Way of Life

An Overview of the CofA&H By Paul John Martin – Explorer Guide of the Community Who is living the Way of life

A Way of Life, or a personal rule of how we conduct our life, is meant to be life-giving. It’s a response to the “grace of God who is already with us and in us by His Spirit, rather than a ladder of good works designed to bring us close to a God who is far from us.”

“The word rule comes from a Greek word that means trellis. A trellis is a support system for a vine or plant that enables it to grow upward and bear fruit. Like a trellis, a rule – a Way of Life – supports and guides our growth. What matters is our life in God. That’s the living plant. Our Way of Life is the supporting structure that helps us grow.”

In the Community of Aidan and Hilda, to develop a Way of Life, we start with the Three Life Giving Principles of Simplicity, Purity and Obedience and the Ten Waymarks. The principles and elements are universal in their essence and apply to everyone everywhere, even though they can differ from one person to another in their practice. They are studied in depth in the coursework we offer entitled “Igniting the Flame” (see related tab). The first step in starting to live by a Way of Life is to work out your own personal application of it.

A simple exercise in brief would be to answer the following questions for yourself:
1. How am I seeking to grow in knowledge?
2. How do I experience companionship on my spiritual journey?
3. What is my personal rhythm of prayer, work and rest?
4. What are my guiding principles in my use of money and possessions?
5. What steps do I take to care for the environment?
6. How do I help others find healing?
7. What do I do to enable the Holy Spirit to guide me?
8. How do I support others through prayer?
9. How do I show welcome and hospitality to other people?
10. How do I help others to find faith in Jesus?

These questions provide a starting point. Begin to look at what you’re doing already, then you can start to give attention to the gaps. You may be pleasantly surprised by how much of this Way of Life you already follow to some degree!

Suggested further reading:

• Followers of the Way – Ancient Discipleship for Modern Christians …by Simon Reed
• New Celtic Monasticism for Everyday People …by Ray Simpson