The Social Thought of Thomas Merton

The Way of Nonviolence and Peace for the Future

Course instructors considering a book for adoption will be provided a complimentary copy.
$16.95

“Father Givey brings to life once again the man, the monk, and the mystic who helped to shape the soul of his own generation and who continues to offer a vision of ‘peace for the future.’”

Bishop David M. O'Connell, CM
Diocese of Trenton
Past President, The Catholic University of America

About This Book

Overview

Designed for College Students Taking Courses in Peace Studies, Social Thought and Christian Ethics

This new edition traces the evolution of Thomas Merton’s social thought, particularly as it evolved toward a way of nonviolence and peacemaking grounded in contemplation and Christian love.

It identifies the social context that shaped Merton, including civil rights and racism, the Vietnam War, and a growing nuclear threat.

And it explores the religious influences and experiences that shaped Merton, including Catholic social teaching—particularly Pope John XXIII’s encyclical letter Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth)—the words and actions of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., the practice of contemplation and Zen, and Merton’s own life as a Trappist monk.

Details

Weight 0.4 lbs
Dimensions 5.375 × 1.5 × 8.25 in
Format

Softcover

Print ISBN

978-1-59982-017-0

Pages

158

Item # 7021

Customer Reviews

“Father Givey brings to life once again the man, the monk, and the mystic who helped to shape the soul of his own generation and who continues to offer a vision of ‘peace for the future.'”

Bishop David M. O'Connell, CM
Diocese of Trenton
Past President, The Catholic University of America

About the Author

Rev. David W. Givey

Rev. David W. Givey, PhD, has served as a university professor, diocesan newspaper reporter and editor, campus minister, and parish priest. He was ordained for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1971. He currently ministers at several parishes in New Jersey and does graduate teaching at several universities.

Table of Contents

Prologue, by Brother Patrick Hart
Foreword, by Father David O’Connell
Introduction

  1. The Evolution 0f Merton’s Social Awareness
  2. The Social Dimensions of Contemplation
  3. The Way of Nonviolence
  4. Pacem in Terris and the Principles of Nonviolence
  5. Racism and Violence

Conclusion: Blessed Are the Peacemakers
Afterword, by Monsignor John Tracy Ellis
Epilogue, by John Cardinal Krol
Index

Professional Reviews

“There are certain individuals whose work is studied for decades to come, and Thomas Merton is one of those people. The Social Thought of Thomas Merton: The Way of Nonviolence and Peace for the Future presents the thoughts of a Catholic man who embraced the ways of peace and Zen and presented an enlightened version of Catholicism. Merton’s teachings and thoughts form .  .  .   many Catholic leaders today, and The Social Thought of Thomas Merton is a must read for any Catholic theologian or philosopher.”
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief, Midwest Book Review
The Bookwatch, July 2009
July 2009

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