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Modern Spiritual Masters
Edith Stein: Essential Writings
Edith Stein (1891-1942), who was recently canonized, was one of the most intriguing Catholics of the twentieth century. A Jewish convert, an eminent philosopher, educator, and advocate for women, she became a Discalced Carmelite nun, Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Arrested by the Nazis she died in Auschwitz in 1942. This volume highlights the extraordinary features of her spirituality for general readers - a vision that integrated her philosophical training, her affinity for Carmelite mysticism, and her personal identification with the way of the Cross. Edith Stein provides a wonderful introduction to an extraordinary mind
158 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2002
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About the author
Edith Stein
263 books209 followersEdith Stein, also known as St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, OCD, (German: Teresia Benedicta vom Kreuz, Latin: Teresia Benedicta a Cruce) (12 October 1891 – 9 August 1942), was a German Jewish philosopher who converted to the Roman Catholic Church and became a Discalced Carmelite nun. She is a martyr and saint of the Catholic Church.
She was born into an observant Jewish family, but was an atheist by her teenage years. Moved by the tragedies of World War I, in 1915 she took lessons to become a nursing assistant and worked in a hospital for the prevention of disease outbreaks. After completing her doctoral thesis in 1916 from the University of Göttingen, she obtained an assistantship at the University of Freiburg.
From reading the works of the reformer of the Carmelite Order, St. Teresa of Jesus, OCD, she was drawn to the Catholic Faith. She was baptized on 1 January 1922 into the Roman Catholic Church. At that point she wanted to become a Discalced Carmelite nun, but was dissuaded by her spiritual mentors. She then taught at a Catholic school of education in Speyer. As a result of the requirement of an "Aryan certificate" for civil servants promulgated by the Nazi government in April 1933 as part of its Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service, she had to quit her teaching position. She was admitted to the Discalced Carmelite monastery in Cologne the following October. She received the religious habit of the Order as a novice in April 1934, taking the religious name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross ("Teresa blessed by the Cross"). In 1938 she and her sister Rosa, by then also a convert and an extern Sister of the monastery, were sent to the Carmelite monastery in Echt, Netherlands for their safety. Despite the Nazi invasion of that state in 1940, they remained undisturbed until they were arrested by the Nazis on 2 August 1942 and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where they died in the gas chamber on 9 August 1942.
She was born into an observant Jewish family, but was an atheist by her teenage years. Moved by the tragedies of World War I, in 1915 she took lessons to become a nursing assistant and worked in a hospital for the prevention of disease outbreaks. After completing her doctoral thesis in 1916 from the University of Göttingen, she obtained an assistantship at the University of Freiburg.
From reading the works of the reformer of the Carmelite Order, St. Teresa of Jesus, OCD, she was drawn to the Catholic Faith. She was baptized on 1 January 1922 into the Roman Catholic Church. At that point she wanted to become a Discalced Carmelite nun, but was dissuaded by her spiritual mentors. She then taught at a Catholic school of education in Speyer. As a result of the requirement of an "Aryan certificate" for civil servants promulgated by the Nazi government in April 1933 as part of its Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service, she had to quit her teaching position. She was admitted to the Discalced Carmelite monastery in Cologne the following October. She received the religious habit of the Order as a novice in April 1934, taking the religious name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross ("Teresa blessed by the Cross"). In 1938 she and her sister Rosa, by then also a convert and an extern Sister of the monastery, were sent to the Carmelite monastery in Echt, Netherlands for their safety. Despite the Nazi invasion of that state in 1940, they remained undisturbed until they were arrested by the Nazis on 2 August 1942 and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where they died in the gas chamber on 9 August 1942.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 11, 2019
Brilliant essays by a European philosopher who grew up Jewish, became an atheist, and joined the Catholic church after reading (in one night) the autobiography of St. Theresa of Avila. Stein, who died in Auschwitz in 1942, was later canonized by Pope John Paul II. She was an ardent Christian, an ardent feminist, and an exceptional writer. That is not to say that these essays are easy reading; I had to read many of them more than once to grasp what she was saying. But that is a reflection of the complexity and subtlety of the points she was raising, not her skill as a writer. The more of these essays that I read, the deeper my admiration for her as a person of great faith and great intellect grew.
