Ironically, a movement that began from the desire of one man to be alone with God led to the development of numerous Christian communities. These monastic communities helped save Western Civilization during the Dark Ages.
Anthony was one of Christianity’s first monks. Anthony’s lifetime witnessed major changes in Christianity’s political power and social standing. These changes made Christianity much more popular with the social elite.
After Christianity was accepted by the Roman Empire, Anthony felt the church was becoming too worldly. To resist the sensuous temptations of a worldly church, he chose to follow Jesus’ command to “go and sell all you have.” He then went into the wilderness to live alone.
When other Christians heard about his rigorous self-denial and the joy he found in the experience, they began to seek him out for advice. He counseled them on fasting, prayer, and charity. Some built homes near his self-imposed residence of “solitude.” Though he tried to get away from the church, the church came to him. A companion of Anthony’s named Pachomius later helped organize the first communities of monks.
Even though these early monks attempted to live as hermits, they discovered that it is neither possible nor practical to strive after God without the company of other believers. Even the most saintly of believers need community.
Because believers need community, the author of Hebrews exhorts his readers to “let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another all the more as we see THE DAY approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Many Christians believed they were witnessing THE DAY and the end of the world during the barbarian invasions of the Dark Ages (from the fall of Rome until about AD 1000). Yet it was during this same time that the monks who carefully copied the scriptures also copied and maintained many important documents of Western Civilization. Though they believed the end of the world might be at hand, they did not let that stop them from an important work. They chose to preserve that which was good, noble, just, pure, lovely, and admirable, and they did this in spite of a barbaric culture. (Admittedly not everything they preserved fits that description, but most of it does.)
Christian community is a powerful force. It encourages believers to live lives worth remembering. Christian community was a preserving force during the Dark Ages that extended for half a millenium after the fall of Rome. Believers today are still called to live in community and be a force that preserves the good where they live. What are you preserving?
