Ben Skinner

Émigré is a metaphor we use to describe a way for livingthat has been foundational in the development of anew type of monasticism. Émigré captures the heart of newmonasticism, the leaving behind of familiar and sociallyaccepted ways of living to embrace a life of:Availability, Vulnerability, AuthenticityÉmigré points to our status in society, and our responsibilityto participate in and pray for the spiritual, social and economicrenewal of those communities in which we live through:Integration, Identification, Participation.Émigré is a new type of monasticism that hasemerged outside of the traditional understanding ofwhat it means to be part of the monastic community.New monasticism does not want to replicate or reject traditionalmonasticism which is a much older and wiser tradition.Émigré is an attempt to translate the essence ofmonastic living into a secular context through a way for livingthat is accessible to individuals, faith communities, business and NGOs.The New Monasticism we know and have lived,has been a serious, sincere, poignant and at times adecidedly humorous attempt to answer the eternal question,‘Who is it that you seek’?We must now give the same attention to what may bethe most profound and urgent question of our time;How do we live humanely in the midst of the fall?