Cold War Letters
"Those who think there can be a just cause for measures that gravely risk leading to the destruction of the entire human race are in the most dangerous illusion." --Thomas Merton
Published in book form for the first time, Thomas Mertons Cold War Letters brings together 111 of the acclaimed Trappist monk's letters to friends, peace activists, artists, and intellectuals, written between October 1961 and October 1962 at the height of Cold War tensions. Originally distributed in mimeographed form (after he was forbidden to publish his thoughts on peace), these letters reflect Merton's prophetic insight into the crisis of his time. As the world seemed to tumble toward an atomic apocalypse, Merton sought in these letters--still uncannily relevant a half a century later--to create a community of concern that might raise a moral counterweight to the forces of fear and destruction.
Published in book form for the first time, Thomas Mertons Cold War Letters brings together 111 of the acclaimed Trappist monk's letters to friends, peace activists, artists, and intellectuals, written between October 1961 and October 1962 at the height of Cold War tensions. Originally distributed in mimeographed form (after he was forbidden to publish his thoughts on peace), these letters reflect Merton's prophetic insight into the crisis of his time. As the world seemed to tumble toward an atomic apocalypse, Merton sought in these letters--still uncannily relevant a half a century later--to create a community of concern that might raise a moral counterweight to the forces of fear and destruction.
SPIRITUALISMSPIRITUAL LIFE_CHRISTIANITYCOLD WARLETTERSMERTON, THOMAS, 1915-1968
RELEASED2007
PUBLISHEROrbis Books
LENGTH240
LANGUAGEEN
Thomas Merton (January 31, 1915 – December 10, 1968) was a 20th century American Catholic writer. A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, he was a poet, social activist and student of comparative religion. In 1949, he was ordained to the priesthood and given the name Father Louis. Merton wrote more than 70 books, mostly on spirituality, social justice and a quiet pacifism, as well as scores of essays and reviews, including his best-selling autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain (1948), which sent scores of disillusioned World War II veterans, students, and even teen-agers flocking to monasteries across US, and was also featured in National Review's list of the 100 best non-fiction books of the century. Merton was a keen proponent of interfaith understanding. He pioneered dialogue with prominent Asian spiritual figures, including the Dalai Lama, D.T. Suzuki, the Japanese writer on the Zen tradition, and the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Merton has also been the subject of several biographies.
Cold War Letters
"Those who think there can be a just cause for measures that gravely risk leading to the destruction of the entire human race are in the most dangerous illusion." --Thomas Merton
Published in book form for the first time, Thomas Mertons Cold War Letters brings together 111 of the acclaimed Trappist monk's letters to friends, peace activists, artists, and intellectuals, written between October 1961 and October 1962 at the height of Cold War tensions. Originally distributed in mimeographed form (after he was forbidden to publish his thoughts on peace), these letters reflect Merton's prophetic insight into the crisis of his time. As the world seemed to tumble toward an atomic apocalypse, Merton sought in these letters--still uncannily relevant a half a century later--to create a community of concern that might raise a moral counterweight to the forces of fear and destruction.
Published in book form for the first time, Thomas Mertons Cold War Letters brings together 111 of the acclaimed Trappist monk's letters to friends, peace activists, artists, and intellectuals, written between October 1961 and October 1962 at the height of Cold War tensions. Originally distributed in mimeographed form (after he was forbidden to publish his thoughts on peace), these letters reflect Merton's prophetic insight into the crisis of his time. As the world seemed to tumble toward an atomic apocalypse, Merton sought in these letters--still uncannily relevant a half a century later--to create a community of concern that might raise a moral counterweight to the forces of fear and destruction.
SPIRITUALISMSPIRITUAL LIFE_CHRISTIANITYCOLD WARLETTERSMERTON, THOMAS, 1915-1968
RELEASED2007
PUBLISHEROrbis Books
LENGTH240
LANGUAGEEN
Thomas Merton (January 31, 1915 – December 10, 1968) was a 20th century American Catholic writer. A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, he was a poet, social activist and student of comparative religion. In 1949, he was ordained to the priesthood and given the name Father Louis. Merton wrote more than 70 books, mostly on spirituality, social justice and a quiet pacifism, as well as scores of essays and reviews, including his best-selling autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain (1948), which sent scores of disillusioned World War II veterans, students, and even teen-agers flocking to monasteries across US, and was also featured in National Review's list of the 100 best non-fiction books of the century. Merton was a keen proponent of interfaith understanding. He pioneered dialogue with prominent Asian spiritual figures, including the Dalai Lama, D.T. Suzuki, the Japanese writer on the Zen tradition, and the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Merton has also been the subject of several biographies.
