April 28, 2013
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Sunday Devotional: Mourning the Beguines
Who are the Beguines? I consider myself fairly well read on church matters and traditions, and I had never heard of them until I read The Economist this week. They are a religious order for women, beautifully constructed to fill in gaps in Christian tradition. Here's why I am so sad they are gone:
1) The order was created by women, for women, and governed by women. Honestly...the older I get, the more I think that Christian men need to get out of the business of ministering, counseling, or administering Christian women. There are too many issues that arise. I still have traditional views on Christian roles and leadership, for the most part, but I also believe that the true Biblical model is for older women to teach younger women. The best part was that this movement occurred in the early 13th century, much ahead of its time.
2) The order was a step below being a nun, and that's a good thing. Few women can satisfy the requirements of most nunneries for a lifetime vow of service and celibacy. But many younger women could take such vows temporarily, working with their hands to support themselves and then voluntarily leaving when they wished to marry or felt called to something different. The church needs temporary workers and laypeople so badly, and yet the church locks itself into this permanent model that hurts the church. The Beguines perfectly hit that sweet spot between full-time lifelong service and dedicated working Christian.
3) The order was famous for taking in "spare" women who came to the big cities in the 1200's to find work. Often such women, poor already, end up on the streets or in the sex trade, trapped in unhappy, dangerous lives by poverty. And no, this doesn't just happen to those wanting to be actresses in Hollywood. I recall a bitter little tale by O. Henry about the pretty girl who moves to the city and has job opportunity after job opportunity lost in tragicomic fashion...until the final twist, when the job she does find ends up being an escort, more or less. Chances are better than you think that one of your friends has ended up temporarily in the sex trade to make ends meet after moving. I can think of three Xangans off the top of my head as I write. Being that the church has as part of its calling reaching out to the least of these, providing work for such unfortunates is a beautiful thing.
Sadly, as with many good works of charity, the Beguines time is over. The last one has passed away. But take a moment with me to be thankful that work existed, and to be thankful for creative Christians willing to think of new ways to serve. Sadly, many of the Beguines were persecuted and misunderstood in their times. But I'm sure the Lord saw their work and noted its value.
Comments (3)
I thought it was intriguing that formal religious vows were not necessary but thn again, there are some things I do not agree on with the catholic faith.
Get thee to a nunnery! Today, many people expect a salary in ministry if they're doing anything more substantial than occasionally playing the guitar.
Very interesting.
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