Her.meneutics: Why I Envy Young Nuns

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« Not Everyone Is Praying for Christopher Hitchens Today | Main | Is Pain Relief a Human Right? »

September 22, 2010

Why I Envy Young Nuns

What a remarkably large class of young Catholic nuns-in-training taught this Protestant.

Alicia Cohn

I have a vinyl sticker on the back window of my car that reads, JESUS INSIDE. It's an effective conversation starter because it frequently invites teasing: “So, where does Jesus sit?” “Hey, did you know Jesus is inside your parked car?”

That decal came to mind while I read this weekend about young Catholic women who have joined the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville. This year, the traditional convent, replete with flowing black-and-white habits, is accepting a novitiate class that, at 27 women, is the largest in the U.S. The women are joining a convent whose median age is 36. At the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, another thriving and traditional convent in Ann Arbor, the average age is about 28. Sisters of Mary reports a highly educated new class of 22 candidates, including one Harvard graduate who spoke in Latin about her decision to take vows during her commencement speech. These young nuns-in-training are taking a modern path back to a traditional way of serving God.

Many Protestant women lack a precise spiritual equivalent to joining a convent. Many, of course, have shown sacrifice and dedication in various ways, such as overseas missions work and teaching at third-world schools. But others of us, including myself, lack a clear path to establishing lives of devotion. I am a woman devoted to God, and, incidentally, chaste. But I wonder how many situations I have been in where nobody knows that about me. Is my vinyl decal acting as my Protestant nun’s habit?

Some of the older sisters quoted in the AP article theorize that young women want to do something “radical” for God. As a young woman trying to figure out the fundamentals of life — where I’ll live, who I’ll live with, where I'll work — I get that. Jesus doesn’t naturally come up in my day-to-day conversations any more, and I occasionally feel as though I blend in with the world without trying.

I drive my car into a lot of situations, and my Jesus sticker is always there to catch others' eyes. I put it on my car after I graduated from a well-known Christian college in the Midwest. Since graduating, I've realized that while there, I took for granted that everyone knew I was a Christian. I didn’t have to work to appear to be following Christ.

I think we Christians could put a little more work into standing out for Jesus. Sometimes, we have to make a point of separating ourselves for God to get others to even notice.

I hope that’s the drive behind so many young women joining U.S. convents (and not because it’s radically interesting to give up Starbucks and personalized clothing). One of the sisters at Sisters of Mary called this year’s novitiate class “a vocation explosion.” These days, when it comes to choosing a vocation — a choice many of us think we are making in college — economics are creating problems for a lot of recent college graduates. Last year, more women earned PhDs than men, yet only 51 percent of college graduates under age 25 are working in jobs that require college educations. So when a Harvard graduate joins a Dominican convent, maybe it’s an acknowledgment that higher education is not going to help a 9.4 percent unemployment rate.

A nun’s habit symbolizes her commitment. I bet it also serves to remind her that her boss is the Lord, no matter what occupation she has. Short of putting on a habit, and with the full understanding that appearances do matter, I don’t mind branding myself for Jesus in my own Protestant, jeans-wearing ways. If I would wear a uniform required by my work, I
should be equally willing to wear any emblem that identifies me as a Christian, because the real work of following him has less to do with public, physical symbols and more to do with proclaiming his name in word and deed.

Comments

I've discussed with friends on more than one occasion the fact that priests and nuns have an advantage in social relationships. You have the scoop on their spirituality from the moment you see them. They don't have to break the ice, or casually bring up Jesus. In fact, you're really surprised if they don't bring Him up. Their uniform helps set the agenda. I, on the other hand, don't have a uniform. No one has any idea what they will hear from me when I sit down next to them. Is that good or bad? It depends... on them and on me.

I don't know that I'm convinced that a "uniform" that clearly brands a person as Christian helps with ministry. I think so many people have this idea that priests and nuns are more perfect and spiritual than everyone else--that for them, faith is easy. It puts up a barrier--laypeople assume they can't live up to the "real" faith of clergy/nuns, or feel like clergy/nuns can't understand "real" life.

I am grateful that my growing career as a writer who focuses often on Christianity means that everyone who knows me (even a little) or reads what I write knows I am a Christian. Yet I'm also aware that this knowledge, again, can be a barrier, if people assume that the label "Christian" carries with it certain attitudes, beliefs, and political/social positions that they don't agree with.

