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A Sure Way: Following Truth in a World on Fire
The Jewish philosopher who became a nun and died at Auschwitz guides the reader to the things that endure in times like these.
A rising feminist thinker, Edith Stein examined everything in her relentless pursuit of truth. This ultimately led her to the foot of Jesus’ cross and to taking the veil as a Carmelite nun. Though she renounced fame for a hidden life of prayer and service, history would not pass her by. Because of her Jewish heritage, her life ended in the gas chambers at Auschwitz. Yet she will be remembered for all time as a saint, martyr, and trustworthy spiritual guide, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
This collection introduces Edith Stein to a new generation, inviting the reader to walk with her on the way that leads to joy, peace, and assurance even in times that test the soul. The selections bring together her most essential writings – reflections, letters, prayers, poems, advice, and spiritual meditations – offering a window into a soul whose love for Jesus gave her life a firm direction from which she never wavered. Whether used for group study or quiet personal reflection, this little book will encourage anyone seeking to follow God in a complicated world.
Plough Spiritual Guides: Discover time-tested, life-changing wisdom from spiritual masters in these compact, portable books that can be absorbed at one sitting and revisited often.
A rising feminist thinker, Edith Stein examined everything in her relentless pursuit of truth. This ultimately led her to the foot of Jesus’ cross and to taking the veil as a Carmelite nun. Though she renounced fame for a hidden life of prayer and service, history would not pass her by. Because of her Jewish heritage, her life ended in the gas chambers at Auschwitz. Yet she will be remembered for all time as a saint, martyr, and trustworthy spiritual guide, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
This collection introduces Edith Stein to a new generation, inviting the reader to walk with her on the way that leads to joy, peace, and assurance even in times that test the soul. The selections bring together her most essential writings – reflections, letters, prayers, poems, advice, and spiritual meditations – offering a window into a soul whose love for Jesus gave her life a firm direction from which she never wavered. Whether used for group study or quiet personal reflection, this little book will encourage anyone seeking to follow God in a complicated world.
Plough Spiritual Guides: Discover time-tested, life-changing wisdom from spiritual masters in these compact, portable books that can be absorbed at one sitting and revisited often.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionEssays
168 pages, Paperback
Published April 14, 2026
About the author
Edith Stein
273 books226 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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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
While this book was not my favorite in the series, I was able to warm up to it. The foreword was honest about the difficulty of reading Edith Stein. There was encouragement that we might find gems, but I didn’t really see examples given of what signposts to look for.
I guess some authors you have to figure out for yourself. I think what took me so long to figure out was what mode to read in. It’s like reading Henri Nouwen—is it devotional? Journaling? The Christian mystics can be tricky. “Faith is already a finding and corresponds to God letting himself be found.”
This book is compiled from a mix of lectures, essays, and poetry. Most of the chapters are quite bite-sized. This runs the risk of taking nuggets out of content, but as always, the selections in this series are pulled with enough internal context. In addition, a short introduction frames each passage.
The organization of the selections is primarily topical, so it jumps around chronologically, but the intro text frames it nicely. The sections culminate in “The World Is on Fire,” which seems an apt description of Stein’s day and our own. “Are you now alarmed by the immensity of what the holy vows require of you? You need not be alarmed. What you have promised is indeed beyond your own weak, human power. But it is not beyond the power of the Almighty—this power will become yours if you entrust yourself to him, if he accepts your pledge of troth.”
As a nun, Stein took on the Cross as part of her name, a nod to St. John of the Cross, famous for describing the “dark night of the soul.” “The cross has no purpose of itself. It rises on high and points above. But it is not merely a sign—it is Christ's powerful weapon.” Reading this during Lent, I pondered how much we should focus on the Cross and how to see the Cross in the light of the Resurrection. “But because being one with Christ is our sanctity, and progressively becoming one with him our happiness on earth, the love of the cross in no way contradicts being a joyful child of God.”