November 6, 2021
Edith Stein's story is an inspiring one, and her conversion to Catholicism from Judaism has led to deep thinking and more open-minded interpretations of Catholic teachings.
This book is not a novel, it's more of a 150 page homily. However, I find her teachings to be the moral compass I am looking for, and I think many modern Catholics would appreciate them. What I found most compelling:
1)To move the world, Catholicism needs to adapt the core lessons to the present day culture and society. As someone persecuted in Nazi Germany, I think her life led to deep contemplation on this topic.
2)Devout followers of other religions are often still leading a life adhering to Catholic beliefs, and they will be welcomed by God. As a converted Catholic with a devout Jewish mother, her life led to deep contemplation on this topic.
3) the human spirit needs rituals of prayer, meditation, and reflection. For us to realize our daily purpose, we need to make daily time for deep contemplation.
4) Self denial leads to more happiness than self indulgence/instant gratification. Daily practices of self denial are needed to be truly content and to fulfill God's purpose.
This book is not a novel, it's more of a 150 page homily. However, I find her teachings to be the moral compass I am looking for, and I think many modern Catholics would appreciate them. What I found most compelling:
1)To move the world, Catholicism needs to adapt the core lessons to the present day culture and society. As someone persecuted in Nazi Germany, I think her life led to deep contemplation on this topic.
2)Devout followers of other religions are often still leading a life adhering to Catholic beliefs, and they will be welcomed by God. As a converted Catholic with a devout Jewish mother, her life led to deep contemplation on this topic.
3) the human spirit needs rituals of prayer, meditation, and reflection. For us to realize our daily purpose, we need to make daily time for deep contemplation.
4) Self denial leads to more happiness than self indulgence/instant gratification. Daily practices of self denial are needed to be truly content and to fulfill God's purpose.
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July 20, 2024Edith Stein was arrested by the Gestapo on 2 August 1942, while she was in the chapel with her fellow sisters at the Carmelite convent in Echt, Netherlands. She was to report within five minutes, together with her sister Rosa, who like Edith had converted from Judaism to Catholicism, to the great pain of their mother and siblings, and was also serving at the convent. St Edith's last words to be heard in Echt were addressed to Rosa: "Come, we are going for our people."
A life lived in service of the truth and in service of humanity.
Upon her investiture as a Carmelite sister, St Edith took the name Teresa Benedict of the Cross. This name brought together the two main strands of her life and her spirituality, which came to a collision course towards the end of her life: firstly, a deeply lived interiority, rooted in the spirituality of St Teresa of Avila, after reading whose autobiography in one evening she was moved to declare that "this is the truth" and would shortly afterward seek entry to the Catholic church; and secondly, a deep knowledge ("scientia") of the cross.
One of the great gifts of the Catholic Church is the Communion of the Saints. This is a chain of believers whom God was able to use through salvation history to bring something of his life to this Earth. He used broken vessels to pour his love into our hearts. He used human weakness to demonstrate divine strength.
Recently I read St Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle and enjoyed it very much. It taught me about Carmelite spirituality, living from within, having a place of refuge within from which to step out into the world. A place of peace within me that no person or power can take from me. An inner stillness and serenity which I hadn't tasted before.
While reading the Interior Castle I suddenly became moved to read some of St Edith Stein's writings, and it was only when I began reading this book now that I made the connection that it was St Teresa of Avila who had led St Edith Stein to her conversion. It's funny how it works that way. There is a chain of faith across history and the saints help us to bridge this gap.
Dorothy Day is another character who fits into the mix, who was heavily inspired by St Teresa of Avila and named her first daughter after St Therese of Lisieux, another latter-day saint who was also inspired by St Teresa of Avila. It is a chain of love and faith that stretches across time.
So what do I take away from this book? Quite simply that it is in the cross that true freedom lies. The most free act is to accept the burden that is laid upon my shoulders, to take up my cross and follow Jesus. When I live in this space, a deeper freedom opens up and I begin to see myself and those around me in a new light, in a true light. I see rightly, because I see with the heart, to paraphrase the words of Antoine de Saint-Exupery in The Little Prince.
But to see with the heart means to endure pain. You need to be willing to feel stuff and take stuff inside. It hurts. It isn't easy. Waging interior warfare. But it works. It builds strength. It builds character. And you begin to see things more clearly.
