We are a multi-faith community which models itself on the life of simplicity exemplified by Francis and Clare of Assisi, but we are, as a community, not affiliated with any faith or denomination.
Our community is composed of men and women of many faiths who continue practice in
their own faith systems. If you are Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, practice indigenous spirituality, or choose to avoid religious systems, you are welcome.
If you find yourself already working on the interfaith edge in your local community and needing support, or if you feel called at this time in history to answer the need for diverse people to serve the world together through direct action, mentoring, and prayer, you are in the right place.
The fourth order is not a new religion, but a new kind of community. Any community needs guidelines and language that defines it. Because we are a multi-faith community our guidelines, language and works are based on our commonalities.
Those commonalities include the common spiritual imperative to serve our brothers and sisters, sharing our lives in compassionate awareness through direct action, mentorship, and spiritual practice. In a multi-faith community our language is, of necessity, a general spiritual language dotted with stories from the different faith traditions that reflect our commonalities.
Our guidelines and community learning involve the cultivation of common traditional spiritual virtues, such as simplicity and humility, if not outright humor, necessary for surviving and thriving in a pluralistic community. They also include skill sets such as listening skills or cross cultural dynamics that make it possible for the individual and community to truly be present to the other within ourselves and in the world.
Any spiritual community must have a community life. We gather together in informal home groups (if only on Skype for some of us!), share and pray together in order to flourish.
Because we are a multifaith spiritual community with each person’s essential practices remaining in their own faith system, our communal practices like our language are pared down to elemental forms of silence, sound, and movement in remembrance of the Sacred Source of us all.
Although we are not in any way affiliated with any denomination or faith system, our work or gathering places are sometimes sponsored by such because the witness to unity and the multifaith perspective is important to the sponsor as an expression of its own faith imperative. The fourth order maintains its own mission in these circumstances, and avoids representing itself as an extension of any one faith.
Eight Hundred years ago in a time of mystic renewal the first, second, and third orders of Franciscan Christians were formed. These troubadours sang and danced the mystical praises of love and God throughout Europe. On the Iberian Peninsula of Spain, Jewish, Muslim and Christian mysticism flowered together. The mystic text of Kabbalah, the Zohar, the Book of Splendour, was written.
The great Iranian Sufi saint, Shams of Tabriz, and the Afghani-Turk Jalal-ad-Din Rumi began the conversation of heart that has nourished the world for centuries, an amazing invocation of the Beloved. In India, Kabir and Lalleshwari roamed the streets singing of union with the holy one.
The Tibetan Buddhist saint, Milarepa, came from his meditation cave with songs that pierce illusion and open the heart. The world experienced a great movement of spirit over the course of one hundred and fifty years that shattered rigid codified patterns and restructured its way of experiencing the divine. A similar movement of spirit enlivens the turbulent world of today.
We are an inter-faith/trans-faith non-order of such fools, clowns, madmen, troubadours and wandering mystics. We follow the inspiration of Francis and Clare of Assisi in simplicity, right relationship with God, self and others, and a deep commitment to witness with compassion the unity of all beings.
Francis of Assisi formed three orders in his life: the friar minors, the poor sisters of Clare and the third order of ordinary men and woman. Those three Christian orders have blossomed through the eight centuries since Francis’ death. These three orders all demonstrate a focus of joy, freedom and simplicity, radical love of God and others, a deep bond with creation and other creatures. They were a move of divine grace to answer the need in the 13th century and onward.
The Fourth Order extends the Franciscan madness as a radically interfaith order, a witness to unity – a movement of divine grace to answer a need in our own time.
• In local small groups
• As individuals
• As creative associates in art, bio-sustainability, & in building communities of justice & peace.
Formation:
Our formation program consists of:
• The use of Doing It Another Way: The Basic Text of the Fourth Order. This text and workbook may be used for both individuals and small groups;
• On-line courses
Chanting Press
The fourth order publishes books through Chanting Press, whose mission it is to publish works of fiction, non fiction, and audio which evoke the great cross cultural wisdom traditions; and that demonstrate the authentic voice which confronts, inspires and enthralls.
Manifestations Literary Journal
Our online literary journal, Manifestations, is published semi annually. We invite submissions of poetry, essays, fiction and non-fiction which reflect the focus implicit in the fourth order mission and traditions.
In these pages you will find information regarding our guiding principles and practices. These include our Mission, Traditions, and Condition of Being, suggested practices, and simple guidelines for gathering in local groups.
Traditions
GLOSSARY of terms, lingo, 4th order street talk, parlance, troubadour jargon!