**received early access via NetGalley from the publisher**
I guess some authors you have to figure out for yourself. I think what took me so long to figure out was what mode to read in. It’s like reading Henri Nouwen—is it devotional? Journaling? The Christian mystics can be tricky. “Faith is already a finding and corresponds to God letting himself be found.”
This book is compiled from a mix of lectures, essays, and poetry. Most of the chapters are quite bite-sized. This runs the risk of taking nuggets out of content, but as always, the selections in this series are pulled with enough internal context. In addition, a short introduction frames each passage.
The organization of the selections is primarily topical, so it jumps around chronologically, but the intro text frames it nicely. The sections culminate in “The World Is on Fire,” which seems an apt description of Stein’s day and our own. “Are you now alarmed by the immensity of what the holy vows require of you? You need not be alarmed. What you have promised is indeed beyond your own weak, human power. But it is not beyond the power of the Almighty—this power will become yours if you entrust yourself to him, if he accepts your pledge of troth.”
As a nun, Stein took on the Cross as part of her name, a nod to St. John of the Cross, famous for describing the “dark night of the soul.” “The cross has no purpose of itself. It rises on high and points above. But it is not merely a sign—it is Christ's powerful weapon.” Reading this during Lent, I pondered how much we should focus on the Cross and how to see the Cross in the light of the Resurrection. “But because being one with Christ is our sanctity, and progressively becoming one with him our happiness on earth, the love of the cross in no way contradicts being a joyful child of God.”
**received early access via NetGalley from the publisher**
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Summary: Essential writings on knowing God, the cross, the resurrection, women’s spirituality, and the way of the cross.
Edith Stein was born to an upper-middle-class Jewish family in Breslau, Prussia (now Wroclaw, Poland). An early feminist, Stein had a conversion experience while pursuing post-doctoral work with Edmund Husserl in 1916. After reading a biography of Saint Teresa of Avila, she sought baptism into the Catholic Church. Also, she sought to enter the monastic life but spiritual advisors encouraged her that she could best serve God in an academic career. However, the rise of Nazism led to the loss of her academic position. In 1935, she professed monastic vows at a Carmelite Monastery in Cologne. Later, as persecution against Jews intensified, she fled to the Netherlands. She was arrested on August 2, 1942, dying in the gas chambers of Auschwitz on August 9. Having adopted the name of Teresa Benedicta, She was beatified as a martyr in 1987 and canonized in 1998.
This Plough Spiritual Guide introduces a new generation to a collection of her essential writings, edited by Carolyn Brand. Zena Hitz introduces the collection, after a biography by Carolyn Brand. She contends that Stein addressed the sickness of her generation, affirming the “sure way” of following Christ on the way of the cross.
The rest of the book consists of Stein’s writings grouped under five headings. This is not a lightweight devotional but the substantive writing of a devote academic, a trained philosopher.
First, she addresses “Ways to Know God.” She allows for people to encounter God through nature, scripture, faith, and direct experience. Her passion is not for mere knowledge or faith but to encounter the living God, to see God. Yet often this involves the way of the cross, stillness and hiddenness. The final piece in this section offers her thoughts on the possibility of Christian philosophy.
The second subheading is “At the Foot of the Cross.” This includes a couple poetic reflections and her thoughts on the meaning of the cross. Specifically, she focuses on what it means for believers to take up the cross and die with Christ and to live by faith. Then the section concludes with two pieces on the dark night of the soul, paradoxically, an invitation for deeper communion with God.
“Light Breaks In” includes Stein’s writing on the two great holidays of Easter and Christmastide. “The Mystery of Sacrifice” traces the arc of Jesus Life from his Incarnation to the Sacrifice on the cross and ponders what it means to go the whole way with Jesus. She concludes with “The Summons of Christmas” which is to oneness with God, with others in God, and to extend that love to the world.
Stein did not cease to be a feminist upon conversion. However, “The Soul of Women” reveals relatively traditional distinctions between men whose essence is revealed in “action, work, and objective achievements. By contrast, women’s “deepest yearning is to achieve a loving union.” She argues in the final essay in this section that women will contribute most to the nation’s health in all areas of national life as they live into wholeness with God. I don’t think all women will agree with Stein’s gender distinctions and that these contribute to their flourishing.
