In 2015, Archbishop Justin launched the Community of St Anselm to give young Christians from the UK and around the world a chance to immerse themselves in monastic-inspired community life.
Drawing on the riches of ancient traditions, Christians aged 20-35 spend a year praying, studying and serving those on the margins.
The community welcomes young Christians from many countries, traditions and denominations. It aims to be a symbol of God’s desire for unity and reconciliation and a place where that reconciliation becomes reality in shared daily life.
When he founded the community, the Archbishop said: “I expect this venture to have radical impact – not just for the individuals who participate but for life at Lambeth, across the Church and in the world we seek to serve. This is what we expect in following Jesus. I urge young people to step up: here is an open invitation to be transformed and to transform.”
Each year the community includes resident members from the UK and around the world – who live together at Lambeth Palace – and UK-based non-resident members who combine the community with their work or studies. They all commit to the same ‘Rule of Life’, which gives them a shared focus on walking closely with Jesus.
“God is so much bigger than I realised. I’ve interacted with him in such different ways, across the Christian tradition. Praying in such different places, in such different ways, with such different people, but in all of them finding I can connect with the presence of God, and that God is in all of those.” Graham, UK (Non-resident, 2016)
“I began the year with a desire to know God’s will for my life… it turned out to be exciting, tough and transforming.” Cathrine, Zimbabwe (Resident, 2016)
“The gift of this community to me has been a place to get away from measuring success. I didn’t realise until I came here that my whole life has been about being better or being worse than other people. Here we can be ourselves. I know that God doesn’t look at how [successful] I am but now, because of how we all treat one another, it’s finally starting to sink in.” Charlotte, UK (Non-resident 15-16)
“I have received the gift of harmony, tolerance, coexistence in terms of worship. At home, as a leader, I have to keep very different styles of worship separate – some want the incense, some want the smoke machine! Coming here, with this diversity where we all worship together, it has taught me a great deal about coexistence and harmony in worship. We worship one God together in one Spirit, regardless of how we do it.” George, Kenya (Resident, 2015)
Find out more and apply
See yourself in this photo? To find out more about the Community, including how you can apply to join, visit www.stanselm.org.uk
“This is a way of saying that whatever I do – whether it’s business, commerce, armed services, politics, Religious life, priesthood – I want to be so embedded in Christ that for the rest of my life I’m shaped in what I do, say and think by the life of Christ within me.”
Archbishop Justin Welby