Taizé: A Parable Of Community

ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Ingrid Forsyth (Creator)
Institution
Appalachian State University (ASU )
Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/
Advisor
Laura Ammon

Abstract: This paper is about a Christian, ecumenical community situated in the small village of Taizé. It is a monastic community, with over one hundred monks from diverse parts of the world who live there permanently. It has also become a place of pilgrimage for people all over the world over the past fifty years. People come for various lengths of time to share in a simple life of contemplative prayer and meditation. During my time in Taizé I was able to see how simplicity of mind and spirit leads to cohesion in a community and lays the path toward reconciliation of humanity. The simple prayers steeped in the ancient monastic traditions of chant and silent contemplation profoundly affect thousands of pilgrims who travel to Taizé each year. The first chapter gives history and background on the community and includes information of the life of the founder, a Protestant named Roger Schutz. The second chapter is a personal reflection about my experience in Taizé during the summer of 2015. I spent seven weeks in Taizé and learned many things that will allow me to see the rest of my life through a different lens. The third chapter is a short conclusion that explains how I hope to apply the lessons learned in Taizé, creating a community of my own in my home, the Applachian mountains of North Carolina.

Additional Information

Publication
Honors Project
Forsyth, I.N. (2015). Taizé: A Parable Of Community. Unpublished honors thesis. Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.
Language: English
Date: 2015
Keywords
Taizé, monastic, community, ecumenism, Roger Schutz

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