000 http://www.toddhiestand.com/?p=1617#comment-45021 I've been going back to Benedictine stuff recently after a period of focusing on it in the mid-90s, and it is as relevant as ever. I think what I would say to the comment about what it would look like to have a suburban rule, might be that everyone already has a Rule of Life. We all do many things "as a rule" -- some suburban people's Rule of Life is to watch 3 hours of TV every night, to eat fast food 4 times a week, to engage with God for 55 minutes on Sunday, to make sure the kids are always at soccer practice, to read every issue of O, etc. The question is whether your de facto Rule lines up with, and is shaping you into, what you say you want to be. That said, I'd also probably want to give the *corporate* nature of Benedict's spirituality a shout-out. That, and not the notion of having intentional regularity in life, is the really radical, transformational, countercultural part for contemporary Americans. I’ve been going back to Benedictine stuff recently after a period of focusing on it in the mid-90s, and it is as relevant as ever. I think what I would say to the comment about what it would look like to have a suburban rule, might be that everyone already has a Rule of Life. We all do many things “as a rule” — some suburban people’s Rule of Life is to watch 3 hours of TV every night, to eat fast food 4 times a week, to engage with God for 55 minutes on Sunday, to make sure the kids are always at soccer practice, to read every issue of O, etc. The question is whether your de facto Rule lines up with, and is shaping you into, what you say you want to be.

That said, I’d also probably want to give the *corporate* nature of Benedict’s spirituality a shout-out. That, and not the notion of having intentional regularity in life, is the really radical, transformational, countercultural part for contemporary Americans.

]]>