The Monkhood of All Believers: The Monastic Foundation of Christian Spirituality

Although the institution of monasticism has existed in the Christian church since the first century, it is often misunderstood. In The Monkhood of All Believers, Greg Peters, an expert in monastic studies, reintroduces historic monasticism to the Protestant church, articulating a monastic spirituality for all believers.

As Peters explains, what we have known as monasticism for the past 1,500 years is actually a modified version of the earliest monastic life, which was not necessarily characterized by poverty, chastity, and obedience but rather by one's single-minded focus on God—a single-mindedness rooted in one's baptismal vows and the priesthood of all believers. Peters argues that all monks are Christians, but all Christians are also monks. To be a monk, one must first and foremost be singled-minded toward God. Connecting monasticism to movements in contemporary spiritual formation, Peters helping readers understand how monastic practices can be a resource for exploring a robust spiritual life.