عنوان

Thomas Merton's "Theology of Resistance" :

TLets566682

Thomas Merton's "Theology of Resistance" :

[Thesis]

Berry , Judith Elizabeth

towards a political interpretation of his contemplative spirituality

King's College London (University of London)

1998

Ph.D.

King's College London (University of London)

1998

This thesis is an exploration of what the monk, Thomas Merton OCSO,(1915-68) called his "theology of resistance". Its purpose is to establishthat this theology was a politically as well as a spiritually inspiredcritique of America in the modem era, and to illustrate the coherentdevelopment of Merton's contemplative spirituality and politicalcommitment. As an extension of this discussion I have argued in thisthesis that Thomas Merton should be seen as a politically activecontemplative as opposed to a social critic and a somewhat passivecritic at that.It is the aim of this thesis to argue that the full implications of Merton's"theology of resistance" have not been fully understood; and that Mertoncommentators and scholars have overlooked the core issues ofmarginality and protest in his work. Central to this thesis, then, is thesuggestion that Merton's "theology of resistance" was a "revolutionary"synthesis of monastic protest and contemplative marginality. Asynthesis which enabled the contemplative to place himself on themargins of society, but in solidarity with all other marginal groups andpeople.What I am suggesting is that Merton's "theology of resistance" was theculmination of a contemplatively inspired political consciousness, anattempt to grapple with the radical and transformative potential of themarginal, the dispossessed, the peripheral, the monk.

Berry , Judith Elizabeth

King's College London (University of London)

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y