But maybe I'm deluded and maybe I'm out of sorts. Maybe. But I think there's something true here. Something worth pursuing. Because after the cross comes the resurrection, and with it new life and restored hope. A deeper hope than that which the world can give. A hope which is beyond time and space. The science of the cross.
Anyways, enough from me. Time to plan my lessons for tomorrow.
Oh and lastly, that's another thing that I relate to about St Edith - she was also a teacher, for nine years, no less.
Wishing you well,
Benedict
A life lived in service of the truth and in service of humanity.
Upon her investiture as a Carmelite sister, St Edith took the name Teresa Benedict of the Cross. This name brought together the two main strands of her life and her spirituality, which came to a collision course towards the end of her life: firstly, a deeply lived interiority, rooted in the spirituality of St Teresa of Avila, after reading whose autobiography in one evening she was moved to declare that "this is the truth" and would shortly afterward seek entry to the Catholic church; and secondly, a deep knowledge ("scientia") of the cross.
One of the great gifts of the Catholic Church is the Communion of the Saints. This is a chain of believers whom God was able to use through salvation history to bring something of his life to this Earth. He used broken vessels to pour his love into our hearts. He used human weakness to demonstrate divine strength.
Recently I read St Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle and enjoyed it very much. It taught me about Carmelite spirituality, living from within, having a place of refuge within from which to step out into the world. A place of peace within me that no person or power can take from me. An inner stillness and serenity which I hadn't tasted before.
While reading the Interior Castle I suddenly became moved to read some of St Edith Stein's writings, and it was only when I began reading this book now that I made the connection that it was St Teresa of Avila who had led St Edith Stein to her conversion. It's funny how it works that way. There is a chain of faith across history and the saints help us to bridge this gap.
Dorothy Day is another character who fits into the mix, who was heavily inspired by St Teresa of Avila and named her first daughter after St Therese of Lisieux, another latter-day saint who was also inspired by St Teresa of Avila. It is a chain of love and faith that stretches across time.
So what do I take away from this book? Quite simply that it is in the cross that true freedom lies. The most free act is to accept the burden that is laid upon my shoulders, to take up my cross and follow Jesus. When I live in this space, a deeper freedom opens up and I begin to see myself and those around me in a new light, in a true light. I see rightly, because I see with the heart, to paraphrase the words of Antoine de Saint-Exupery in The Little Prince.
But to see with the heart means to endure pain. You need to be willing to feel stuff and take stuff inside. It hurts. It isn't easy. Waging interior warfare. But it works. It builds strength. It builds character. And you begin to see things more clearly.
But maybe I'm deluded and maybe I'm out of sorts. Maybe. But I think there's something true here. Something worth pursuing. Because after the cross comes the resurrection, and with it new life and restored hope. A deeper hope than that which the world can give. A hope which is beyond time and space. The science of the cross.
Anyways, enough from me. Time to plan my lessons for tomorrow.
Oh and lastly, that's another thing that I relate to about St Edith - she was also a teacher, for nine years, no less.
Wishing you well,
Benedict
October 8, 2021
Saint Edith Stein, or Saint Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, was born into a Jewish home, became Agnostic and studied phenomenology under Husserl and with Heidegger, then read Saint Theresa of Ávila's autobiography in one night, determined to become a Carmelite nun. She was also the leading figure in the German Catholic Women's rights movement, and some of her work is on that. This is an overview of some of her writings.
Against Heidegger's atheistic-theological notion of Being being inextricably linked with being-towards-death, resulting in Anxiety, Stein says this is not so; in each moment of Being, we are ontologically secure in our being, so a descent towards nothing doesn't make much sense. Further, we are like a child being held by a parent; our ontical security comes from that what is holding us, God. So we can avoid Anxiety with this knowledge.
As a Carmelite who also wrote a study on Saint John of the Cross towards the end of her all-too-short life, self-denial, faith/contemplation and mystical theology were cornerstones in her more Catholic writings. She emphasizes the need to develop "the science of the Cross," and equally how being-in-the-world resting in Him can bring you close to Him; a withdrawal into a monastery is not necessary, you may not be called to it (bearing in mind Virginity is a more blessed sacrament than Marriage, see Our Lady.)
