A religious order is a community of people who have dedicated themselves to following a particular rule of religious life. Throughout history, various religious orders have been established within different Christian denominations and traditions. While there is diversity among religious orders, they generally share some common elements and characteristics:
Vows
Most religious orders involve members taking vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. By taking a vow of poverty, members renounce personal ownership and commit to living a simple life focused on God rather than material possessions. A vow of chastity involves abstaining from marriage and sexual relations. Through a vow of obedience, members pledge to live in submission to the authority of their religious superior or community. These evangelical counsels are based on Jesus’ teachings to his disciples to leave everything behind and follow him (Luke 18:28-30).
Community
Religious orders involve living in community with other members of the order. This communal aspect reflects the biblical principle of believers encouraging, serving, and building up one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11, Romans 12:10, 1 Corinthians 12:25-26). Life in community provides accountability and support for living out the order’s beliefs and mission.
Mission
Most religious orders are founded around a specific spiritual purpose or mission. This might involve evangelism, serving the poor and needy, education, healthcare, contemplation, or other aims flowing from their Christian convictions. Carrying out their mission as a community is intended to strengthen and reinforce their spiritual ideals.
Spiritual Disciplines
Religious orders follow certain spiritual disciplines and practices to pursue holiness and draw closer to God. These might include prayer, fasting, scripture reading, manual labor, simplicity, silence, hospitality, and more. By embracing such disciplines communally, the order focuses on deepening faith and devotion to Christ.
Leadership
Religious communities have established leadership positions to guide and direct the order’s life and mission. For example, many orders have an abbot/abbess, prior/prioress, or other such leader in charge of overall governance and spiritual oversight. Other positions like novice master and ministry coordinators provide leadership in specific areas.
Rule of Life
Each religious order follows a particular rule of life that outlines the community’s beliefs, guiding principles, spiritual practices, leadership structure, and policies on issues like poverty and ministry. Prominent examples include the Rule of St. Benedict and the Rule of St. Augustine. The rule provides order and direction to the community’s common life.
Habit
Many religious orders wear distinctive habits or clothing designed to reflect virtues like simplicity and humility. Traditionally habits were plain robes, veils or tunics often worn with a religious symbol. While some modern orders have simplified or abandoned the habit, it remains an important part of identity for many.
Monastic or Mendicant
Historically, religious orders have been categorized as either monastic or mendicant. Monastic orders (like the Benedictines) live in seclusion in a self-sufficient monastery. Mendicant orders (like Franciscans) live among the people and depend on donations or charity. More recent orders may not fit neatly in either category.
Origins in Biblical Concepts
While the Bible does not specifically describe religious orders as they later developed, some key biblical concepts contributed to their origins:
– The Nazirites (Numbers 6:1-21) were consecrated people set apart for the Lord in a semi-monastic way.
– Jesus called his disciples to leave everything and fully devote themselves to following him (Luke 5:11, 27-28).
– The early church in Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-37 lived almost like a religious community.
– Jesus taught that some are called to a life of celibacy “for the sake of the kingdom” (Matthew 19:10-12).
– Paul advocated the virtues of celibacy (1 Corinthians 7:8) and voluntary poverty (2 Corinthians 6:10).
So while early Christian monasticism developed a few centuries after the New Testament, it was inspired by biblical ideals of sacrificial discipleship and Christian community.
Development of Religious Orders
The development of Christian religious orders can be traced through key movements and figures:
– Early Monasticism – In the 3rd-4th centuries, devout individuals began retiring to the deserts of Egypt and Syria to live ascetic, solitary lives devoted to prayer and mortification. St. Anthony is one early example.
– Communal Monasticism – Pachomius (c.290-346) created early religious communities called sketes and koinonia, bringing organization and regulation to communal monastic living.
– St. Basil – In the 4th century, Basil formulated guidelines for monastic life that became hugely influential in the Greek East. His rules emphasized communal prayer, work and simplicity.
– St. Benedict – Around 530, Benedict founded the famous Monte Cassino monastery and wrote his Rule for Monasteries that became the standard for Western monasticism. It emphasized prayer, work, study, simplicity and moderation.
– Irish Monasticism – Celtic Christianity developed a unique monasticism known for ascetic rigor, wandering monks and hermits, and strong missionary zeal.
– Medieval Orders – In the Middle Ages, the Benedictines, Cistercians, Carthusians and other orders spread across Europe based on modified forms of Benedict’s rule. The mendicant Friars like Franciscans and Dominicans also emerged at this time.
– Religious Sisters – Beginning in the Middle Ages, religious communities for women developed in the form of convents and nunneries following less stringent rules than monks.
– Reformation & Counter-Reformation – The Protestant Reformation suppressed monasticism and convents, while the Counter-Reformation led to new centralized orders like the Jesuits along with reforms of existing orders.
– Modern Era – In the 19th-20th centuries, many new active religious institutes were founded to engage in teaching, medical care, and social service. Contemplative orders also continued founding new monasteries.
This shows the evolution of religious orders over the centuries while maintaining the same basic commitment to prayer, community, simplicity and mission.
Major Types of Religious Orders
There are several main types of religious orders and communities within Christianity:
Monastic Orders
Monastic orders focus on prayer, contemplation, and isolation from the world. Monks and nuns live cloistered from society, often in silence and solitude. Examples include:
– Benedictines – follow the Rule of St. Benedict with the motto “ora et labora” (prayer and work).
– Cistercians – a reformed Benedictine order emphasizing strict observance of the Rule and manual labor. Associated with simple unfurnished churches.
– Carthusians – a contemplative order founded by St. Bruno characterized by solitary living and poverty.
– Trappists – a branch of Cistercians strictly observing silence, austerity, and manual labor.
