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L’Arche: The Phenomenology of Christian Counterculturalism

University of South Florida

L’Arche is a worldwide network of more than 100 communities designed as places of refuge for people with developmental disabilities. More than just another group home for those with mental challenges, L’Arche sees itself as a counter cultural witness in the midst of secular, materialistic modern society. Grounded in Christian principles but explicitly multicultural and interfaith in operation, L’Arche attempts to demonstrate the possibility of living by alternative values. This article, an exercise in phenomenological inquiry, identifies the philosophical basis for the counter cultural claims of L’Arche and then presents a descriptive analysis of how the L’Arche communities go about putting those claims into action. Modifications in the standard methodology of phenomenological analysis suitable for application to a group such as L’Arche are discussed.

Key Words: Christianity • counterculture • disabilities • phenomenology

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