Finally, “A World in Flames” reflects Stein’s response to the rise of Nazism. The first piece is noteworthy: her appeal to Pope Pius XI to advocate for the Jewish people. She wrote this when relieved from her academic position. The pope never responded. The title essay, “The World in Flames” once again expresses her confidence in the way of the cross. She writes:
“The world is in flames. The conflagration can also reach our house. But high above all flames towers the cross. They cannot consume it. It is the path from earth to heaven. It will lift the one who embraces it in faith, love, and hope into the bosom of the Trinity” (p. 123).
This was the faith Stein held onto when the flames indeed engulfed her house. Instead of fleeing Europe, she remained. These selections explained the mindset that met the horror of the holocaust, even Auschwitz by faith. This book is nothing more nor less than her call to discipleship, one worthy of standing alongside Bonhoeffer’s, The Call of Discipleship.
_______________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.
Edith Stein was born to an upper-middle-class Jewish family in Breslau, Prussia (now Wroclaw, Poland). An early feminist, Stein had a conversion experience while pursuing post-doctoral work with Edmund Husserl in 1916. After reading a biography of Saint Teresa of Avila, she sought baptism into the Catholic Church. Also, she sought to enter the monastic life but spiritual advisors encouraged her that she could best serve God in an academic career. However, the rise of Nazism led to the loss of her academic position. In 1935, she professed monastic vows at a Carmelite Monastery in Cologne. Later, as persecution against Jews intensified, she fled to the Netherlands. She was arrested on August 2, 1942, dying in the gas chambers of Auschwitz on August 9. Having adopted the name of Teresa Benedicta, She was beatified as a martyr in 1987 and canonized in 1998.
This Plough Spiritual Guide introduces a new generation to a collection of her essential writings, edited by Carolyn Brand. Zena Hitz introduces the collection, after a biography by Carolyn Brand. She contends that Stein addressed the sickness of her generation, affirming the “sure way” of following Christ on the way of the cross.
The rest of the book consists of Stein’s writings grouped under five headings. This is not a lightweight devotional but the substantive writing of a devote academic, a trained philosopher.
First, she addresses “Ways to Know God.” She allows for people to encounter God through nature, scripture, faith, and direct experience. Her passion is not for mere knowledge or faith but to encounter the living God, to see God. Yet often this involves the way of the cross, stillness and hiddenness. The final piece in this section offers her thoughts on the possibility of Christian philosophy.
The second subheading is “At the Foot of the Cross.” This includes a couple poetic reflections and her thoughts on the meaning of the cross. Specifically, she focuses on what it means for believers to take up the cross and die with Christ and to live by faith. Then the section concludes with two pieces on the dark night of the soul, paradoxically, an invitation for deeper communion with God.
“Light Breaks In” includes Stein’s writing on the two great holidays of Easter and Christmastide. “The Mystery of Sacrifice” traces the arc of Jesus Life from his Incarnation to the Sacrifice on the cross and ponders what it means to go the whole way with Jesus. She concludes with “The Summons of Christmas” which is to oneness with God, with others in God, and to extend that love to the world.
Stein did not cease to be a feminist upon conversion. However, “The Soul of Women” reveals relatively traditional distinctions between men whose essence is revealed in “action, work, and objective achievements. By contrast, women’s “deepest yearning is to achieve a loving union.” She argues in the final essay in this section that women will contribute most to the nation’s health in all areas of national life as they live into wholeness with God. I don’t think all women will agree with Stein’s gender distinctions and that these contribute to their flourishing.
Finally, “A World in Flames” reflects Stein’s response to the rise of Nazism. The first piece is noteworthy: her appeal to Pope Pius XI to advocate for the Jewish people. She wrote this when relieved from her academic position. The pope never responded. The title essay, “The World in Flames” once again expresses her confidence in the way of the cross. She writes:
“The world is in flames. The conflagration can also reach our house. But high above all flames towers the cross. They cannot consume it. It is the path from earth to heaven. It will lift the one who embraces it in faith, love, and hope into the bosom of the Trinity” (p. 123).
