ABSTRACT
The transformations that have taken place in religion, church and faith – in any case in Western Europe – during the last decades have radically altered the religious landscape and have had the same consequences for monasteries, orders and congregations as they have had for parishes and other religious institutions. Just as church buildings were and still are being closed down, disposed of and demolished in increasing numbers, the number of churchgoers gradually continues to decrease and participation in church life is declining, in the same way, monasteries are also being closed down and have been confronted with a huge decrease in vocations (Schepens, Spruit and Kregting 2002: 53-60). 1 Despite this, abbeys have at the same time become very popular, drawing large and varied groups of people. This manifest interest in abbeys and in monastic life is part of the paradox of current Western religiosity. Institutional Christianity is imploding, and, at the same time, we see a great variety of new religious forms emerging. (Hervieu-Léger 1999; Woodhead et al. 2002;; Davie 2010)
Changes within the monastery walls have played an important role in the increased attraction of abbeys. They have had a profound influence on the identity, the image and the perception of the abbeys. One of the consequences of these changes was that abbeys became more accessible, which in turn led to more guests and visitors. The attraction of many abbeys also increased because of the broad and varied range of activities they offered. As a result of the changes in monastic life in the past few decades, new initiatives were taken which subsequently also influenced the way abbeys were viewed and their identity. Some of the guests visiting abbeys nowadays will be going there for specifically religious or spiritual reasons, while others consider their stay as both useful and pleasant without there being any explicitly religious expectations. The abbeys themselves actually nourish and cherish a wide range of expectations in the way they present themselves and in the varied spectrum of activities they offer, ranging from traditional liturgical prayer, modern meditation techniques such as yoga, to wellness activities and spending one’s time in a non-specifically religious way: walking or
cycling in the environment, or enjoying products manufactured at the abbey itself or at an affiliated abbey (Stausberg 2010: 111-115, 2011: 130-134). 2
The presence of guests does have an influence on the daily life of the community and on the atmosphere in the abbey. This sometimes leads to tensions, gives rise to internal debate and requires reflection on and contemplation of one’s own tradition and identity on a regular basis. 3 This subsequently leads to new insights, to different choices and points of view and to changes in policy, causing agreements, rules and practices to be adapted, adjusted or sharpened. These changes in turn have an influence on the way abbeys are viewed and on their identity. The changing monastic identity is thus also influenced by the activities offered and the expectations these arouse in the visitors.
