How is Monasticism important to Christianity?

[Not David]

Is only the individual winning something from it or does the Christian community benefit from Monasticism?

 

[HTacianas]

Is only the individual winning something from it or does the Christian community benefit from Monasticism?

Monastics spend a lot of time praying for the entire world. As James said, "the effective and fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much".

 

[Not David]

Monastics spend a lot of time praying for the entire world. As James said, "the effective and fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much".

That's something I never thought about. I guess people underestimate monks and nuns.

 

[Pilgrim]

How is Monasticism important to Christianity?

Is only the individual winning something from it or does the Christian community benefit from Monasticism?

It's a service unto God. If a person lived in complete lifelong isolation to themselves, what benefit would that be to others. God's people benefit from fellowship with one another and in the Spirit of God. Communities where men, or women, live in semi-solitude, are a benefit to all those whom participate, and to all those whom are benefactors of their charities, in Christ. Both the individual and community are blessed, and God is blessed through their worship, praise, and love for neighbor, and witness to lost souls; and God blesses them. Someone can explain this better than my lay knowledge and simple understanding. The real winners are the believers who follow Jesus and hold tight to their faith to the end.

 

[thecolorsblend]

Some people have a deeper religious devotion than others. Those with a particularly strong aptitude for prayer and the consecrated life should have an outlet for their gifts. Monasteries provide that outlet.

A typical rejoinder for those who oppose monasticism is that it isolates the believer from the outside world, thereby missing opportunities for evangelism. I find that objection strange because (A) it's usually made by someone who has never attempted to evangelize others and (B) it presupposes that a charism for prayer and devotions is somehow the same as a gift of evangelism.

 

[Righttruth]

Is only the individual winning something from it or does the Christian community benefit from Monasticism?

Christianity owes a great deal to monks because they are the one who preserved and copied the early writings meticulously that became Bible for us.