Thomas Merton on the Christian Life

by Thomas Merton

This set of captivating talks brings you face to face with an intimate side of Thomas Merton―the monk, poet, scholar of literature, and social activist who rocked the 20th century. Merton delivered these talks in 1967―two years after the conclusion of Vatican II. His prescient words are as relevant now as ever. When Merton published the beloved spiritual autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain in 1948, he viewed his decision to become a monk as a means of escaping the predominant culture. Twenty years later, however―when Merton gave these talks―his perspective had shifted. You’ll hear first-hand how Merton ultimately came to see himself not as turning away from the world but embracing it and exploring its relationship to the Church. As with so many of the talks that Merton gave to his novice monks at Gethsemani, these talks, given to an audience of Carmelite sisters, put the progression of his thinking―from cloistered monastic life to issues of social justice and interreligious understanding―on view. Throughout these talks, Merton stresses the importance of cultivating relationships with other cultures as a method of better understanding our own. Citing the definition of “catholic”―meaning “universal”―Merton insists on the spiritual necessity of transcending cultural differences. Other topics of interest include the - The concept of spiritual poverty; - Cultural ideas of poverty; - Otherworldliness; and - The contemplative life (as distinct from the religious life). Join Merton’s original audience fifty years later and be moved by his vision of active faith.

Audio CD

Published October 26, 2021

About the author

Thomas Merton, religious name M. Louis, was an American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist and scholar of comparative religion. In December 1941 he entered the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani and in May 1949 he was ordained to priesthood. He was a member of the convent of the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, near Bardstown, Kentucky, living there from 1941 to his death.
Merton wrote more than 50 books in a period of 27 years, mostly on spirituality, social justice and a quiet pacifism, as well as scores of essays and reviews. Among Merton's most enduring works is his bestselling autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain (1948). His account of his spiritual journey inspired scores of World War II veterans, students, and teenagers to explore offerings of monasteries across the US. It is on National Review's list of the 100 best nonfiction books of the century.
Merton became a keen proponent of interfaith understanding, exploring Eastern religions through his study of mystic practice. His interfaith conversation, which preserved both Protestant and Catholic theological positions, helped to build mutual respect via their shared experiences at a period of heightened hostility. He is particularly known for having pioneered dialogue with prominent Asian spiritual figures, including the Dalai Lama XIV; Japanese writer D.T. Suzuki; Thai Buddhist monk Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, and Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh. He traveled extensively in the course of meeting with them and attending international conferences on religion. In addition, he wrote books on Zen Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, and how Christianity is related to them. This was highly unusual at the time in the United States, particularly within the religious orders.