ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to visually approach Christian monasteries and religious orders, mostly one of its types – monastic orders, whose distinctive features are: collective living of monks or nuns, ascetic and contemplative practices, and distance from the world. Monasticism contrasts with ‘active’ types of religious orders which seek to reach their religious goals by living in the world, for instance, by managing or working in the charitable sector, health care or educational organisations. The paradox of all rational asceticism, which in an identical manner has made all ages stumble, is that rational asceticism itself has created the very wealth it rejected. Temples and monasteries have everywhere become the very loci of rational economies. Limited sociological studies frequently seek to assess the condition of a religious order which results from the general statistical drop of number of religious priests, religious brothers and religious sisters. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
