Where are the monasteries heading?

On January 21, 2026, Abbot Christian Meyer, non-profit manager Julia Neuenschwander and theologian Urban Fink-Wagner discussed the future of the Swiss monastic landscape in the baroque hall of Engelberg Abbey under the direction of Martin Spieler. Topics included social change, new forms of community and the question of what role monasteries will still play in twenty years’ time.

The participants in the discussion emphasized the enduring appeal of monastic places, the importance of communal living and the need to combine tradition and change in a meaningful way.