Charis’ “new monasticism” is ‘radical’ in the sense that it is a return to the roots of monastic ideals found in many religious traditions. The Greek word, monos, means ‘alone;’ and yet, for early monastics, being ‘alone’ or ‘in solitude’ merely implied and provided the basis for a contemplative life of interior awareness and introspection, one that many considered a direct path to the sacred. Despite the fact that monasticism has long been associated with a communally-oriented, often celibate, contemplative life apart from the world, both its historical origins and broader cross-cultural expressions tell us that it is also just another word for a fully committed contemplative life. For us, these are embodied in the ten “Charis Community Vows.”
Today, the larger “new monastic” movement includes many diverse voices and perspectives. Many are Christian and hold a wide range of views regarding ecumenism (inside and outside of Christianity). Charis' new monasticism is interspiritual, open to and benefitting from the teachings and practices of multiple religious and spiritual traditions, and devoted to “contemplative life, embodied spirituality, and sacred activism.” What it shares with other contemporary new monastic movements is a desire to integrate traditional monastic values and models for living a deeply committed spiritual life devoted to holistic transformation in the world.