Synopses & Reviews
This new edition traces the evolution of Thomas Merton's social thought, particularly as it evolved toward a way of nonviolence and peacemaking grounded in contemplation and Christian love.
It identifies the social context that shaped Merton, including civil rights and racism, the Vietnam War, and a growing nuclear threat.
And it explores the religious influences and experiences that shaped Merton, including Catholic social teaching--particularly Pope John XXIII's encyclical letter Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth)--the words and actions of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., the practice of contemplation and Zen, and Merton's own life as a Trappist monk.
Table of Contents
Prologue, by Brother Patrick Hart
Foreword, by Father David O'Connell
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Evolution 0f Merton's Social Awareness
Chapter 2: The Social Dimensions of Contemplation
Chapter 3: The Way of Nonviolence
Chapter 4: Pacem in Terris and the Principles of Nonviolence
Chapter 5: Racism and Violence
Conclusion: Blessed Are the Peacemakers
Afterword, by Monsignor John Tracy Ellis
Epilogue, by John Cardinal Krol
Index