The thing I most envy about nuns is their having a disciplined way of praying. I'd love to live in a community where everyone stopped what they were doing and prayed at certain times of day, instead of it being such a private (and so easily neglected) duty.

As an Ordained Minister in the United Methodist Church, I sometimes where a clerical collar to engage in ministry, such as hospital visits, speaking engagements, etc.

I always notice a difference in the attitudes of strangers when they see me dressed in this fashion. There is a definite increase in the sense of respect and reverence toward me.

In every day clothes, people pay little to no attention. In clerical clothes, I am also often approached by strangers seeking spiritual guidance and conversation.

Is this a good thing? Possibly. Especially if someone is in need and they recognize the possibility of gaining insight or answers.

But it is also at times an inconvenience when I am in a hurry to press on to an appointment or another engagement and do not really wish to take the time for an engagement with a stranger.

But then again, I should probably not be in that big of a hurry.

Oye Vey! What to do, what to do?

As a counterpoint, I might add that in my community, Christians often "stand out" for the wrong reasons: anti-gay, anti-media, anti-Liberal. I'm tired of Christians standing out. What if they blended in? What if we'd all be pleasantly surprised to find our kind co-worker who listens to her gay friends and can engage in popular culture is also a Christian? We might be noticed not for what we are "against" but for our radical love and our radical involvement in the lives of people who don't know Jesus.

FYI, There is a Methodist Benedictine Convent in Minnesota and an Ecumenical Protestant one I think in southern Wisconsin, somewhere near there.

Being "impressed" with clerical collars and nuns habits is looking on the surface. I suspect quite a few of these newly minted sisters are simply escaping a rather brutal job market for college graduates. Only God knows the truth. Remember in I Samuel 16:7 when Samuel was selecting a new king to replace Saul? This gem of scripture confirms that external appearences mean nothing to God. Samuel thought Eliab was God's selection for king to replace the recently rejected Saul. "But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." Indeed, while priests and nuns may look "pious" and so very "authentic" as Christians their hearts can be corrupt and far from doing the will of God. Indeed, appearences mean nothing. I would rather have my heart being made pure daily by the work of the Holy Spirit than have the world rever me because I wear either a nun's habit or a priests clerical collar. God looks on the heart and we had best be about the business of "keeping in step with the Holy Spirit" in our daily lives (Galatians 5:25) and let's not forget that the Roman church is a "works" type religion quite contrary to what Ephesians 2:8-10 so clearly states.

If Christians knew their roots, they wouldn't envy nuns or priests. Why do you think Luther, Calvin and Zwingli revolted? They returned to a Gospel of Grace. To return to a "church" that denies the 5 Solas is to deny the atoning work of Christ. But since the new emergent christians deny the historic faith, then "it's all good!" We can have women pastors, homosexual spirituality and slam conservative christians...Most of what I'm witnessing in the new movement "christians" is a desire to be liked by the world...trendy, not like your parents, cool and broad, soft, comfy and easy. Avoid the hard sayings of Jesus, don't be a downer, don't call people sinners (except the "haters"), deny the historic creeds...It's the same liberal lies repackaged. This "new" christianity is repackaged apostacy. Machen was right.

One need not be Roman Catholic or enter a monastery or convent in order to benefit from the disciplines of the monastic life. I am a "Born Again, Spirit-filled" Christian; I belong to a religious order and have a Rule of Life based on ancient and Biblical spiritual practices that informs my walk with God and my times with Him.

And I wear a simple cross around my neck as a sign of my profession and quiet witness of my faith.

Order of Desert Companions

I have always thought that being identified as a Christian for non-spiritual reasons is to miss the whole point of being a follower of Christ.

The New Testament provides at least two basic ways for identifying believers in Christ - love for other believers and unity among believers. Somehow, it seems, Jesus wants us to be recognized as a group and not necessarily as just individuals. In fact, whenever I see a nun in her habit, or a "priest" in a collar, all I am reminded of are certain practices of particular faith groups and nothing more.

I think the idea of being known not just by your group but as a group makes a lot of sense, especially in individualistic North America.

For example it would be good if people could recognised (and if it were true, that failure to pay one's taxes, not putting in an honest day's work, taking home hotel(or office)property and disobeying traffic laws are aberrations, and do not in any way reflect Christian behaviour, since believers in Christ, as a group are honest and law abiding.

However, for this to be clearly understood Christian commiunities as a whole must demonstrate honesty, a healthy work ethic, respect for property and obedience to the law.

Would it not be better if instead of being noticed because of our "habit" (i.e. the symbols we wear) we stood out because of our habits (the way we lived)?

To P1 who wrote: "Why do you think Luther, Calvin and Zwingli revolted? They returned to a Gospel of Grace. To return to a "church" that denies the 5 Solas is to deny the atoning work of Christ." So you still believe the Reformers were the first Christians who discovered the Gospel of Grace, as you call it? And that the Catholics and Orthodox deny the atonement of Christ? I also used to be so arrogant in my 64 years as a Reformed Protestant. After 6 years of REAL study, I blush when I hear people from my former faith community spout such historically untrue nonsense.

Alicia, I enjoyed this article very much. However, as a convert from the Southern Baptist tradition to the Catholic Church, I continue to be dismayed by the comments of some protestants. The misinformation, wrong notions, and just plain incorrect history about what the Catholic Church believes and teaches is so disheartening.
Thanks again, anyway, Alicia! :)

Br. Anthony John:

Why not place one's lamp on the lampstand to do both: habits of holy living in attire that signifies the answer to the question "Why?"

Sorry, The question should have been addressed to Steve Skeete.

Alicia, I am a 1994 Wheaton grad who was ordained a Catholic priest last year; and I know several other Wheaton men who are priests or are considering or preparing for the priesthood.

I am very glad to see your blog post, for I know what an inspiration these young, happy, energetic sisters are to me, and I have expected them to touch the hearts of young Protestant women as well. Alicia, the Lord's call to this life of total consecration to Christ is real. I suspect that there are a number of Wheaton women who are called to this. Those that the Lord calls to this life, he has made for it. It is written in their hearts; perhaps it is written in yours! I look forward to the day when I hear that a Wheaton woman has responded to that call and joined one of these religious orders herself.

"I suspect quite a few of these newly minted sisters are simply escaping a rather brutal job market for college graduates."

Actually, you'll find that quite a few of them (at least for the two communities mentioned) are recent graduates from high school, not college.

Personally, I find this comment highly offensive and based purely on secular speculation. What is your basis for this speculation? Do you know any of these women?

A woman who enters the convent gives up EVERYTHING. All of her possessions-- her car, her clothes, her cell phone, everything. She leaves behind her family and friends. She gives it all up for the love of Jesus...

And you would suggest that most of them do this because of the job market?

It costs these women much more to leave everything behind to follow Christ than it does for a college graduate to live at home with Mom and Dad until they find a job.

It seems kind of easy to talk about the habit of a religious sister, but I think that, in order to really understand what that habit signifies, a deeper look is required.

There are two good places to start. First, St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 7:34 that the unmarried are anxious about the things of God rather than the world and its affairs. Thus he deems that the single life lived for Christ, consecrated to Christ, is better than married life. He states this as his preference, not the law of the Lord. Thus, consecrated singles live a life married to God.
Secondly, in the history of the Church, after the legalization of Christianity, men and women fled the cities for the desert to live in silence and prayer, missing the heroism of Christian martyrdom. It was from these Desert Fathers (and Mothers) that the formalized religious orders of the east and west sprang, embodying St. Paul's preference for the single life consecrated to Christ. The new martyrdom was to live poverty, chastity and obedience through a life of prayer and work.

The habit is, therefore, not a uniform, but a wedding ring of sorts, proclaiming the woman religious to belong to God in a special, exclusive relationship. Considering the commitment to live for God totally, doing ALL he has commanded with no exceptions and lots of sacrifices, this is not a life for the faint of heart, but is doable if God has made you for it.

Recently a sisterhood of Protestant nuns was started in Virginia. It's almost more comparable to a network of the Protestant equivalent of Consecrated Virgins though - they wear rings but not habits and can be living anywhere with any job although in the future they hope to have an apartment complex for those who want to live together and a shelter for victims of domestic violence for the sisters among them who wish to do that.

http://www.protestantnun.org/

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