She talks about a great deal on contemporary Catholic issues and has her own opinions; Ordination for women, different forms of mass, how to best pray, self-examination and confession. There's some autobiographical essays and content from letters. This is a great way to peek into the life and thought of an extraordinary Christian woman.
Against Heidegger's atheistic-theological notion of Being being inextricably linked with being-towards-death, resulting in Anxiety, Stein says this is not so; in each moment of Being, we are ontologically secure in our being, so a descent towards nothing doesn't make much sense. Further, we are like a child being held by a parent; our ontical security comes from that what is holding us, God. So we can avoid Anxiety with this knowledge.
As a Carmelite who also wrote a study on Saint John of the Cross towards the end of her all-too-short life, self-denial, faith/contemplation and mystical theology were cornerstones in her more Catholic writings. She emphasizes the need to develop "the science of the Cross," and equally how being-in-the-world resting in Him can bring you close to Him; a withdrawal into a monastery is not necessary, you may not be called to it (bearing in mind Virginity is a more blessed sacrament than Marriage, see Our Lady.)
She talks about a great deal on contemporary Catholic issues and has her own opinions; Ordination for women, different forms of mass, how to best pray, self-examination and confession. There's some autobiographical essays and content from letters. This is a great way to peek into the life and thought of an extraordinary Christian woman.
July 8, 2022
I really appreciate, not having read Stein before, a selected readings that has selections from most (but not all her books). It is dominated by theological works vs. the scanty selection of a few philosophical ones, but that was perfect for me because, after reading this, I'm not sure I will read in full any of her theological works. I find her philosophical works to be quite compelling and what I would expect but her theology, at least as is represented here in this text, to be a bit average, flat and what one would expect anyone to say in the way most people would say it in a Sunday School message. There wasn't any interesting mystical elements or lyrical rhetoric or deconstruction of ideas or proposals of new ways of thinking, except minimally perhaps in her ideas of emphasizing work as in spiritual alignment and on par with monastic life, etc. Her feminism is slightly essentialist even though it is still feminism. I just was expecting more from her theology on an intellectual and aesthetic level. That said, if one is not an academic but a person of faith in a traditional, Christian sense, then I can see this text (her religious works) being quite lovely and helpful in the sense of confirming what one already believes. The target audience for her theology is just so vastly different than her target audience for her philosophy, that I can hardly believe they are written by the same person. That said, as well, it's possible that it is the fault of the editor of this work and perhaps I do need to read one of her theological works in full because my judgment is limited to what the editor wanted to display, but I don't think so. You get a pretty extensive preview.
November 27, 2017
My Catholic book group is reading this bit-by-bit, and I decided to read ahead and finish it and then go back through with the group.
I have to say that I found this disjointed and a bit hard to access. Of course there are parts/ sentences that I underlined and felt moved by. However, I found it very difficult to understand and hard to get the message. And, perhaps I didn't always agree with St. Edith Stein. Her personal story seems very interesting and without a doubt she was an amazing woman. I'm not sure if the parts that were extracted and pieced together just didn't work or weren't flushed out enough for me, but I had a very hard time. And, I find I have a hard time in my women's Catholic book club too with it. Stein was a philosopher and a Saint, so she's on another wave-length than me in every way. I hope that I can pull some more wisdom from her through my book club, but on my own I struggled.
Hopefully, even through I didn't get her message as clearly as I would have liked, I hope that I still learned from her. God forgive me!
I have to say that I found this disjointed and a bit hard to access. Of course there are parts/ sentences that I underlined and felt moved by. However, I found it very difficult to understand and hard to get the message. And, perhaps I didn't always agree with St. Edith Stein. Her personal story seems very interesting and without a doubt she was an amazing woman. I'm not sure if the parts that were extracted and pieced together just didn't work or weren't flushed out enough for me, but I had a very hard time. And, I find I have a hard time in my women's Catholic book club too with it. Stein was a philosopher and a Saint, so she's on another wave-length than me in every way. I hope that I can pull some more wisdom from her through my book club, but on my own I struggled.
Hopefully, even through I didn't get her message as clearly as I would have liked, I hope that I still learned from her. God forgive me!
