Showing results by narrator "Thomas Merton" in All Categories

You are invited into the classroom in which Thomas Merton delivered some of his most impassioned lectures on a timeless topic. In 1962 at Gethsemani Abbey, Thomas Merton taught an extraordinary course on the heart of Benedictine spirituality. Now, for the first time ever, this course is available to you.

In the 1960s, Thomas Merton, one of the twentieth century’s great mystics, encountered the ancient Islamic mystical tradition of Sufism. The result was an outpouring of mystical insight and spiritual wisdom. In these talks recorded by Merton during the last two years of his life, you will discover what first inspired Merton. The Sufi mystics have given us: one of the world’s most read poets, Rumi; the beautiful mystical dance of whirling dervishes; interreligious insight; and new forms of contemplation.

Born in 1882 to a Catholic family in Dublin, James Joyce wrote some of the most acclaimed masterpieces of modern literature: Ulysses, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Dubliners, and Finnegans Wake. Educated by Jesuits and deeply influenced by Thomas Aquinas, Joyce wove Catholicism into his works. Delivered in 1968, these four lectures on Joyce’s writing are now available to the public for the first time ever. This one-of-a-kind set includes an introduction by Dr. Michael Higgins, a renowned Merton biographer and scholar of literature and religion.

In this audio program, Merton will challenge you with questions about man's individual destiny, the human condition, prayer, and the nature of time. Originally delivered in 1965, these timeless lectures have been remastered and released as a set for your enjoyment. Delivered with wit and profound insight, these recordings will transport you into the abbey where Merton taught and imparted his spiritual wisdom.

Christian theology may not believe in Marxism, and Marxism may think that God is dead, but the two ideologies still have much to say to one another. Thomas Merton, one of the world’s greatest modern Christian intellectuals, was fascinated by the dialogue between Marxists and Christians. Now, by listening to these nine masterful talks, which Merton delivered to the novices at the Abbey of Gethsemani in 1965 and 1966, you can join in these conversations.

You are invited to sit at the feet of a contemplative master. In the words of renowned theologian Fr. Lawrence Cunningham, Thomas Merton was perhaps "the greatest spiritual writer and spiritual master of the 20th century". With a poet's sensibility, an intellectual's inquiring mind, and a prophet's courage, Merton has captured the hearts of readers and listeners around the world.

Follow the contemplative path with Thomas Merton as your guide. In 1942, Thomas Merton relinquished a promising academic career to join the Abbey of Gethsemani. Instead of running away from the world, however, he actually developed his most profound wisdom about it.

Travel into the desert with Thomas Merton as your guide. In the third century, men and women journeyed into the deserts of Syria and Egypt. Turning away from the world, they sought to find salvation in solitude. By doing so, they developed new forms of monasticism and spirituality. Now known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers, their wisdom remains as inspirational today as ever.

These are some of the most fascinating Thomas Merton lectures ever recorded. Recorded in the last year of his life, these talks capture Merton as he ponders profound questions in an accessible, down-to-earth way. You will glean insight from Merton on a wide range of subjects, all held together by his conviction in our call to live in freeing obedience to the Holy Spirit.

Born in the fourth century, Saint John Cassian (AD 360 - 435) lived when tensions between the traditional and innovative peaked. A monk and theologian, Cassian made the Christian tradition relevant for the needs of his day in his spiritual works. Indeed, his spirituality remains essential today; he influenced Saints Benedict and Ignatius of Loyola, and his works continue to be read worldwide.

Arthur Ford was an American psychic, spiritual medium, and foudner of the Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship. Thomas Merton was an Anglo-American Catholic writer, mystic, and Trappist monk. Harry Edwards was a well-known spiritual healer, teacher, and author. Ernest Holmes was an American spiritual writer, teacher, and leader.

Renew your prayer life with Thomas Merton. Thomas Merton was one of the great spiritual masters: a Trappist monk, profound mystic, and brilliant writer. He inspired men and women from all walks of life with his dedication to prayer and contemplation. In 1967, near the end of his life, Merton gave a powerful set of lectures on prayer to the Sisters of Loretto. He channeled a lifetime full of wisdom, piety, and prayerfulness into these erudite yet down-to-earth talks.

What can your spiritual ancestors teach you about holy living today? Although they led ascetic lives centuries ago, St. Benedict, the Desert Fathers and Mothers, and other early Christian saints have much to teach everyone in the 21st century. Through their enduring writings, they created blueprints of the spiritual life that remain as powerful in our time as ever.

Before entering the monastery, Thomas Merton studied English at Columbia University and taught literature at St. Bonaventure University. His passion for literature never faded, and now, you have the rare opportunity to take Thomas Merton as your guide in this set of his outstanding, remastered talks. Delivered to the community at the Abbey of Gethsemani in 1965 and 1966, Merton’s talks examine one of his favorite poets: Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926).

Join monk and mystic Thomas Merton on a journey through monastic and contemplative history. In these talks delivered by Thomas Merton, you will gain a rich introduction to the monastic period of church history, encountering such figures as St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Benedict, John Cassian, Basil, and Charlemagne. As you will come to discover, the history of monasticism is deeply intertwined with the greater history of Europe and the Christian contemplative tradition.

A leading Christian intellectual and a global citizen, Thomas Merton was known for his mission to understand and learn from other cultures’ worldviews and philosophies. Now, as you listen to these nine captivating talks on Chinese and Greek philosophy, your own interest in these ancient schools of thought, Eastern and Western, will be ignited.

Merton first looks at the "Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy," which is, as Merton calls it, a work of supreme faith and the most important document on the liturgy in 1,600 years. He then explored the Vatican II's schemata on the religious life, which eventually culminated in the "Decree on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life." Merton's lectures took place before this document was issued, so you will get a fascinating look at the inner workings of the church.

This set of six talks reveals a lesser-known side of Thomas Merton: an eminent critic and teacher of literature. His dual identity as a monk and literati make him the premier guide to poetic expression. As you listen along, you will enjoy moments of penetrating insight and reflection as often as moments of levity and laughter.

Hear Thomas Merton’s spiritually edifying voice. Originally recorded in August of 1965 at the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, Greek Tragedy: Suffering Leads to Wisdom considers the parallels between ancient Greek models of suffering (with Sophocles’s play Antigone as an exponent) and Judeo-Christian ideas about suffering and the creation of meaning. This was among the last classes that Merton ever gave to the novice monks at Gethsemani.

The rarely heard sermons and reflective talks in this set attest to the depths of Thomas Merton’s brilliance. You’ll witness the evolution of Merton’s thought as he moved away from a narrow, cloistered mindset to an ecumenical and socially engaged outlook. This curated collection spans five years of his life and comprises four talks that showcase the themes close to Merton’s heart: the authentic Christian life, contemporary society, contemplation, Marxism, and the relationship of literature to religion.