Denver Catholic

19 DENVER CATHOLIC | AUGUST 12-25, 2017 What's with the buzz about The Benedict Option? I t's hard to recall another Chris- tian book that has garnered so much attention in the media and has generated such vigorous discus- sion among pundits as Rod Dreher's The Bene- dict Option: A Strategy for Chris- tians in a Post-Chris- tian Nation (Sentinel, 2017). Is the book calling for a retreat to the hills? Is it calling us to greater social engagement? Is it just not saying much? All of these interpreta- tions have been put forward. The book, however, has touched a nerve among Christians, revealing our vulnerability in a hostile, secular culture and the need to form a plan of action to move forward. The book clearly has revealed anxiety about the future of Christians in our coun- try. Will we have to compromise our identity at work, at school and in soci- ety? But, on the other hand, it also has shed light on the desire of many people for a more fully Christian life, with stronger community and a life less encumbered by technology. What is the core claim of the book? Given the profound crisis of cul- ture, we cannot look to mainstream institutions for our future. Rather, we need to form intentional commu- nities that more fully embody our Christian faith and in which we are willing to face the consequences of going against the current. It is from such institutions that real cultural change will occur. Thus, The Benedict Option is all about being active and engaging the problems of society. It recognizes, however, that solutions will begin locally, in the relationships that we can infl uence. Rebuilding our culture will begin there. Dreher addresses issues related to education, work, sexuality, tech- nology and the laxity of Christian churches. On this last point, he chal- lenges us to consider that "a church that looks and talks and sounds just like the world has no reason to exist" (121). Rather than fl owing along with the mainstream, Dreher urges us to be countercultural in all of these areas. The book challenges us to live di¡ erently. For instance, "in a society that values comfort and well-being over anything else, there may be no more essential Christian formative practice than regular fasting " (114). Putting faith before all else — even to the point of su¡ ering for it — will be necessary to stand against the many obstacles to the Christian life we face. Many people ask why Dreher has pointed to St. Benedict as a key fi gure for cultural renewal. St. Benedict lived at a time of cultural upheaval following the collapse of the Roman Empire. Even though he sought soli- tude in the wilderness, he soon found himself at the center of a large monas- tic movement. Seeking God above all else, his monks nonetheless laid the foundation for a new civilization, unit- ing work and prayer, forming a strong Christian community, and ordering all things to God. In our own time of transition, there is much wisdom to be gained from St. Benedict. In particular, the Rule of St. Benedict is marked by a familial character. The monastery is governed by an abbot, which means father, who guides his sons in coming to maturity in the Christian life. Ben- edict sought to found a "school for the Lord's service," a culture in miniature in which the monks would be self-suf- fi cient and all they do ordered to God in prayer. Dreher calls for the family to be a "domestic monastery," where chil- dren learn to put prayer and put the Church fi rst in their lives. He says, "just as the monastery's life is ordered toward God, so must the family home be" (124). This does not mean living in isolation, but rather provides a call for deeper community, as "Christian families have to start linking them- selves decisively with other families" (141). Dreher also calls families to return to the practice of hospitality and to limit the use of technology in the home. This fi ts with Dreher's goal of encouraging us to embrace counter-cultural practices and "to focus on prudent, achievable goals" (87). In the end, this means living an intentional and more fully Christian life in our family and in all that we do. The book helps us to envision what intentional Christian community looks like and what we need to do to make it a reality. It's written in an accessible style, even when describing the dynamics of modern history and the life of Benedictine monks. As a Benedictine oblate, I defi nitely appre- ciate the fact that Dreher has pointed us to the importance of Benedictine spirituality for our time. Despite the criticism the book has received for allegedly advocating retreatism, Dreher clarifi es: "The way of Saint Benedict is not an escape form the real world but a way to see that world and dwell in it as it truly is. Benedictine spirituality teaches us to bear with the world in love and to transform it as the Holy Spirit trans- forms us. 'The Benedict Option' draws on the virtues in the Rule to change the way Christians approach politics, church, family, community, education, or jobs, sexuality, and technology. And it does so with urgency" (77). The buzz surrounding The Bene- dict Option demonstrates that Dreher has drawn our attention to a pressing matter. We need to begin the process of rebuilding our culture, with the help of the spiritual tradition that built it the fi rst time. The Catholic Reader R. Jared Staudt, PhD, is a husband and father of six, the catechetical formation specialist for the Archdiocese of Denver, a Benedictine oblate, prolifi c writer, and insatiable reader. DR. R. JARED STAUDT Why I Don't Call Myself Gay: A book review T he world we live in is a confus- ing place, especially when it comes to matters of sexuality. The sexual revolution that began in the 1960s has been fully realized in 2017, and we fi nd ourselves moving toward a reality in which gender and sexuality as defi ned by nature no longer applies. The title ofšDaniel Mattson's insightful and challe nging new book, Why I Don't Call Myself Gay (Ignatius Press, $17.95), refers to the crux of the entire gay rightsšmovement – that one's identity is rooted in one's sexual- ity. Mattson rejects this idea entirely, arguing that words are powerful and by a person labeling them self as "gay," it becomes their identity. The danger of this is the same as with anybody else who fi nds their identity in any- thing other than Christ — the search for true joy becomes a wild goose chase, as Mattson himself found. Mattson's courageous account of his own journey as a same-sex attracted Catholic represents a voice seldom heard in our modern, sex-ob- sessed culture, and hešshould be com- mended as one who struggles with this burden yet still remains faithful to the Church founded by Jesus Christ. In the fi rst section of the book, Mattson describes the feelings of same-sex attractions that he felt at a young age. Mattson writes candidly and honestly about a decades-long addiction to porn, which he used to fi ll a void he felt in his life. He recounts relationships he had with other men, yet still wrestling with feeling attracted to women. After a confusing period of a failed relationship with a woman he loved, Mattson began to see that his feel- ings of same-sex attraction could be united to Christ asša type of su¡ ering. Though he left the Church for a time, he became involved in Courage Inter- national, an apostolate that ministers to Catholics with same-sex attraction, and this ultimatelyšbrought him back to Jesus. It's in this testimony that the power of this book truly lies. Here's a man who has lived the "gay" lifestyle – and tried to fi nd hap- piness in all the ways the entire move- ment says a gay person can –šyet he instinctually still felt that something was missing. He found true joy when he came back to Christ. He began to realize that his identity is not found in his sexual inclinations; it is fi rst and foremost found in Jesus Christ, and that despite this burden, he is a child who is deeply loved by the Father. Why I Don't Call Myself Gay only serves tošreinforce God'sštruthšabout the human person, same-sex attracted or not: No matter what burden you carry in your life, Christ is always there with you, su¡ ering and struggling along with you, and his arms are always open to reveal your true identity to you – that you are fi rst and foremost an immensely loved child of the Father. Why I Don't Call Myself Gay is pub- lished by Ignatius Press and available now. Aaron Lambert is the Content Specialist for Denver Catholic. AARON LAMBERT

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