February Movement - Conference for Spiritual Directors 2027

Newcastle Cathedral is to host a day conference on Saturday February 27th, 2027 on the spirituality of the Christian Home (See Below) Early followers of this “February Movement” will recall that it began in June 2021 when the Pleshey retreat house in Essex held a conference to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Evelyn Underhill’s death. She used to take retreats regularly at the house. She taught a demanding but humane spirituality. Jane Shaw was the main speaker (see her Pioneers of Modern Spirituality (London; Darton, Longman & Todd, 2018).

Since then there has been a talk on Spiritual Accompaniment (1960-2020) and two seminars, one in Durham and the other in London; participants shared papers, most of which are available from me. Themes that emerged from the papers were the loss of meaning and purpose in the modern secular world; a world that emphasizes instrumentality over contemplation. There is a loss of transcendence, of the personal, all this against the background of ecological change. The spiritual challenge to us is how we as Christians are to find sustenance for living in such a world? Several speakers spoke of poetry, others looked to the arts in general. Some reflected on the disciplines of prayer and contemplation. A strong emphasis was on aspects of ministry to the lost and poor. These are the subjects to consider in a modern spirituality. At the Reformation, Cranmer provided a prayer book to guide Christians in their ordinary household/home gathered round the local church. George Herbert and Nicholas Ferrar set out to do the same in their day. Many turn to various forms of community living but most of us practice our Christian lives within and from a household home base—or family home, blended family home, whatever; “household” without the patriarchal emphasis.

What is needed by such an ordinary Christian household wanting to live the spiritual life today? The day conference is to be on: Saturday February 27th, 2027 in Newcastle Cathedral: To explore what spiritual disciplines are required of the modern Christian household aspiring to live an authentic life within and from their home.