This was the faith Stein held onto when the flames indeed engulfed her house. Instead of fleeing Europe, she remained. These selections explained the mindset that met the horror of the holocaust, even Auschwitz by faith. This book is nothing more nor less than her call to discipleship, one worthy of standing alongside Bonhoeffer’s, The Call of Discipleship.
_______________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.
July 10, 2026
3.5 stars, rounded down.
This collection of historic writings is part of the Plough Spiritual Guides series. This series publishes curated writings by notable Christian thinkers, and while some of these authors are well-known, others are obscure. This new book introduces modern audiences to Edith Stein, a German-Jewish woman who converted to Catholicism and became a Carmelite nun. She was murdered in Auschwitz because of her Jewish heritage, and this book includes both universal spiritual reflections and writings that reflect her moment in history. For example, this collection includes a letter she wrote to Pope Pius XI, in which she urged him to speak out on behalf of the Jews.
A Sure Way begins with a note from the series editor, Carolyn Beard. She summarizes biographical details about Stein, while the following note provides more insights for reading and experiencing Stein's writings in the context of her life. Although the author's life story appears to be this book's selling point, the dense academic writings focus on general Christian living topics and philosophical ideas about faith. Out of the works reprinted here, only a few make reference to the author's life experiences or the state of Germany at that time. The author's focus is on Jesus, as one would expect from a nun. However, because the publisher put such a great emphasis on the author's personal identity, some readers may feel disappointed that it wasn't a point of great interest to the author herself.
A Sure Way will appeal to Christian readers who enjoy academic devotional writings, especially if they want to read theological reflections from historically marginalized voices. This book collects poems, essays, and devotional readings that show the author's heartfelt faith, and although the reading is occasionally dry and highly abstract, Stein's words offer wisdom and encouragement for the journey of life.
I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This collection of historic writings is part of the Plough Spiritual Guides series. This series publishes curated writings by notable Christian thinkers, and while some of these authors are well-known, others are obscure. This new book introduces modern audiences to Edith Stein, a German-Jewish woman who converted to Catholicism and became a Carmelite nun. She was murdered in Auschwitz because of her Jewish heritage, and this book includes both universal spiritual reflections and writings that reflect her moment in history. For example, this collection includes a letter she wrote to Pope Pius XI, in which she urged him to speak out on behalf of the Jews.
A Sure Way begins with a note from the series editor, Carolyn Beard. She summarizes biographical details about Stein, while the following note provides more insights for reading and experiencing Stein's writings in the context of her life. Although the author's life story appears to be this book's selling point, the dense academic writings focus on general Christian living topics and philosophical ideas about faith. Out of the works reprinted here, only a few make reference to the author's life experiences or the state of Germany at that time. The author's focus is on Jesus, as one would expect from a nun. However, because the publisher put such a great emphasis on the author's personal identity, some readers may feel disappointed that it wasn't a point of great interest to the author herself.
A Sure Way will appeal to Christian readers who enjoy academic devotional writings, especially if they want to read theological reflections from historically marginalized voices. This book collects poems, essays, and devotional readings that show the author's heartfelt faith, and although the reading is occasionally dry and highly abstract, Stein's words offer wisdom and encouragement for the journey of life.
