History of Religious life
An Introduction.
General introduction
Religious life is not peculiar to Christianity.
It exists is a number of religious traditions:
Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam.
We will focus on the Christian tradition.
Life Cycles of Religious Institutions
Foundation phase – time of energy and vision but
struggling resources (20-30 years)
Expansion phase – period of consolidation and
mission in which society admits the need for the
institution’s original vision (50+ years)
Stabilization phase – stage of systemization and
social respectability in which the work prospers but the
vision fades (100+ years)
Breakdown phase – Period of membership & morale
decline (20 – 50 years)
Transition phase – choice of death , minimal survival
or authentic renewal
Transition phase
Total extinction
◦ 76% of all male religious groups founded prior to
1500
◦ 64% of those founded before 1800
Minimal survival
◦ 5% of groups founded before 1800 have a current
membership larger than 2,000
Authentic renewal
◦ Transforming response to the signs of the times
◦ Return to the founding charism
◦ Profound renewal of prayer life and centredness in
Christ.
History of Religious life
Pre-Christian influence
Early church (until 250)
Cycle 1: Desert Fathers and Mothers(250 – 500)
Cycle II : 1st Benedictine era; Religious Life in
the West (500 – 900)
Cycle III : 2nd Benedictine era (900 – 1200)
Cycle IV: Mendicant era (1200 – 1500)
Cycle V: Apostolic era(1500 – 1800)
Cycle VI : Missionary era (1800 – present)
Early church
Drew upon the social mores,
philosophical thought attitudes to women
and the prevalent attitudes to the body.
Early Christian women lived as virgins –
variety of motives
Desert Fathers and Mothers
Syria and Egypt
Hermits initially individuals but evolved into colonies as
individuals such as Antony gained reputations that
attracted others to them.
Unstructured life
Lived in individual huts and were called monks (alone)
Numbers grew to 1000’s led to establishment of
communities
Decline 451 – Council of Chalcedon drew up a code of
legislation for the founding and governing of monasteries
1st Benedictine Era
Rule written in 540
Spiritual document to inspire or a juridical
document to control?
Became a powerful cultural, educational and
social influence in Church and society
In early 9th Century monastic reform
programme was instituted by Charlemagne
– wished to rule the church and imposed
the rule on all monasteries of his realm.
1st Benedictine Era (cont.)
Monasteries developed as separate entities.
Centres of learning, hospitality.
Enclosed systems involving not just monks
but slice of society – lands etc.
Became enmeshed in the prevailing social
system began to accumulate corporate
wealth led to them often becoming
decedent and in need of reform.
2nd Benedictine Era
Cluney reform revitalised the former state
Cistercians attempted to recapture the purity
of Benedict’s rule.
With crusades emerged groups such as
Hospitallers, Templars
With problems in church life 4th Lateran
council attempted to control the state of
disarray.
CANON 13 – Lateran IV (1215)
Lest the extreme diversity of Religious
Orders lead to confusion in the church of
God, we firstly prohibit anyone else to
found a Religious Order. But whoever
wishes to enter Religious Life, let him join
an Order already established. Similarly
with anyone wanting to set up a new
Religious house, let him choose a rule and
form of life from among the approved
Religious Orders.
Mendicant era
Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites.
Church was not to be identified with
monasteries and institutions, Christ could
be encountered in the market place and
classroom.
Founders used and adapted previous
rules. (Dominic – St Augustine; Francis –
the Gospel)
Apostolic Era
Jesuits and other groups of men and
women established to undertake a variety
of works.
Great variety of apostolates
Close liaison between hierarchical church
and religious groups.
New initiatives in education , health care
Beginnings of emancipation for Religious
women frustrated by Council of Trent.
Missionary Era
approx 40,000 religious in 1814 10% of
the number at end of 18th Century
Growth of new congregations of sisters
brothers and priests (many founded in
France)
1850 80,000 religious
1960 1, 330,000 religious
1990 940,000 religious
General Reflections
Religious movements or congregations emerge in times of
chaos (church or world)
Founders have sense of the critical needs of the church and
world, a deep relationship with Christ, and creative
responses to the problems they perceive.
Founders seek to imitate Christ.
Primary emphasis in founding is on the call for personal and
community conversion.
Since 3rd Century Community life has been an important
part.
Congregations become the people they recruit.
Since 13th Century the institutional church has attempted
(with considerable success) to domesticate the prophetic
function of religious congregations.