Seven Sacred Spaces: Expressing community life in Christ

Now - downlaod the free Research Bulletin which accompanies this booklet (link at the bottom of the page).

George Lings spent an extended time with us at the Northumbria Community in 2009 and during this and other visits and studies brought together some key thinking about healthy communities.

During his stay he facilitated a teaching and discussion weekend around this and other topics and it was during this weekend that George admits he added the seventh sacred space - the chapter house. There is an audio series which compliments this booklet available (see related products below or click here).

 What makes a healthy Christian community? George Lings, director of Church Army’s Research Unit, believes we have much to learn from monastic communities. His travels this year have included visits to Taizé and Citeaux and extended stays at both Northumbria Community and the Anglican Franciscans at Hilfield in Dorset.

These visits – along with his study of monasteries throughout history - confirmed his thoughts that healthy monastic communities contain seven sacred spaces: cell, chapel, chapter, cloister, garden, refectory and scriptorium.

Have many of our churches focused on 'chapel' – offering public worship – at the expense of other sacred spaces? Just as we talk of a balanced diet – the right proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, mineral salts and fibre - does a healthy church whenever it was begun need a balance of all seven of these sacred spaces?

George argues that we do, saying: 'We are planting fresh expressions of Church. For them it will matter to know these dynamics. Why grow something which is lopsided, often lacking several of these seven functions?

At its best, monastic life has always been a divine wake-up call to the church. Yet to sustain that life, monastic communities have evolved the seven characteristic places within their sites. What are these and what characterises them? For this understanding might help all expressions of church grow in a more balanced way.'

This booklet is part of the Encounters on the Edge series.

Below is a downloadable PDF of the Sheffield Centres recent Research Bulletin which develops the subject: 

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