The Modern Cloister exists to cultivate deeper thinkers and worshipers through conversations at the intersection of church, culture, theology and doxology.
Our Inspiration
Our name was inspired by and hopes to honor the community and legacy created by Martin Luther and Katharina Von Bora at their family home at the Black Cloister (known today as Luther Haus) which was located in the center of Wittenberg, Germany. Formerly an Augustinian monastery, the Black Cloister was home to the Luthers and their children during the Protestant Reformation.
The Luthers constantly had people coming and going from their home, whether friends, family members, traveling theologians, local university students, philosophers another public figures in the community, and their home at the Black Cloister quickly became known as the place to go for rich and lively discussions about theology, music, work and vocation, family and marriage, Christian life, and the church.
What is a cloister? It's simply the architectural name for a covered walkway or gathering space, and these were typically found in buildings like monasteries. They were often places where people came together for conversation.
To us, the modern "cloister" is emblematic of the type of environment and community we hope to create, knowing it will look different in today's world than it did during the Protestant Reformation. But just like the Luthers did at the Black Cloister, we want to open our homes, and our lives, to develop deeper thinkers and worshipers.
About the Hosts
The Modern Cloister is founded and co-hosted by husband and wife duo, Kevin and Carisa Turner. They have been married for 13 years and live in metro Atlanta with their 6-year-old daughter and twin toddler sons. They are active and worshiping members of Roswell Community Church (RCC).
Kevin Turner is the founder of MondayMorningTheologian.com, where he writes about theology, church history, Christian life, and also reviews books for Crossway, Baker Books, and many others. He leads the couple's community group, is a member of RCC's preaching and sermon prep team, and runs sound for the church's worship gatherings. An avid reader, Kevin can usually be found reading books on theology, economics, and history. He has a M.S. in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University, a B.A. in Geography with concentrations in political science and sociology from University of Georgia, and works as a city planner.
Carisa Turner is a worship leader and award-winning songwriter at CarisaTurner.com. Over the past decade, she has released several albums and recording projects -- Stop the Noise (2011), Come Down (2014), O Come All Ye Faithful (2016), and It Is Well (2019). Carisa has led worship at several churches as both a staff member and volunteer and has played at women's events, house shows, and songwriter nights throughout the region. She serves as one of their church's worship leaders and co-leads the couple’s community group. She has a B.A. in Journalism and Spanish from Mercer University and works in PR and crisis communications.