A monk once called his fellow monks ’the last true Punks’.
This talk will look at the monastic orders of various religious traditions, and how they teach us to disengage from empire and live in true freedom while maintaining organic community. We will then look into the historical anarchists whose lives and writings influenced anarchism in its’ various forms. Finally, we will explore how traditional and radical monastic insights can inform our existence.
Michael Davis has worked in many capacities over the years, with each phase becoming more radical (to the root). After working in heavy construction when he was very young, he returned to his heart–the poor and marginalized. The first phase of Michael’s journey was serving as pastor at a church where the poor, homeless, immigrants and gang members lived in the same neighborhood. Michael worked hard to break down the barriers that kept people out. The next phase saw Michael going to the streets and serving for ten years by starting and running a nonprofit focused on a day to day journey with those living or working on the streets. In the next part of the journey, he served in the bigger nonprofit world as a housing case manager and supervisor to ensure success for those coming off the streets and into housing. Now, Michael is transitioning into speaking, hosting a podcast (“Common Sense on Social Justice”) and producing content on Instagram to encourage people on their journey of discovering Love in its truest sense.