I have reviewed your website and the materials on it and I am impressed with this Monastery. I am thrilled to see a Protestant Monastery. 

Comment from The Prayer Foundation ™ : Actually, there are many Anglican and Episcopal Protestant Monasteries, and one very small Lutheran one in Michigan (also we have heard of a Lutheran Monastery in Denmark).  We are unique not in that we are Protestant, but in that we are composed solely of born-again Evangelical Christian monks who have received Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour; this is a part of our Statement of Faith and also in our Legal Incorporation Papers (see our pages: Statement of Faith and Plan of Salvation).

12/11/02______________________________________________________

Comment from The Prayer Foundation ™ : Thank you for your encouraging words.

We also believe absolutely in the Biblical (and Reformation) doctrine of the priesthood of all believers.  We feel that John Knox (leader of Presbyterianism) was a truly great Christian man of God.

There have been in the past, and are now, great Christian men in the Anglican Communion; we think of John Wesley, C. S. Lewis, and John R. W. Stott.  Currently, there is a problem in that so many of the Clergy have adopted "modern" Liberal Theology (really, the rejection of God's Word).  This is a major problem found also in many other Historical Church Communions.

Actually, the Anglican Church rejected monasticism at the time of the Reformation, as did all of the Reformation Churches, following the lead of Martin Luther.  It is only in the last 100 years that they (Anglican/Episcopal Communions) have re-instituted monasticism (it should be remembered that the Anglican Church rejected monasticism, not because of doctrine, but because Henry VIII thought that he could obtain much money by making monasticism against the law, and then confiscating the monks' property).

 In 1998, we stood in Ireland's western coast on the Dingle Peninsula.  At the Gallerus Oratory; at the ancient Celtic monks dry-stone bee-hive huts overlooking the Atlantic Ocean; and in some of the early (500-900 A.D.) monastic ruins which can be found there; we felt called to revive early (Pre-Roman Catholic) Celtic Monasticism, but through the "lens" of Holy Scripture (as was done with much of Church Doctrine and Practice during the Protestant Reformation). 

 Our particular ministry (which is Interdenominational) is to encourage growth in the prayer lives of all Christians.  We also believe that all Christian Ministries should preach the Gospel.

We offer a way for those who are already "monks in their hearts" to obtain an official recognition of this, and to be able to participate with like-minded Christians in a worldwide prayer ministry that is both Biblical and Evangelical.

 We see monks and monasticism as a "metaphor" for prayer, and a life of special dedication to the Lord.  All we mean by being a "monk" is to be a dedicated Christian, consecrated to God, in the sense that any Christian can be.

 Although we are to our knowledge the first to practice 100% Evangelical Monasticism is, we do not find any conflict between the two.  Our Knights of Prayer ™ Monastic Order is Interdenominational, so that we can serve as the Monastic Order for Christians in those Communions that do not have their own (i.e., Presbyterians, Baptists, Nazarenes, etc.).

You also seem to be "a monk in your heart," even as we are.