In light of the Christian understanding of marriage as an authenticindeed, the ordinarypath to holiness, Skudlarek proposes a demythologized view of celibacy, presenting it as an alternate and equally valid spiritual practice for those who choose not to accept the demands of a committed sexual relationship. Drawing on the monastic interreligious dialogue, Skudlarek considers the Buddhist view of celibacy, their regard for it as simplyand profoundlya path to freedom, peace, and happiness. As Christians become aware of the benefits of celibacy for monks who observe it without reference to the...

Over the course of its history the Christian monastic tradition has developed a -desert spirituality- of solitude, silence, and selfknowledge that fosters openness to the divine presence and its transformative power. Today the divine presence is manifesting itself anew in the -desert of otherness, - that sacred space in which we encounter the other as one whose difference, even of religion and spirituality, can enrich us, rather than as one who must be drawn to and converted to our own -truth.- The encounter of Christians with other believers will increasingly become a place of hardship and...