A Woman’s Perspective on a Spirituality of Brotherhood
Keywords:
Spirituality of Brotherhood, Brotherhood, ClericalismAbstract
Religious brothers remain poorly understood in the contemporary church. Since Vatican II, they have undergone their own renewal recognizing more clearly the particular charism of the brother as distinct from and resistant to clericalism, based authentically in the non-hierarchical relationship of being a brother to the brotherless. The essay testifies to experiences with brothers, their vocational roots in the Biblical stories of brothers and the explicit teachings of Jesus about non-hierarchical relationships in the reign of God. Contemporary brothers have explicitly rejected all forms of clericalism, and embraced egalitarian forms of relationship, and renewed attitudes toward work. Insights from the psychology of masculine development have yielded insight to their own development and can further enhance their ministries with boys and men.References
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