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Edith Stein
Each volume in the Ex Libris series provides a glimpse into the writings of renowned Catholic authors, introducing the spirituality and thought of great men and women of faith. Saint Edith Stein (1891-1942), also known as Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, was born in Breslau, Germany, of devout Jewish parents. In adolescence, she became an atheist. She went on to study philosophy with one of the greatest thinkers of the time, Edmund Husserl, and became a prolific writer and lecturer. Her search for truth led her to become Catholic, and she later joined the Carmelites, where her writings took on a more theological and spiritual tone. In these excerpts from the writings of Edith Stein, discover the authentic beauty of her honest pursuit of truth, her sincere desire to sacrifice for the good of others, and her joyful and generous correspondence with friends. Questions for personal study and group discussion are also included.
144 pages, Paperback
Published January 9, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 24, 2023
If one is undertaking a personal study of Edith Stein, it is likely to begin with the story of her life. This is a natural approach for Christians to take to the saints. Their lives, as Cyril O'Reagan points out in his lecture on Edith Stein, are iconic, and they ultimately lead us to the perfect icon, Christ. (They are also inspiring, and Christians never tire of seeking inspiration.) Edith Stein's own conversation began when she happened upon the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila and devoured it. But among the great intellectuals of the Church, focus on the life is less common. One often goes directly to the thought. There are exceptions: one thinks of Athanasius, Augustine, John Henry Newman, but few others. Edith Stein belongs beside them.
She lived an extraordinary life in an extraordinary time, a life that led to high intellectual achievement and placed her in the company of some of the greatest minds of her era. Culturally, if not observantly, Jewish, she converted to Catholicism and proceeded to devote her life to a program of witness -- in the form of teaching, public lectures, essays, and correspondence -- and reflection, personal and -- in the form of memoir and philosophical treatises -- public. She became a Carmelite nun and devoted the remaining years of her life to contemplation and philosophical work.
Her life ended on August 9, 1942, in a gas chamber in Auschwitz.
So it seems unquestionably true that to Christians, at least, her life and example are of primary importance and are deeply significant. But there remains the matter of her thought, which is brilliant, wide-ranging, complex in some cases but surprisingly accessible in others.
This book is a modest but no less successful effort to introduce the reader to the thought of Edith Stein. It is organized thematically: Spiritual Friendship, The Vocation of Women, Suffering and the Cross, and Spiritual Tools for Evangelization. These are further divided into sub-sections: six for the first three, 11 for the fourth. They include selections from her letters and from her works, offering enticing glimpses into the richness of her thought. But this is not intended to be the final word. The end matter contains suggestions for further reading that lead the reader more deeply into the work of the saint herself.
One must indeed become acquainted with her life. But to receive a sense of its richness and fullness, one also needs to delve into her thought. This book, I think, is an excellent point of departure.
She lived an extraordinary life in an extraordinary time, a life that led to high intellectual achievement and placed her in the company of some of the greatest minds of her era. Culturally, if not observantly, Jewish, she converted to Catholicism and proceeded to devote her life to a program of witness -- in the form of teaching, public lectures, essays, and correspondence -- and reflection, personal and -- in the form of memoir and philosophical treatises -- public. She became a Carmelite nun and devoted the remaining years of her life to contemplation and philosophical work.
Her life ended on August 9, 1942, in a gas chamber in Auschwitz.
So it seems unquestionably true that to Christians, at least, her life and example are of primary importance and are deeply significant. But there remains the matter of her thought, which is brilliant, wide-ranging, complex in some cases but surprisingly accessible in others.
This book is a modest but no less successful effort to introduce the reader to the thought of Edith Stein. It is organized thematically: Spiritual Friendship, The Vocation of Women, Suffering and the Cross, and Spiritual Tools for Evangelization. These are further divided into sub-sections: six for the first three, 11 for the fourth. They include selections from her letters and from her works, offering enticing glimpses into the richness of her thought. But this is not intended to be the final word. The end matter contains suggestions for further reading that lead the reader more deeply into the work of the saint herself.
One must indeed become acquainted with her life. But to receive a sense of its richness and fullness, one also needs to delve into her thought. This book, I think, is an excellent point of departure.
May 20, 2023
“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. This extinguishes the flames of hell.”
This is the last of the three books I got from the Pauline bookstore on the day that it closed. This is a collection of excerpts from the writing of Saint Edith Stein/Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, a Carmelite from a Jewish family who worked as a teacher and philosopher before being murdered at Auschwitz by the Nazis.
It’s not very long, and it’s a fairly quick read–I started and finished in a single day–but it is a cool little volume. If you’re interested in Christian philosophy, especially in the twentieth century when things are getting more than a little messy, it’s worth looking at. Especially because a lot of these aren’t from published books and articles–quite a lot are from letters, which make interesting reads. It’s always interesting to see what a saint wrote in her letters.
So I’m glad I picked this up! Even though it was a bit of a random pick for me.
This is the last of the three books I got from the Pauline bookstore on the day that it closed. This is a collection of excerpts from the writing of Saint Edith Stein/Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, a Carmelite from a Jewish family who worked as a teacher and philosopher before being murdered at Auschwitz by the Nazis.
It’s not very long, and it’s a fairly quick read–I started and finished in a single day–but it is a cool little volume. If you’re interested in Christian philosophy, especially in the twentieth century when things are getting more than a little messy, it’s worth looking at. Especially because a lot of these aren’t from published books and articles–quite a lot are from letters, which make interesting reads. It’s always interesting to see what a saint wrote in her letters.
So I’m glad I picked this up! Even though it was a bit of a random pick for me.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews