Signs of Peace

by Apel, William

• ISBN13: 9781570756818
• ISBN10: 1570756813
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-10-30
• Publisher: Orbis Books

Summary

During the last decade of his life, Thomas Merton corresponded with numerous people around the globe about world religions and the need for interfaith understanding. Initiating contact with figures like Zen scholar D.T. Suzuki, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Rabbi Abraham Heschel, he sought not only to expand his understanding of other faiths, but to find like-minded friends who might share his dream of a global community of the spirit. Such people, whom he called living "sacraments" or signs of peace, were those "able to unite in themselves and experience in their own lives all that is best and most true in the numerous spiritual traditions."

Table of Contents

Foreword by Paul M. Pearson	xi
Preface: Signs of Peace	xvii
One Merton's Ministry of Letters	1	(8)
Two Blessings
The Merton-Aziz Letters	9	(15)
A Personal Word about Blessing	10	(2)
The Merton-Aziz Letters (1960-68)	12	(2)
A World Emptied of God	14	(2)
The Unity of God	16	(3)
Never Easy, But Ever Faithful	19	(3)
Prayer	22	(2)
Letter from Merton to Abdul Aziz, November 17, 1960	24	(5)
Three Love
The Merton-Chakravarty Letters	29	(16)
Amiya Chakravarty (1901-86)	30	(2)
The Merton-Chakravarty Letters (1966-68)	32	(5)
The Hidden Ground of Love	37	(4)
The Step into Asia	41	(4)
Letter from Merton to Amiya Chakravarty, April 13, 1967	45	(2)
Four Wisdom
The Merton-Wu Letters	47	(17)
John Wu—the Chinese Sage	48	(3)
Uncommon Wisdom	51	(4)
The Merton-Wu Letters (1961-68)	55	(4)
Chuang Tzu and the Tao	59	(3)
Silent Lamp	62	(2)
Letter from Merton to John Wu, March 14, 1961	64	(3)
Five Holiness
The Merton-Heschel Letters	67	(15)
Abraham Heschel and Holiness	69	(2)
God's Search for Humanity	71	(3)
Merton's Dilemma	74	(6)
A Sacred Trust	80	(2)
Letter from Merton to Abraham Heschel, December 17, 1960	82	(3)
Six Zen
The Merton-Suzuki Letters	85	(14)
D.T. Suzuki, the Zen-Man	87	(4)
The Merton-Suzuki Letters (1959-66)	91	(5)
The Meeting	96	(3)
Letter from Merton to D.T. Suzuki, March 12, 1959	99	(4)
Seven Openness
The Merton-Hinson Letters	103	(17)
Merton—the Expansive Catholic	105	(4)
Glenn Hinson—the Expansive Protestant	109	(4)
The Merton-Hinson Letters (1960-67)	113	(2)
God of Peace	115	(5)
Letter from Merton to Glenn Hinson, December 4, 1964	120	(5)
Eight Compassion
The Merton–Nhat Hanh Letters	125	(16)
Teacher	126	(5)
Friend	131	(6)
The Letters—a Postscript (1966)	137	(4)
Letter from Merton to Thich Nhat Hanh, June 29, 1966	141	(2)
Nine Courage
The Merton-Yungblut Letters	143	(16)
Consolation	145	(2)
The Merton-Yungblut Letters (1967-68)	147	(2)
Courage	149	(5)
Encouragement	154	(3)
Strength to Love	157	(2)
Letter from Merton to June Yunglut, January 20, 1968	159	(2)
Ten Unity
The Merton–Dona Luisa Coomaraswamy Letters	161	(17)
Ananda K. Coomaraswamy (1877-1947)	162	(5)
The Merton–Dona Luisa Coomaraswamy Letters	167	(6)
There Comes a Time	173	(5)
Letter from Merton to Dona Luisa Coomara-swamy, February 12, 1961	178	(5)
Postscript: A Small Message of Hope	183	(3)
Notes	186	(13)
Bibliography	199	(2)
Acknowledgments	201