In a miniature collection of classic essays taken from the bestselling Mystics and Zen Masters, Thomas Merton examines the diverse ways Christians of vastly different times and places have regarded the meaning and method of the Way that leads to the highest levels of religious and metaphysical awareness.
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Thomas Merton (1915-1968) is arguably the most influential American Catholic author of the twentieth century. His autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain, has millions of copies and has been translated into over fifteen languages. He wrote over sixty other books and hundreds of poems and articles on topics ranging from monastic spirituality to civil rights, nonviolence, and the nuclear arms race.
After a rambunctious youth and adolescence, Merton converted to Roman Catholicism and entered the Abbey of Gethsemani, a community of monks belonging to the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists), the most ascetic Roman Catholic monastic order.
The twenty-seven years he spent in Gethsemani brought about profound changes in his self-understanding. This ongoing conversion impelled him into the political arena, where he became, according to Daniel Berrigan, the conscience of the peace movement of the 1960's. Referring to race and peace as the two most urgent issues of our time, Merton was a strong supporter of the nonviolent civil rights movement, which he called "certainly the greatest example of Christian faith in action in the social history of the United States." For his social activism Merton endured severe criticism, from Catholics and non-Catholics alike, who assailed his political writings as unbecoming of a monk.
During his last years, he became deeply interested in Asian religions, particularly Zen Buddhism, and in promoting East-West dialogue. After several meetings with Merton during the American monk's trip to the Far East in 1968, the Dali Lama praised him as having a more profound understanding of Buddhism than any other Christian he had known. It was during this trip to a conference on East-West monastic dialogue that Merton died, in Bangkok on December 10, 1968, the victim of an accidental electrocution. The date marked the twenty-seventh anniversary of his entrance to Gethsemani.
After a rambunctious youth and adolescence, Merton converted to Roman Catholicism and entered the Abbey of Gethsemani, a community of monks belonging to the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists), the most ascetic Roman Catholic monastic order.
The twenty-seven years he spent in Gethsemani brought about profound changes in his self-understanding. This ongoing conversion impelled him into the political arena, where he became, according to Daniel Berrigan, the conscience of the peace movement of the 1960's. Referring to race and peace as the two most urgent issues of our time, Merton was a strong supporter of the nonviolent civil rights movement, which he called "certainly the greatest example of Christian faith in action in the social history of the United States." For his social activism Merton endured severe criticism, from Catholics and non-Catholics alike, who assailed his political writings as unbecoming of a monk.
During his last years, he became deeply interested in Asian religions, particularly Zen Buddhism, and in promoting East-West dialogue. After several meetings with Merton during the American monk's trip to the Far East in 1968, the Dali Lama praised him as having a more profound understanding of Buddhism than any other Christian he had known. It was during this trip to a conference on East-West monastic dialogue that Merton died, in Bangkok on December 10, 1968, the victim of an accidental electrocution. The date marked the twenty-seventh anniversary of his entrance to Gethsemani.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A book for pilgrims,
By OAKSHAMAN "oakshaman" (Algoma, WI United States) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
This review is from: WAYS OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTICS (Shambhala Pocket Classics) (Paperback)
It is appropriate that this little book begins with the topic of pilgrimage, for it is the sort of book that one would take on a pilgrimage. You can easily tuck it into your breast pocket, or pack, when you take off for the wilderness. In this way you would not be far different from the Irish monks that it describes- men who heard the call and went forth into strange countries in Peregrinatio. These were the sort of men who reintroduced the spark of Christianity into Europe after it had all but died out. Yet, these weren't rigid, dogmatic, schoolmen and theologians. These were mystic wanderers looking for the divinely appointed place where they would have their ultimate meeting with God. Until that time, they would trust Providence that they would be led to where they would do the most good.This sort of holy pilgrim and mystic was in no way unique to Ireland, or even Christianity. The way of pilgrimge to take the faithful back to the center and source, to the place of theophany and renewel is a part of all great religious traditions. This little book, however, focuses on the Christian traditions ranging from the Desert Fathers, to the medieval pilgrimages and crusades, to Mt. Athos, to Russian startsy, to the gentle Shakers of Pleasant Hill. There is an great deal covered in such a small package. Whenever I start to grow depressed with what I see of formal religion around me, I refer to this book to remind me of the mystic wellsprings from which it all arose- and will one day return to.
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