Taizé: Brand or Anti-Brand?

Abstract

For many Christians, the mention of Taiz e prayer or Taiz e music may recall a favorite Taiz e song or an experience of participating in a Taiz e service. For others, the actual experience of having made a pilgrimage to Taiz e, France may conjure up vivid memories of moving prayer events that included Taiz e music as an integral element of the worship service. At the same time, others may be completely unaware that some of the music sung by their local assemblies is part of a distinct collection known as Taiz e music. Since several hymnals and worship resources include Taiz e music as part of a collection of hymn offerings, congregations may simply identify the music as part of their local repertoire. This essay addresses the question of whether Taiz e is a brand. To answer that question, we have to look at the history and intention of the founders and compare Taiz e with earlier understandings of a brand as a mark, stamp, label, or trademark. The story of Taiz e begins with Roger Louis Schutz-Marsauche. Brother Roger was born in Provence, fifteen miles from Neuchâtel, Switzerland in 1915. He first came to Taiz e during the Second World War. He was searching for a place where he could live the Gospel with others. His desire to follow such a lifestyle was inspired by his research on early Christian monasticism at the University of Lausanne. Roger hoped to retrieve some form of traditional monasticism for Protestantism. He was drawn to France because its defeat during World War II awakened in him both sympathy and a desire to assist those ravaged by the war. These impulses eventually led him to purchase a house in Taiz e in 1940. There he originally housed Jews and other war refugees. Eventually, other men, attracted to leading a life of prayer, joined Roger. In 1949 seven of them committed themselves to living a community life together. The first brothers came from various Protestant denominations. Roger’s original inspiration to embrace a monastic life of prayer developed over time and eventually became the community known as the Brothers of Taiz e. A dominant feature of the spirituality of the brothers was their zeal for reconciliation. Promoting Christian unity grew out of this more general focus. In fact, their own ecumenical makeup embodied that intention and was also evident in their active engagement in ecumenical efforts, not only at Taiz e but also with leaders of the various Christian churches throughout the world. From the beginning, the brothers of Taiz e have embraced their vocation to be witnesses to a mutual Christian and human unity that overcomes all barriers. By 1996, the community included nearly 100 Protestant, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Reformed brothers from twenty-five different countries on four different continents. Brother Roger’s aim was to create a monastic community that might be “a parable of community” among divided Christians. In fact, the brothers were guests of Pope John XXIII at the Second Vatican Council and have also participated in assemblies of the World Council of Churches. Brother Roger Schutz and Brother Max Thurian traveled to Constantinople several times to meet with