July 10, 2022
Edith Stein’s (or St. Benedicta as she would preferred to be called) mind and writing is truly remarkable. She was a true trailblazer for women in the 20th century, being an elite phenomenological philosophical mind of notable accomplishment as well as a person who was remarkably sensitive to the movements of God in her life. This book provides many remarkable snapshots of her writing. There are many wonderful passages that champions the cause of increased responsibility and freedom for women. However, I found myself being frustrated by wanting to hear more from her. In the end, this book felt like I was reading a “ daily wisdom from” book. In other words, I need to get one of her more substantial works. Saint Benedict can be an excellent role model for women of today. Her ideas on femininity should be more broadly studied. She taught me about empathy and humility.
June 9, 2025
Me saying I’ve finished this book is actually wrong - I’ve given up. However there is one passage (p’s 64-67, for anyone with their copy to hand) that rings so true I have to keep my copy. I’m honestly not sure why I’ve struggled with this - something to do with the philosophical / theological approach? & I knew part of the passage before I started to read it, & was really looking forward to more of the same, so have to blame myself.
October 17, 2022
Didn't read this exact edition. If you like aphorisms, this will probably be very interesting, but she seems to me to be a very systematic thinker so this does feel a bit ripped out. Will probably read more of here in the future.
February 9, 2026
We read this for my small group and we had a lot of good discussion from this. Would recommend for a small group setting. It can be tough at times, there were some things that went over all of our heads but overall pretty accessible.
January 1, 2018
The first part of the book seemed a little dry, but once I got into it a ways I was entranced. I'd recommend it. Just know that it starts slow.
May 2, 2024
“After the Dark Night, the Living Flame shines forth.”
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January 26, 2022This book contains a mix of selections from all of the stages of Edith Stein's life. It includes personal letters, a poem, a number of speeches (she was quite a public speaker), and passages from texts from both before and after her conversion. The topics covered include women's issues, philosophy, Carmelite mysticism, pedagogy, and reflections on the Cross. The difficulty of the passages varies. Some are straightforward while others are more technical in the way they approach theological topics. I found the final section of passages on the Cross particularly rich. Still, some of the selections felt clunky because outside of their original texts the required context is missing. This was the collection's greatest fault. John Sullivan, the selector, really struggled to piece these together elegantly.
Going into this book, I knew very little about Edith Stein apart from her basic history. She was born and raised Jewish, became an atheist, journeyed through the world of academia in psychology and philosophy, became a Carmelita nun, and was finally killed at Auschwitz. In spite of the collection's shortcomings, I was left with a better understanding of St. Edith and her contributions to the Church. She was so very concerned with the totality of the human person. She understood the incredible ways in which God works in all people, even those who are not of the faith. And she was sensitive to the challenges of the 20th century. She was a truly modern thinker. I'm looking forward to reading more of her in the future. Europe is truly blessed to have her as a co-patroness.
St. Edith Stein, pray for us.
Going into this book, I knew very little about Edith Stein apart from her basic history. She was born and raised Jewish, became an atheist, journeyed through the world of academia in psychology and philosophy, became a Carmelita nun, and was finally killed at Auschwitz. In spite of the collection's shortcomings, I was left with a better understanding of St. Edith and her contributions to the Church. She was so very concerned with the totality of the human person. She understood the incredible ways in which God works in all people, even those who are not of the faith. And she was sensitive to the challenges of the 20th century. She was a truly modern thinker. I'm looking forward to reading more of her in the future. Europe is truly blessed to have her as a co-patroness.
Daily and hourly crucify your self-will and self-love... The world is in flames. Are you impelled to put them out? Look at the cross. From the open heart gushes the blood of the Savior... Bound to him, you are omnipresent as he is... You cannot help here or there like the physician, the nurse, the priest. You can be at all fronts, wherever there is grief, in the power of the cross.
St. Edith Stein, pray for us.
February 4, 2017
Didn't read this exact edition.
If you like aphorisms, this will probably be very interesting, but she seems to me to be a very systematic thinker so this does feel a bit ripped out. Will probably read more of here in the future.
If you like aphorisms, this will probably be very interesting, but she seems to me to be a very systematic thinker so this does feel a bit ripped out. Will probably read more of here in the future.
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