JOHN JALSEVAC

OntherestorationofChristianculture

BLOGS FAITH
Fri May 12, 2017 - 10:51 am EST

Turns out The Benedict Option is a hoax

May12,2017(LifeSiteNews)Iwasalittlemystified,havingfinishedreadingTheBenedictOption(TBO),todiscovernotonlythatthebookturns
outtobeinmanyrespectsanelaboratealbeitwellintentionedandprobablyevangelicallyusefulpracticaljoke,butalsothatsofewseemtohave
noticedthatauthorRodDreherhimselfadmitsasmuchabouthalfwaythrough,andcheerfullygivesupthepunchline.

HereisDreher,towardstheendofChapter6,quotingCatholicbloggerLeahLibresco,adevoteeofTBOwhohasbeenbusyorganizingBenedict
OptioneventsinD.C.:

Peoplearelike,ThisBenedictOptionthing,itsjustbeingChristian,right?AndImlike,Yes!Youvefiguredoutthekoan!Librescotold
me.Butpeoplewontdoitunlessyoucallitsomethingdifferent.Itsjustthechurchbeingwhatthechurchissupposedtobe,butifyougive
itaname,thatmakespeoplecare.

MerriamWebsterdefineskoanthusly:aparadoxtobemeditateduponthatisusedtotrainZenBuddhistmonkstoabandonultimatedependence
onreasonandtoforcethemintogainingsuddenintuitiveenlightenment.Presumably,Librescodidnotintendthewordinitsmostliteralsense.
Whatshemeantis,theressomethingoftheparadox,thejoke,behindTheBenedictOption.

Andthejokeisthis:theBenedictOptionisnt.Anoption,Imean.NomorethanbeingaChristianis,forthesimplereasonthatthey'reverynearly
thesamething.

SomeofthecontroversythathasgreetedthepublicationofTBOis,Ithink,Drehersownfault:aconsequenceofhisownaptitudeformarketinghis
ideasandturningthemintoamovement,alaCrunchyCons.Coinanewtermandcallitamovement,andonemightbeforgivenforexpecting
somethingnewandradical,andthereforethreatening.But,asLibrescosuggests,thereislittlethatisnewinTBO,andifthebookisradical,its
largelywiththeradicalnessoftheGospel.OnebloggerhasboiledDrehersbookdowninto43concreteproposals,and,withoneortwopossible
exceptions,thefinalproductreadsmoreakintoPracticalChristianLiving101,thanRodDreher'sGuidetoHowtoFleetheComingApocalypse.
 Historic Christianity offers a cornucopia of various spiritualities that, upon closer examination, turn out to be
nothing more than the Gospel message with slight adjustments in emphasis as a response to speci c historical
exigencies. Such, I would suggest, is The Benedict Option.

TheendemicmisinterpretationsofTBO,Ibelieve,originateinthefirstchapter,inwhich,havingsurveyedtheculturalwreckage,proclaimedthe
CultureWarseffectivelylost,anddeclaredmanypoliticalbattlestobepracticallyunwinnableintheimmediatefuture,Dreherqueries:Coulditbe
thatthebestwaytofightthefloodistostopfightingtheflood?Thetoneinwhichthequestionisasked,andtheproposalimmediatelyfollowing
thatChristiansconsiderbuildinganarksuggestthatDreherhimselfanswersresoundinglyintheaffirmative.

ManyofhiscriticsontheChristianright,Ithink,stopreadingthere.Towillfullycedethepublicsquareandhunkerdownintosomenewbreedof
concretewalled,isolated,preapocalypticChristiancommunesthatsoundssuicidal.Besides,surelywevelearnedbynowthatthesekindsoffear
based,purityobsessedcommunitieshaveatendencytodisintegrateintochaoticinfighting,occasionallywiththemugshotsofthecommunitys
spiritualleadersgracingthefrontpageofthelocalnewspaper,andagenerationofrepressedchildrenhungryforHitchensandDawkinsandto
proclaimatheismifonlyitmeansliberationfromthereligiousauthoritarianismoftheiryouth.

AndifthatwerewhatDreherwereproposing,thatmightbeafaircriticism.ButthosewhoreadTBO(andImnotconvincedthatmanyofDrehers
mostvociferouscriticshave)maybesurprisedthathisideaofbuildinganarkismuchmorelikelytotaketheform,forinstance,ofagroupofco
religiousD.C.dwellingsuburbanitesorganizingaregularChristianbookstudyatalocalpub,orstrengtheningtheNewmanHouseonthecampusof
theirlocalstateuniversity,thanbuyingupaplotoflandinremotestNorthDakota,goingoffgrid,andbiddingsayonaratothecorruptpagansofthe
NewRome.

