Neo-monastics in North Carolina, de-growth and a theology of enough

Bibliographic Data

ID4302196
AuthorsAmy Halls (0000-0002-6625-3073), Amy Hall (0000-0003-1502-2694, Amherst College, corresponding author)
Year2017
Volume24
Issue1
Publication date2017-09-27
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Political Ecology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1073-0451 • E-ISSN: 1073-0451
PublisherUniversity of Arizona (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2458/v24i1.20891
OpenAlexW2756858671
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited20

This article examines one intentional Christian community's attempts to live a life that eschews consumerism and material growth for a life focused on spiritual growth and collectivity. I articulate intentional Christian living, often referred to as neo-monasticism, with the de-growth movement. I do so to offer insight into the practice and pragmatics of de-growth's broadly understood call to revalue the ideals of life in an effort to reduce consumption. Neo-monasticism and de-growth have much in common including the critique of consumerism, individualism and increasing inequality. Both also promote relationships, locality, sharing, slowing down and quality of life over efficiency and incessant work. Drawing on four years of research with one residential Christian community, I suggest that the most challenging aspect of sharing a life together and slowing down is not simply consuming less or pooling resources but rethinking and living social values not driven by a consumerist-growth paradigm. While some de-growth advocates, such as Serge Latouche, promote ideals of harmony and oneness, in practice, living simply and sharing a life together is challenging and conflictual, even when religiously inspired

Aesthetics · Art · Consumerism · Environmental ethics · Individualism · Political science · Social science · Sociology · Law · Philosophy · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Ecology, and Ethics · Religion, Society, and Development

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