Het klooster en de maatschappij — zijn dat niet twee werelden apart? Ze hebben zeker hun eigenheid die onderling verschillend is. Heel verschillend soms. Toch mogen ze niet tegen elkaar uitgespeeld worden. Omdat de kerken en de religieuze instellingen dat wel eens deden vroeger (en vandaag?), zetten velen in onze actuele maatschappij zich op hun beurt af tegen het religieuze leven. De stad van de mensen versus de stad God, zoals Augustinus beschreef? Sacred Books | Secret Libraries wil net zoeken naar de dialoog tussen beide, of een dialoog tot stand brengen.

De wereld

Het religieuze leven is niet van de wereld, maar wel in de wereld — waarbij wel te verstaan twee betekenissen worden gegeven aan het begrip 'wereld'. Er is een wereld die zelfgenoegzaam is en zich niet wil overstijgen naar wat Meer of Dieper is, met mensen daarin die vooral voor zichzelf leven, vanuit hun ikkigheid. Van die wereld willen de religieuzen inderdaad afstand nemen, en met hun hele bestaan tonen dat anders leven mogelijk is. Maar er is ook een wereld van kwetsbare, beperkte mensen die zoeken en worstelen, vinden en het beste van zichzelf geven. Van die wereld willen de religieuzen uiteraard géén afstand nemen, integendeel: die willen ze dienen, zonder aan zichzelf te denken. De eerste wereld is een moreel begrip, dat door de Bijbel gehanteerd wordt, de tweede is een beschrijvende categorie, moreel neutraal. Deze twee niet uit elkaar houden leidt tot problemen.

Kloosters

Het religieuze leven — kloosters zeg maar, gemakkelijkheidshalve — kan zich onmogelijk beter wanen dan de wereld in de tweede betekenis, tenzij wanneer het zich te buiten gaat aan illusies en verwaandheid, wat in de geschiedenis van het religieuze leven misschien wel gebeurd is. Er werd wel eens gezegd dat het kloosterleven andere structuren aanreikt die beter zijn, versta: moreel hoogstaander. Bvb. het afstand doen van privé-bezit — maar het collectieve bezit van kloosters was vaak een tegengetuigenis. Structuren echter zeggen niets: alleen hoe iemand leeft overtuigt. Kloosters zijn getuigen van een evangelie van liefde en vrijheid enkel als de individuele kloosterlingen en hun som, de gemeenschap, authentiek leeft. Dan kunnen zij teken zijn van waarden en idealen die, als ze worden gezien, de wereld kunnen (tweede betekenis) oproepen. Het religieuze leven is ten gronde een teken. Daarom is Sacred Books | Secret Libraries blij twee kloosters te kunnen openen voor bezoekers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Functieverlies

Wordt het teken nog gezien? Vroeger waren de kloosters alomtegenwoordig in de samenleving, en de mensen zagen, kenden hen, en konden ook het verschil zeggen tussen de verschillende soorten kloosterlingen. Na deze 'christenheid' kwam een grondige 'ontkerstening'. Zelfs onder de volwassen generaties is de kennis van het religieuze leven en zijn verschillende verschijningsvormen verdwenen, en al helemaal bij de jeugd, die enkel de kwalijkste karikaturen kent. Het aantal religieuzen en kloosters is fenomenaal gezakt, zodat de religieuzen helemaal niet meer present zijn in de zelfbeleving van een stad. Hier en daar woont nog een oude communiteit achter steeds hogere, oudere muren. Onbekend is onbemind. Het teken werkt niet meer.

Post-moderne en post-seculiere wereld

De post-moderne samenleving wordt stilaan een post-seculiere samenleving. D.w.z. dat het bewustzijn dat niets houdt, dat waarheid een illusie is, stilaan gaat wijken voor pogingen om terug grond onder onze voeten te vinden, en dat er weer openheid voor religie komt. Grond, fundamenten die weliswaar niet de vrijheid en de autonomie van de mens terug hypothekeren, maar die toelaten dat nieuwe vormen van religiositeit groeien. Het nieuwe omarmen, maar ook het oude bewaren — tenminste wat goed was in het oude. Hieruit groeit bij vele mensen het verlangen om terug aan te knopen bij de cultuur en waarden van het christelijke verleden van het Westen. (Waarbij men niet mag vergeten dat het verleden van het Westen evengoed gevormd werd door de Griekse en Romeinse filosofie, door de Renaissance en de Verlichting, en door de diepgaande invloed van de joodse en islamitische cultuur en religie op het Westen.) Bij velen groeit dit verlangen naar contact met het christelijke verleden uit tot een identitaire reflex, d.i. zich vastklampen aan de (superioriteit van de) traditionele cultuur en religie. Maar vastklampen getuigt altijd van angst en gebrek aan zelfvertrouwen, en gaat niet diep en is zelden authentiek.

Bewaren van het immateriële religieuze erfgoed

Vanuit dit vernieuwde respect voor het eigen verleden en voor de christelijke cultuur klinkt de roep luider om toch zoveel mogelijk van het immateriële religieuze erfgoed voor het nageslacht te bewaren, en wie weet om er weer herbronning in te vinden. Dat gaat van het bewaren van de kennis van het christendom in het onderwijs tot het zoeken om kerken en kloosters op een verantwoorde manier levend te houden, open te houden, te conserveren en toegankelijk te maken, in het volle respect aan wat zij ooit betekend hebben. Dus veel méér dan er een fitnessruimte of restaurant van te maken. Her en der ontstaan organisaties en instellingen die zoeken hoe men het beste het 'immateriële religieuze erfgoed kan bewaren'. Met 'immaterieël' wordt bedoeld: de levenswijze, de beleving, het léven van een kloostergemeenschap, ja, een gemeenschap van levende kloosterlingen. Sacred Books | Secret Libraries wil een toonaangevend voorbeeld zijn van zo'n bekommernis en zoektocht om het religieuze erfgoed te bewaren.

Levenloos religieus erfgoed                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Soms gebruikt men het woord 'conserveren', en dat is een veelbetekenend woord. Omdat er geen kloosterlingen meer zijn om ze  tot leven te wekken, probeert men op andere manieren de gebouwen, hun roerend en onroerend goed te 'conserveren', zoals men groente in glazen bokalen of in blik bewaart. Men kan echter alleen conserveren wat dood is; iets conserveren is het doden zodat het zich niet meer ontwikkelt en uiteindelijk bederft. Het immateriële religieuze erfgoed dat niet bezield wordt door levende 'religieuzen' is gedoemd om te verstarren en betekenisloos te worden, anders dan fruit en groente uit blik. Als het alleen maar het intact conserveren is van wat ooit is geweest, om dit voor toekomstige generaties te bewaren, dan is dit dood religieus erfgoed, een verzameling museumstukken. Dan worden 'bewaarde' kloosters enkel (religieuze) musea.

Een beweging

Religieus erfgoed als een museum voorgesteld kan niet inspireren, het hart raken en in beweging brengen. Bij gebrek aan kloosterlingen moet men op zoek naar andere, nieuwe vormen om het getuigenis, het teken-karakter van het religieuze leven levend te houden. Daarom wil Sacred Books | Secret Libraries méér zijn dan rondleiden in twee kloosters: het wil een beweging op gang brengen rond deze twee kloosters, rond hun plaats en betekenis, zodat dit 'immateriële religieuze erfgoed' tot leven komt in vele vormen van interactieve omgang met, in en in de nabijheid van deze kloosters. Deze nieuwe vormen moeten nog groeien, mensen met hun verhalen en talenten moeten elkaar vinden, zodat deze beweging diepgang en élan krijgt. De rondleidingen in de twee kloosters zijn een eerste en cruciale stap — maar het moet verder gaan. De Geest moet ons leiden op nieuwe, onbegane wegen...