Indeed,Dreherwouldhavesternwordsfortheprogenitorsofthelatterproject.Acommunitysorigidthatitcannotbendwillbreakitselfofits
members,Dreherwarnsthosesocarriedawaybyenthusiasmastomakeanidolofthecommunity.Communitiesthatarewrappedtootightfor
fearofimpuritywillsuffocatetheirmembersandstranglethejoyoutoflifetogether.Ideologyistheenemyofjoyfulcommunitylife,andthemost
destructiveideologyisthebeliefthatcreatingutopiaispossible.

Goodadvice,that.

Soifnotheadingforthehillswhat,precisely,isDreherproposing?Well,admittedlyinsomecases,headingforthehills:asinthesmallagrarian
communitythathasgrownuparoundthetraditionalBenedictinemonasteryinClearCreek,Oklahoma.DreherprofilesthecommunityinTBO,and
approves.Andwhynot,ifthatswhatyourecalledto?Butinalotofcases,whatDreherisproposingseemstobelessradical,andmoreorganic.And
inallcases,suchastheTipiLoschicommunityinItaly,heiscarefultoemphasizethatTBOismuchmoreaboutpreservingandcultivating
somethinggood,thanfleeingsomethingevil.

HereisDrehersummarizingwhathecallstheantipoliticalpoliticsoftheBenedictOption:

Secedeculturallyfromthemainstream.Turnoffthetelevision.Putthesmartphonesaway.Readbooks.Playgames.Makemusic.Feastwith
yourneighbors.Itisnotenoughtoavoidwhatisbadyoumustalsoembracewhatisgood.Startachurch,oragroupwithinyourchurch.
OpenaclassicalChristianschool,orjoinandstrengthenonethatexists.Plantagarden,andparticipateinalocalfarmersmarket.Teachkids
howtoplaymusic,andstartaband.Jointhevolunteerfiredepartment.

Thisishardlyterrifyingstuff.Onemightevencallitpositivelypedestrian.MostofDrehersotherproposalsareinasimilarvein:rediscover
traditionalliturgicalworshiprevivifyChristianasceticalpracticessuchasregularfastingconsiderhomeschoolingifyourlocalschoolisntupto
snuffevangelizethroughtheartstakecaretoprovideyourchildrenwithgoodChristianfriendsstrivetolivecloseto,andgetpersonallyinvolved
in,yourparishstrengthenyourchurchssupportstructuresrenewyourconnectionwiththelanddevelopanappreciationofworkasvocation
affirmthegoodnessofsexualityreduceyourmediaconsumption.

PerhapsthemoststrikingthingaboutTBOonthewholeishowlittle,afterthefirstchapterorso,Drehertalksaboutthesoledifferentiatingfactor
thatjustifieshisBenedictOptioncoinagei.e.buildingintentionalChristiancommunities.Thoselookingfora"howto"guidetocreatinga
Christiancommunewillhavetolookelsewhere.Instead,ingeneral,hefocuseshiseffortsonremindingChristianswhotheyareandwhatthey
believe,andencouragingthemtogetseriousaboutlivingtheirfaith.Thethinkingseemstobe:dothis,andBenedictOptioncommunitieswillarise
oftheirownaccord.

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HeresthethingthatsomeofDreher'scriticsareapttoignore:Conscientiousseparationfromthemainstream(theworld)hasalwaysbeenan
inescapableelementofChristianspirituality.LiveasacommittedChristian,anddefactoyouwillbegintostandapartfromothers,andnevermore
thaninourradicallysecularistage.Ifyoudon't,you'redoingitwrong.Youwillalso,inevitably,gravitatetowardsyourcoreligionists.Andnot
becauseofanexclusionaryelitism,butforanynumberofperfectlyhealthyreasons:theneedforcommunalworship,formutuallyenriching
friendshipsbuiltuponsharedconvictions,toencourageoneanotherinthearduousbattleforholiness,tonameafew.AsolitaryChristianisan
impoverishedChristian,andavulnerableone.
HistoricChristianityoffersacornucopiaofvariousspiritualitiesthat,uponcloserexamination,turnouttobenothingmorethantheGospel
messagewithslightadjustmentsinemphasisasaresponsetospecifichistoricalexigencies.Such,Iwouldsuggest,isTheBenedictOption.Tobea
practicingChristianis,inevitably,toliveaspartofintentionalChristiancommunity.Inresponsetotheatomizationofmodernlifeandthegrowing
threatstoChristianidentity,Dreherhassimplyplacedtheemphasisontheword"intentional."

InearlyRome,Christianswereforcedtoriskeverythingtocongregatetogether,oftencelebratingfurtivemassesinthedankcatacombs.Inmedieval
Europe,however,dailylifewassointimatelystructuredaroundChristianworship,andChristiandoctrinesouniversallyaccepted,thatthesenseof
otherness,evenforcommittedbelievers,wouldhavebeendramaticallyreduced.TheoriginalBenedictOptionhadreacheditsfullflowering,and
everymedievaltown,frequentlyconstructedaroundamonastery,amountedtoaastonishinglyvitalBenedictOptioncommunity.

DrehersbeliefisthatChristianstodayfindthemselvesincircumstancesmoreakintotheearlyChristiansinRomethantoourmedievalforebears.
Urbanism,afreneticcommoditybasedeconomythatbringsinitswakeradicalinstabilityandrampantmaterialism,theneartotaltriumphofthe
sexualrevolution,andthecatastrophiccollapseofthechurchesamiddoctrinalretreatandscandals:allofthesehaveleftmanyorthodoxChristians
besiegedandisolated.

Unfortunately,inouregalitarianobsessedsociety,thesuggestionthatChristianssticktogethersoastomaintainsomehighermoralstandardcan
strikeusaselitist,paranoid,andpossiblyarejectionofChristsevangelicalimperative(Goouttoalltheworldandpreachthegoodnews).Elitism
iscertainlyarisk,andthewaytocombatthatisbynurturinghumilitygroundedinahealthysenseofhumor:somethingIthinkDrehergets.Butthe
greaterrisksatthemomentareclearlyfragmentationandisolation.TheseinturnsapChristiansvitalenergy,renderingusfarlesseffectiveas
evangelists.ItisnotelitisttoacknowledgethatChristianityisahigherstandard.Norcanweaffordtolosesightoftherealitythat,ratherthanany
specificpoliticalorapologeticalinitiative,ithasalwaysbeenthepersonallivedexampleofChristiansadheringtothatstandardthathaseffected
conversion.

ManyofthecriticismsofDreherappeartoarisefromafailuretoreadthesignsofthetimes,orofanexcessiveconfidenceinordinaryChristians
capacitytowithstandgrowingexternalpressuretoconform.Consider,forinstance,theprotestsagainstDrehersnearcategoricaladvicetoChristian
parentstowithdrawtheirchildrenfrompublicschools.PerhapsDreherwastooabsolute.Perhapsheoughttohavegivensomeallowanceforthe
widedivergenceinthequalityofpublicschools.Idontknow.ButIdoknowthatthosewhorespondthatitisnecessaryforChristianchildrento
remaininpublicschoolssoastoactassaltandlighttotheirnonChristianpeersaredisplayingapotentiallydisastrousnaivet.Eithertheyhappen
tohaveunusuallysaintlychildren,ortheyaregrosslyunderestimatingthechallengesanisolatedChristianteenfacesinstayingfaithfulinthemidst
ofoverwhelmingpeerpressure.

ThosewhofearthatDrehersisacowardly,defeatist,unevangelicalprojectmustconsidertheconclusiontoTBO.There,hemodifieshisark
imagery,whichheacknowledgescanbemisinterpreted.ThisimagehecounterbalanceswithonedrawnfromEzekielsvisionofJerusalem,witha
streamoflifegivingwaterrushingfromthealtarofthetemple,spreadingoutacrosstheworld.

Thechurch,then,isbothArkandWellspringandChristiansmustliveinbothrealities.GodgaveustheArkofthechurchtokeepusfrom
drowningintheragingflood.ButHealsogaveusthechurchasaplacetodrownouroldselvessymbolicallyinthewaterofbaptism,andto
growinnewlife,nourishedbytheneverendingtorrentofHisgrace.YoucannotlivetheBenedictOptionwithoutseeingbothvisions
simultaneously.

ItisworthrememberingthatChristhimselfspentthirtyyearsseparatefromtheworldwithinthatmostintimateBenedictOptioncommunitythe
HolyFamilygrowinginwisdomandstature.Thenheopenedthefloodgates,andhisteachingsburstforthupontheworld.Wemodernsinthe
WestareallinfectedtosomedegreewithanAmericanistmentalitybelievingitourdutytochangetheworldthroughourownfreneticactivity.
TBO,whileperhapsnotperfect,offersanecessarycorrective,remindingusthatourstrengthandpowerderiveultimatelyfromunionwithChrist,
andwithoneanother.Contemplationprecedesaction.Thatisthepowerfulsymbolismofthebustlingmedievaltown,withtheBenedictineabbeyat
itscenter.

ItmaybethatIhaveunderstatedthenatureofDrehersproject,orglossedoverparticularproposalsthatarenotmerelycoextensivewiththeGospel.
Icanperhapsunderstandthedismay,forinstance,withwhichsomeactivisttypesviewDreherstakeonpolitics.Butthosewhopersistin
caricaturinghisargumentsbyclaimingthatheisadvocatingpoliticalcapitulationmust,forhonesty'ssake,contendwithhisnumerous
qualifications,bothinthebookandelsewhere.WritesDreheronhisblogjustthisweek:"Idonotcallforawithdrawalfrompoliticsasusual,but...a
recalibrationofourideaofpolitics,suchthatweredirectourattentiontothekindofpoliticsthatmattersmost."

Andfinally,tothosewhoridiculeDreher'sbeliefthatTBOisneededtoweathertheloomingstormcloudsofChristianpersecution,whichinmany
caseswillbeadvancedthroughthevehicleofwhattheyderisivelycallTheGayAgenda,IsupposeallIcansayis:openyoureyes.

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