Jill Shaw's Public Library

The Boiler Rooms resemble traditional monasteries in at least two significant ways: first, they are serious, bone serious, about prayer (and like the Greek hesychasts, they understand that prayer should be as much an ongoing part of our lives as breathing, hence the book’s clever sub-title). Their other clear connection to old-style monasticism stems from the fact that they have their own rule of life. In it they affirm two purposes (prayer and the practice of the Christian life), three principles (being true to Christ, being kind to people, and being missional), and six fundamental practices (prayer, creativity, hospitality, mercy, learning and mission). Their rule sums up their commitment “not to buildings but to community,” recognizing that even though they’ve occupied some pretty neat locations (the Reading Boiler Room began on the grounds of the old Benedictine monastery, while the London group occupied the same block where John Wesley led his Methodist revivals), the focus is not on real estate but on creating a living web of relationships where grace and miracles can happen.

One of the challenges facing traditional monasticism for at least the past quarter century or so has been a dearth of vocations. Even though the monastery where I work is relatively healthy in that respect, even there the new novices tend to be mature men, in mid-life – or beyond. Punk Monk, however, offers hope that monasticism is not going to die out any time soon, and that it can still be relevant to the young. We just need to be prepared to accept the fact that the monk of the future just might be covered with tattoos.