Via Vitae
Entries along the Way of Life
The Christian ascetical tradition, especially in the Orthodox Church, is an anthropologically sound starting point for any “reformulation” of older civic and biblical traditions, remaining faithful to their own deepest insights while responding to the challenges of American individualism.
St. Patrick’s day is not just a day that anyone can be Irish. It is a day to remember a saint who set an example of solidarity and imitate it in our communities.
Besides being possibly the three least popular things in our culture today, virginity, poverty, and obedience are not just for monks but hold promise for cultural renewal that naturally counteracts trends and causes of intergenerational injustice.
What if we viewed ourselves as yeast in the dough of the world and spiritual disciplines as yeast in the dough of our lives? How might such a changed way of life affect our culture for the common good?
True Christian asceticism always serves the common good, even while seeking the kingdom of God.
The installation and prayerful insight of Christian leaders, both Orthodox and in the West, suggest that a renewed embrace of our common ascetic heritage can be a model both for the kingdom of God as well as for the common good.
