I've spent the last ten years or so listening to the audio recordings of Merton's mostly Sunday sessions — him teaching the novices and young monks at Gethsemane. I have about 150 of them downloaded and listen to them repeatedly. I would love to embellish those nuggets with his journals. That's a great idea. Thank you. His books seem less personal when I read them. Listening to his teachings has been mesmerizing. The journals must carry the same weight of his personality as his voice.
I agree that his orthodoxy has been a surprise. Or maybe I'm reading that reaction into your statement. So much of the commentary before I began listening to his audio files positioned Merton as a radical, like Dorothy Day's misunderstood interpretation by secular or ideology-based folks. His reactions to the Vatican II developments were marvelous, full of shock and worry and hope.
Thank you for commenting, and for mentioning the recordings - I’ve only listened to a few and should listen to more - so thanks for the incentive. If you decide to tackle the journals I’d recommend doing so in chronological order - that may seem obvious but I made the mistake of starting later and had to backtrack. Cheers!
I've spent the last ten years or so listening to the audio recordings of Merton's mostly Sunday sessions — him teaching the novices and young monks at Gethsemane. I have about 150 of them downloaded and listen to them repeatedly. I would love to embellish those nuggets with his journals. That's a great idea. Thank you. His books seem less personal when I read them. Listening to his teachings has been mesmerizing. The journals must carry the same weight of his personality as his voice.
I agree that his orthodoxy has been a surprise. Or maybe I'm reading that reaction into your statement. So much of the commentary before I began listening to his audio files positioned Merton as a radical, like Dorothy Day's misunderstood interpretation by secular or ideology-based folks. His reactions to the Vatican II developments were marvelous, full of shock and worry and hope.
Thank you for commenting, and for mentioning the recordings - I’ve only listened to a few and should listen to more - so thanks for the incentive. If you decide to tackle the journals I’d recommend doing so in chronological order - that may seem obvious but I made the mistake of starting later and had to backtrack. Cheers!