Mendicant Orders
Mendicant orders live in poverty by begging or relying on donations rather than land ownership. They focus on preaching, teaching, and active ministry rather than isolation. Examples include:
– Franciscans – Followers of St. Francis of Assisi’s emphasis on radical poverty, preaching, and love for nature and the poor. There are several branches (Observants, Capuchins, Conventuals, etc.)
– Dominicans – Founded by St. Dominic, they are a preaching and teaching order with emphasis on orthodoxy. Also known as “Order of Preachers.”
– Augustinians – Following the Rule of St. Augustine, taking vows of poverty and emphasizing self-denial. Includes several observant congregations.
– Carmelites – Originates from hermits on Mt. Carmel in the Holy Land during the Crusades. Known for devotion to contemplative prayer and the Virgin Mary.
Canons Regular
Canons Regular live in community under vows but are associated with and serve cathedrals or collegiate churches rather than being cloistered. For example:
– Augustinian Canons follow St. Augustine’s rule, serve cathedral churches, and emphasize liturgy and pastoral ministry.
– Premonstratensians are Canons Regular founded by St. Norbert following strict rules of austerity, prayer, preaching and pastoral ministry.
– Crosiers are Canons Regular focused on education, healing, and missionary work.
Clerks Regular
Similar to Canons Regular but with more emphasis on preaching, pastoral ministry and education, Clerks Regular include:
– Theatines – Formed to combat laxity among clergy through strict discipline, austerity, and pastoral service.
– Jesuits – The Society of Jesus founded by St. Ignatius Loyola; very active in education and missionary work. Known for loyalty to the pope.
– Barnabites – Founded to promote adherence to Catholic teaching; active in education and charitable works.
Religious Sisters
There are also many religious institutes for women such as:
– Poor Clares – Founded by St. Clare of Assisi alongside the Franciscans with a focus on poverty and contemplation.
– Ursulines – Dedicated to women’s education and catechetical instruction.
– Carmelite Nuns – Contemplative cloistered nuns of the Carmelite order.
– Sisters of Mercy – Founded to care for women and children in need through social service, education, and healthcare.
– And many other teaching/nursing orders like Dominican, Franciscan, Augustinian, Benedictine sisters.
This overview shows the diversity of communities within Christian history that have sought to live out the values of the Bible and apostolic teachings in a radical way through profession of the evangelical counsels.
Founding of Religious Orders
The process of establishing a new religious order involves several steps:
Inspiration and Charism
The initiative often starts with an inspiring founder who desires to create a community to meet a spiritual or apostolic need. The founder’s vision gives the order its particular charism or spiritual character. For example, orders founded in the 16th century to reform abuses or do missionary work.
Rule or Constitution
The founder and first members will collaboratively work out a rule of life or constitution unique to the order, outlining spiritual practices, governance, ministry activities, and policies on issues like poverty. The rule creates identity and cohesion.
Acceptance by the Church
Once the order is established, the founder seeks official approval from the relevant authorities like the pope, bishop or religious superior. Gaining ecclesiastical recognition grants the order legal status in the Church.
Temporary Profession
After a period of postulancy and novitiate where they become acquainted with the order’s life, new members make temporary profession of religious vows (poverty, chastity, obedience) to officially join the order’s ranks.
Permanent Profession
After some years of temporary profession (usually at least 3), members make permanent profession of vows and are fully incorporated in the order. This solemn lifelong commitment is the defining step.
Constitutional Amendment
As the order grows and becomes established, its rule and constitutions may need to be adapted and amended. But the founding charism and mission remain intact.
The process ensures new orders have an authentic spiritual foundation, Church recognition, and well-defined religious aims and structure before achieving stability.
Life in a Religious Order
The daily life and activities of members in a religious order vary considerably but may include:
Prayer – Common liturgical prayer often forms the framework, following the cycle of the divine office with set times for daily mass, prayers, psalmody, scripture reading etc. Private devotional prayer may supplement this.
Work – Physical labor is part of life in many orders, including gardening, cooking, making products, maintenance, etc. Even contemplative orders have daily work periods. For active orders, the ministry itself constitutes their “work.”
Study – Lectio divina (scripture reading), religious writings, training for ministry roles, and other study help members deepen their faith and calling.
Recreation – Meals, exercises, games, and time together build community. Even cloistered contemplative orders spend sometime in recreation together each day.
Ministry – Active/apostolic orders spend significant time ministering in their particular mission of teaching, healthcare, pastoral work, evangelism, etc.
Solitude and Rest – Even active communities aim to balance apostolate with time alone in quiet reflection and rest for mental, spiritual, and physical rejuvenation.
The lifestyle arrangements differ based on whether monastic or mendicant, active or contemplative, urban or rural setting, etc. But all aim to cultivate prayer, work, simplicity, and service in their unique way of life.
Religious Orders in the Catholic Church Today
Today religious orders remain an important part of Roman Catholic Church life:
– There are around 100 different recognized religious institutes for men along with about 140 institutes for women.
– While numbers have declined since the 1960s, there are still hundreds of thousands of nuns, monks, and religious priests worldwide.
– New traditionalist and charismatic orders who embrace historical beliefs and practices are growing while liberal ones decline.
– Developing countries in Africa, Asia, and South America have far more vocations than Western countries where orders shrink.
– Active apostolic orders focused on works of mercy are increasingly vital to Church ministries.
– Cloistered contemplative orders persist in monasteries as unique spiritual centers even if small in number.
– The Jesuits remain the largest clerical order serving the papacy and playing key intellectual and theological roles.
While the demographics have shifted, religious orders still provide dedicated ministry workers, teachers, and spiritual guides throughout the Catholic Church. Their continuation shows the ongoing need for the religious life even amidst modern challenges and declining numbers in the West. Renewal efforts and promotion of vocations remain a priority in continuing these communities into the future.