Contemplation and social transformation: the example of Thomas Merton
This essay examines the relationship between the Christian tradition of contemplation and social action. It takes as its paradigm the life and writings of Thomas Merton (Fr Louis), an American Cistercian monk at the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, who became one of the most widely-read and influenti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of the Free State
2008-12-01
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| Series: | Acta Theologica |
| Online Access: | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2233 |
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| author | P. Sheldrake |
| author_facet | P. Sheldrake |
| author_sort | P. Sheldrake |
| collection | DOAJ |
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This essay examines the relationship between the Christian tradition of contemplation and social action. It takes as its paradigm the life and writings of Thomas Merton (Fr Louis), an American Cistercian monk at the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, who became one of the most widely-read and influential spiritual writers as well as Christian social commentators of the mid-twentieth century. Merton, who often wrote through an autobiographical medium, gradually moved away from an early emphasis on contemplative withdrawal to a belief that the monastic life is a form of counter-cultural solidarity with those who struggle for social transformation and justice. The essay more broadly explores the theological basis for a coherence of mysticism and action in contrast to some misinterpretations of the Christian language of interiority. It concludes with an exploration of the relationship between contemplation and politics in a number of twentieth and twenty-first century theologians, both Catholic and Protestant.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4ff3290dd3a94f6ab6f2b360fb18161e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1015-8758 2309-9089 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2008-12-01 |
| publisher | University of the Free State |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Theologica |
| spelling | doaj-art-4ff3290dd3a94f6ab6f2b360fb18161e2025-02-11T10:06:53ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892008-12-011110.38140/at.v0i11.2233Contemplation and social transformation: the example of Thomas MertonP. Sheldrake0University of Durham, United Kingdom This essay examines the relationship between the Christian tradition of contemplation and social action. It takes as its paradigm the life and writings of Thomas Merton (Fr Louis), an American Cistercian monk at the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, who became one of the most widely-read and influential spiritual writers as well as Christian social commentators of the mid-twentieth century. Merton, who often wrote through an autobiographical medium, gradually moved away from an early emphasis on contemplative withdrawal to a belief that the monastic life is a form of counter-cultural solidarity with those who struggle for social transformation and justice. The essay more broadly explores the theological basis for a coherence of mysticism and action in contrast to some misinterpretations of the Christian language of interiority. It concludes with an exploration of the relationship between contemplation and politics in a number of twentieth and twenty-first century theologians, both Catholic and Protestant. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2233 |
| spellingShingle | P. Sheldrake Contemplation and social transformation: the example of Thomas Merton Acta Theologica |
| title | Contemplation and social transformation: the example of Thomas Merton |
| title_full | Contemplation and social transformation: the example of Thomas Merton |
| title_fullStr | Contemplation and social transformation: the example of Thomas Merton |
| title_full_unstemmed | Contemplation and social transformation: the example of Thomas Merton |
| title_short | Contemplation and social transformation: the example of Thomas Merton |
| title_sort | contemplation and social transformation the example of thomas merton |
| url | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2233 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT psheldrake contemplationandsocialtransformationtheexampleofthomasmerton |