Thomas Merton
AUTHOR

Thomas Merton

Tap the gear icon above to manage new release emails.
Thomas Merton (1915-1968) is arguably the most influential American Catholic author of the twentieth century. His autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain, has millions of copies and has been translated into over fifteen languages. He wrote over sixty other books and hundreds of poems and articles on topics ranging from monastic spirituality to civil rights, nonviolence, and the nuclear arms race.

After a rambunctious youth and adolescence, Merton converted to Roman Catholicism and entered the Abbey of Gethsemani, a community of monks belonging to the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists), the most ascetic Roman Catholic monastic order.

The twenty-seven years he spent in Gethsemani brought about profound changes in his self-understanding. This ongoing conversion impelled him into the political arena, where he became, according to Daniel Berrigan, the conscience of the peace movement of the 1960's. Referring to race and peace as the two most urgent issues of our time, Merton was a strong supporter of the nonviolent civil rights movement, which he called "certainly the greatest example of Christian faith in action in the social history of the United States." For his social activism Merton endured severe criticism, from Catholics and non-Catholics alike, who assailed his political writings as unbecoming of a monk.

During his last years, he became deeply interested in Asian religions, particularly Zen Buddhism, and in promoting East-West dialogue. After several meetings with Merton during the American monk's trip to the Far East in 1968, the Dali Lama praised him as having a more profound understanding of Buddhism than any other Christian he had known. It was during this trip to a conference on East-West monastic dialogue that Merton died, in Bangkok on December 10, 1968, the victim of an accidental electrocution. The date marked the twenty-seventh anniversary of his entrance to Gethsemani.
Read more Read less

Try Audible membership today. Start enjoying the benefits.

Try Audible for free with an audiobook of your choice.
Try Standard free
Auto-renews at AUD $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

New Seeds of Contemplation

Most popular
View Details

Most Popular

Product list
  • Praying the Psalms cover art
    Virtual Voice Sample

    $5.68 or free with 30-day trial

  • The Way of Chuang Tzu (Second Edition) cover art
    Preview

    $13.30 or free with 30-day trial

  • New Seeds of Contemplation cover art
    Preview

    $26.44 or free with 30-day trial

  • The Seven Storey Mountain cover art
    Preview

    $14.06 or free with 30-day trial

  • The Wisdom of the Desert cover art
    Preview

    $9.21 or free with 30-day trial

  • The Sign of Jonas cover art
    Preview

    $32.89 or free with 30-day trial

  • Thomas Merton on Chinese & Greek Philosophy cover art
    Preview

    $17.74 or free with 30-day trial

  • Thomas Merton on Marxism: The Spiritual and Secular Worlds cover art
    Preview

    $20.70 or free with 30-day trial

  • Zen and the Birds of Appetite cover art
    Preview

    $17.12 or free with 30-day trial