I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
April 30, 2026
The life and writings of Edith Stein join the superb collection of Plough Spiritual Guides in the new release. Her journey from young Jewish girl to a student renouncing her faith, to conversion as a Catholic Christian is incredible enough. Within that is a personal walk to the cross, from academic philosopher to Carmelite Nun, from safety in a convent away from Germany to deportation and death in Auschwitz. She experienced two world wars, a world on fire as she termed it: a dwelling in existential darkness in search of the light. Most powerfully to me, in 1933, alarmed at rising atrocities against German Jews by the new to power Nazis, she penned a letter in search of a voice to cry out against savagery. A letter to the Vatican, to the Holy Father, pleading for his voice, his power amid the darkening conditions. Powerful, as I read it, to hear the current Pontiff, Leo XIV, call for peace in our current world on fire. His voice, criticized by secular leaders, as he was told to stay out of politics and stick to religion. Would these people criticize Stein, who received only silence in her darkening world in flames. She feared in 1933 that Nazi hatred of Jews would extend to Catholics and other Christians, perhaps never envisioning her extreme sacrifice-her Golgotha-within ten years. Even the two introductions in this volume are rich and rewarding. While Stein's philosophical writings may be a bit of a challenge to absorb, her personality and times shine through. Her address to incoming sisters about the challenges they may face-to die for the cross-is powerful and prescient. History teaches us in this well edited volume of writings. Thank you Plough for my copy.
May 19, 2026
A wonderful, if quite brief, introduction to the work of Edith Stein!
Honestly, while I believe I’d heard her name before, I knew basically nothing about Edith Stein before picking up this book. A Jewish philosopher turned Carmelite nun, her writing is an interesting mix of philosophical exactitude and mystical theologizing.
She was a particular devotee of St John of the Cross, and a fair portion of this book consists of excerpts riffing on his idea of the Dark Night of the Soul. That work holds special significance for me as well, so I quite appreciated those sections.
At times, the organization of this book seemed a little strange. It is organized topically, so instead of concentrating excerpts from a single work in one place, there may be different selections from a work scattered in three different chapters. And the excerpts are quite short, sometimes a few paragraphs, pulled from works of hundreds of pages. One wonders how truly representative these are of the larger works. There is also a smattering of poems included, and while beautifully sincere, from a poetical perspective I found them mostly underwhelming, with a couple exceptions.
The introductory essay by Zena Hitz is really great, a nice inclusion. All in all, I think this is a great introduction to Stein’s work and thought, very accessible while offering a solid glimpse into the possible difficulty of her writings, as well as the deep consolation they have to offer.
*ARC received from NetGalley*
Honestly, while I believe I’d heard her name before, I knew basically nothing about Edith Stein before picking up this book. A Jewish philosopher turned Carmelite nun, her writing is an interesting mix of philosophical exactitude and mystical theologizing.
She was a particular devotee of St John of the Cross, and a fair portion of this book consists of excerpts riffing on his idea of the Dark Night of the Soul. That work holds special significance for me as well, so I quite appreciated those sections.
At times, the organization of this book seemed a little strange. It is organized topically, so instead of concentrating excerpts from a single work in one place, there may be different selections from a work scattered in three different chapters. And the excerpts are quite short, sometimes a few paragraphs, pulled from works of hundreds of pages. One wonders how truly representative these are of the larger works. There is also a smattering of poems included, and while beautifully sincere, from a poetical perspective I found them mostly underwhelming, with a couple exceptions.
The introductory essay by Zena Hitz is really great, a nice inclusion. All in all, I think this is a great introduction to Stein’s work and thought, very accessible while offering a solid glimpse into the possible difficulty of her writings, as well as the deep consolation they have to offer.
*ARC received from NetGalley*
April 14, 2026
“A Sure Way – Following Truth in a World on Fire,” by Edith Stein, edited by Carolyn Beard, containing Edith Stein’s most essential writings, opens up an inspiring window into a soul whose love for Jesus gave her life a firm direction from which she never wavered. This unique book introduces her to a new generation who will get to know her through her writings, inviting readers to walk with her on the way that leads to joy and assurance even in times that test the soul. It discusses Edith Stein’s timeless words, passionate witness, and the wisdom in her relentless pursuit of the truth. “The world is in flames. But the flames cannot consume the cross.” Edith’s writings attest to her persistent pursuit of the undiluted truth, her journey to the faith that endures, and her resistance to the enemy of our souls. “A Sure Way” contains some of Edith’s most intimate writings, from the philosophical to the poetic, inviting us to seek the truth, to deepen our inner lives and walk in faith, and above all, to draw us closer to God.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I have several books by Edith Stein (St. Benedicta of the Cross) and I have not been able to get through any of them. I would start and then not feel connected and put them away.
