The introduction to William Claassen’s Alone in Community was captivating. It gave me the invitation to continue to discover the wonders of world religions and to realize that diversity does not mean separation. The core of the book consists of visits and retreats with monastic communities of many traditions in eleven countries.

Claassen shows us that there are differences in monasteries, but that they have a common bond in the depth and breadth of community life, especially through silence and hospitality. The book includes interviews with monks and other pilgrims. The author writes: “My aim was to make each chapter a window into monastic practices in various religions around the world.” He accomplished this very well by providing a picture into each community whereby the reader can make the trip with him.

Early in the book, a Cistercian monk in France poses this profound question: “Is your life focused on the search for God?” It causes the author to be quiet and to ask, “Is this what this journey is all about, my search for God?” The monk also asks, “Is prayer an important part of your work and journey?” I wonder if these questions so early in his journey helped the author to be more grounded in a spiritual purpose and to consider himself to be not just a journalist.

As a nomadic pilgrim, Claassen often traveled on foot from one place to the next. Sometimes he was picked up by a truck driver or rode in a packed bus. He traveled simply and his needs were met through the hospitality of the monasteries and through other pilgrims. He had to adjust to many elements and terrains and took it all in stride.

Many of his experiences were homey and familiar to me as a Benedictine sister. He opens the door to the depth of the monastic tradition. There is a common thread that holds everything together through the vows, practices, disciplines, prayers, and rituals. Silence and hospitality are always the foundation. The author has a special way of introducing the monastic life and practices to someone reading about them for the first time. For those in interreligious dialogue, it confirms the value of this exchange.

The book introduces the reader to early monasticism, its history, and the charism of its founders. Claassen gives a short synopsis of each place he visits and plants the seed for those who wish to pursue the study more deeply. It is interesting that in his encounters with the monks or members of the communities, they seemed more comfortable talking about the buildings and rules and rhythm of life and about their founder’s or teacher’s wisdom and charism. The interview would often end or change quickly when it began to touch on the individual’s personal experiences, feelings, and spiritual life. For some communities, this reticence was part of leaving the world, as in the case of the Hindu Sadhus of the Tirtha Order. Part of their rite of passage is leaving all things of the past, including their family and friends, and no longer talking about any of them.

I wonder if this would be true of the women’s communities? Very little is said about women. The author tells us that, in the Jain community, there are both men’s and women’s communities, but the women are not on an equal footing with the men. The belief is that a woman must be reborn a man, become a monk, and then finally achieve moksa. Moksa is the path of virtue of self-realization leading to enlightenment. This chapter on the Jain community is informative and interesting, but I believe the book would have been stronger if more women’s communities had been included. The women in the Sufi community bring out the importance of other disciplines that assist one’s spiritual practices and contribute to the wholeness of the person, such as clay pot throwing, dancing, architecture, and landscaping.

Claassen’s concluding reflection on the journey is wonderful in that he found it to be one that invited him into the reality of God’s bigness and the unity that exists. This is one of the strong points of the book. It is true that a vast number of people are searching for more peace and unity. It is within the monastic communities around the world that a pause from the material world and activity may be experienced. The author personally invites us into this encounter. This leads me to wonder how the author’s life was touched. Other pilgrims shared some of their deeper experiences with him. What were his inner reflections on these encounters? Each community spoke a language he understood, the language of silence. He discovered that his personal religious boundaries were expanded. His readers share this gift with him in the book. I found the book enjoyable, and I recommend it to those who are searching and those who are preparing for a pilgrimage in their personal lives.