Category: Hermit Life

You know one thing that growing older gives you, it is perspective. I don’t believe you can get that in any other way.

So many things that I thought were absolutely sure when I was younger, I no longer am so certain of. Age brings forth wisdom, if we are open to looking at things differently.

Growing older doesn’t automatically mean you become wise. You only grow wise when you see things from God’s perspective, and then act accordingly. Much of growing older is unlearning.

For me, faith has been difficult. I’ve gone through my doubts, my disbeliefs and my struggles. The truth is, it’s harder to believe than not to. But I’d rather have a faith troubled by doubt, than a doubt. troubled by faith.

They say that a faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted. My faith has been tested, and it has failed. But I have gotten up and I have returned. Like the prodigal son, I return to the Father’s loving arms. Great is our God!

What is a real hermit? The Oxford English Dictionary defines a hermit as “a person living in solitude as a religious discipline.” It defines solitude as “the state or situation of being alone.” And it defines alone as “having no one else present.”

A Married Hermit

But since I am married and living with my wife, I cannot say that “no one else” is “present.” But I do spend the majority of my waking hours alone, and I am doing it “as a religious discipline.” So I am a hermit.

I mean, after all, the vast majority of hermits were never alone all the time. Even the Desert Fathers occasionally meet, with some Abbas having disciples actually staying with them. So the solitude is not absolute. So that does not disqualify me.

I will admit that married hermits are an oddity, but they are not unheard of. Paul and Karen Karper Fredette are contemporary examples. But history records others.

Not a Recognized Hermit

But, someone might say, you are not recognized by the Roman Catholic Church as a hermit under canon 603. That is correct, I am not a Roman Catholic hermit. But I never claimed to be. I am a Christian hermit.

In fact, I am not even accepted as a hermit in the Episcopal Church, to which I belong. But then, I have never sought such acceptance.

I Don’t Believe It

If you don’t think I am a real hermit, I am okay with that. I am not seeking recognition. Then just think of me as a lover of God and the solitude that promotes it. At least be charitable, dear brother or sister.

Honestly, I am not going to argue with anyone about this. I am just a sinner seeking to honor my Creator. I am what I am by His amazing grace.

I Am Not Worthy

I am not worthy to be counted among the hermits of the deserts of Egypt. Please go read Anthony the Great, Paul of Thebes, Pachomius, and the other Desert Fathers and Mothers.

I believe God called me to be a hermit and have a ministry of helping those taking the road of solitude in the mystic way. Whether you accept it doesn’t matter to me. I wish you nothing but peace, love, and happiness.

A wise man once said, “It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place it becomes rigid and stale.”

We see this “rigid and stale” in the old churches. The longer the tradition the worse it can be. There is no openness to new moves of God.

The Four Traditions

Personally, I find four wisdom traditions particularly meaningful. They are the contemplative, the evangelical, the charismatic, and the sacramental

I have not chosen the four traditions of Christianity haphazardly. I have chosen them so that their strength and weaknesses complement one another. More could be added, but these I find most helpful.

Comparing the Traditions

For example, the evangelical is an active and extroverted tradition. It works great in public life and outreach. The contemplative, on the other hand, is more introverted and passive, cultivating inward stillness and an awareness of God.

Another example, the charismatic tradition is about the current movings of God, exercising the gifts to edify and empower believers. While the sacramental is about honoring the faith and traditions handled down from our spiritual ancestors.

Four Elements

The contemplative is like air, for in it we seek the breath in God’s presence. The evangelical is like water, for it brings us back to the washing of the water of the word. The charismatic is like fire, for it is the wild working of the Holy Spirit. And the sacramental trady is like earth, grounding us in the sacraments and traditions of the ancient church.

Having four wisdom traditions allows us to draw wisdom from many different places and people. It also helps keep our minds and hearts from becoming rigid and stale. Understanding the four wisdom traditions will help us become more whole, balanced, and wiser.

Thomas Merton rightly said, “The eremitical life is a charism reserved for few.” Everyone can benefit from solitude, but only a few should follow the way of the hermit.

What is a Charism?

A charism is a divinely conferred power or ability. Without it The hermit life can lead to confusion and delusion. Most people need a spiritual mentor to help guide them into a deeper relationship with God.

I didn’t all of a sudden decide to become a hermit. After four decades of walking with God, I felt the inward urging into the desert of solitude.

I heard the mystics of the Roman Catholic Church and the Hesychasts of the Eastern Orthodox Church speaking to me. They were calling me away from the world into God.

The Middle Way

I found the middle way of Anglicanism that helped me bridge the gap between ancient traditions and modern realities. Merging streams of the movings of God in all ages. Opening me to new horizons and old truths.

What does it mean when the Apostles’ Creed affirms, “I believe in… the holy catholic Church?” The word Catholic, when not capitalized, means “universal.” It is not referring to the Roman Catholic Church

Ecclesia

The real misunderstanding is in the word Church, which is capitalized. The Greek word is Ecclesia, literally meaning “the called out ones.” So when I say “I believe in the holy catholic Church,” I mean that I believe in the “holy universal called out ones.”

Now what does that mean? It means that I believe that there exists a spiritual organism, created by God and not men, that includes the whole community of Christians everywhere and throughout all time

It’s important to realize that the Ecclesia is not an institution or organization, but all people everywhere who have put their faith in Christ. The Ecclesia is the whole body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27 Eph. 4:12).

I don’t believe that the Episcopal Church is the Ecclesia, but rather that many of its members are a part of the Ecclesia. The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church are also not the Ecclesia, but many of its members are part of the Ecclesia.

Ecumenical

Why do I consider myself an ecumenical hermit? “Ecumenical” is derived from the Greek word “oikoumene” which literally means “the whole inhabited world.” In Christianity, it refers to the recognition of the unity of all Christians, and therefore seeks to promotes the cooperation and unity among all Christians.

I am ecumenical because I believe that all Christian, everywhere and in every organization, are part of the Ecclesia. Therefore I read and quote from Roman Catholic authors, Eastern Orthodox authors, and Protestant authors. I learn from all, but cling to none but Christ Himself.

This does not mean that all denominations are equal and that there should be absolute unity. I think that would be disastrous. We need different perspectives and ways of practice. Diversity is a good thing, not a bad thing.