This book however opened up that door. The selections were uncomplicated and easy to understand and they brought a great peace. I had no idea that Edith wrote poetry too and it was lovely. It seems that I was able to make that connection through the choices of writings in this book and I was delighted to do so. Now, I will look at reading her again. Edith Stein is an amazing saint and the story of her life changes from being Jewish, to being an atheist to being a Catholic and then a nun is obviously the work of God and she knew it.
This is a good book to reread and to gift others with so that they may be introduced to this martyr saint.
I would like to thank Plough Publishing offering me this book via NetGalley. I greatly appreciate it.
This book however opened up that door. The selections were uncomplicated and easy to understand and they brought a great peace. I had no idea that Edith wrote poetry too and it was lovely. It seems that I was able to make that connection through the choices of writings in this book and I was delighted to do so. Now, I will look at reading her again. Edith Stein is an amazing saint and the story of her life changes from being Jewish, to being an atheist to being a Catholic and then a nun is obviously the work of God and she knew it.
This is a good book to reread and to gift others with so that they may be introduced to this martyr saint.
I would like to thank Plough Publishing offering me this book via NetGalley. I greatly appreciate it.
June 13, 2026
I had heard the name Edith Stein before I read this book but I knew very little about her. This is an excellent introduction as it gives you elements of biography plus examples from her many and diverse writings. The examples are set in the context of her time and place, as she moved around a fractured Europe in the late 1930’s.
There is poetry and prose and letters. The thing that really stood out for me was her letter to the Pope appealing for him to do something to intervene in - or at least acknowledge- the treatment of Jews by Hitler. She was brave and kind and well aware of the risks she was taking. She also believed women had a place in world affairs and shouldn’t be ignored.
Dying in Auschwitz she was canonised and became Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, a nod to her respect for St John of the Cross. This is a beautiful book which would be an ideal introduction to anyone looking to research this remarkable young woman.
I was given a copy of the book by NetGalley.
There is poetry and prose and letters. The thing that really stood out for me was her letter to the Pope appealing for him to do something to intervene in - or at least acknowledge- the treatment of Jews by Hitler. She was brave and kind and well aware of the risks she was taking. She also believed women had a place in world affairs and shouldn’t be ignored.
Dying in Auschwitz she was canonised and became Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, a nod to her respect for St John of the Cross. This is a beautiful book which would be an ideal introduction to anyone looking to research this remarkable young woman.
I was given a copy of the book by NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A Sure Way by Edith Stein is a book that takes selections from her writings and provides the reader with an introduction to her body of work. The topics in this book fall into five sections. Ways to know God, At the Foot of the Cross, Light Breaks in, Women’s Spirituality, and lastly, A world in flames. While I enjoyed reading this body of work it is not one that I could wholeheartedly recommend to everyone. This book is not one I could recommend for those who are just starting out on their religious journey. Some of her ideas are for more seasoned travelers. (3.5 rounded up to 4) Thank you Net Galley for my review copy.
May 23, 2026
I like the Plough Spiritual Guides series because the books often introduce me to writers I've heard of but have never read. Edith Stein is one such writer. Zena Hitz introduced me to the life of this philospher, nun, and victim of the Holocaust. Carolyn Beard's excerpt selections introduced me to the breadth of Stein's writing. Some of her philosophical pieces were heavy going and know I will need to reread them to truly understand them. Some of her religious writing was a bit saccharine for my taste, but my overwhelming imporession was of a remarkably intelligent woman who adored Jesus.
April 16, 2026
This was a Goodreads Giveaway win. I have had no prior knowledge before reading this book of who Edith Stein is. Now I know, and I'm glad I read this! Beautifully written!
June 16, 2026
My review can be found here: https://mereorthodoxy.com/the-sure-wa...
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews