Thomas Merton

Thomas Merton

Thomas Merton was born January 31, 1915 in Prades, France. His father, Owen Merton born in New Zealand, was a painter who was active in Europe and the United States. (Wikipedia) His mother, Ruth Jenkins, was born in America and was an artist as well. (Wikipedia) He grew up and ended up going to Columbia University. While there he converted to Roman Catholicism. On December 10th, 1941 he 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. (Merton)

Merton spent 27 at Gethsemani, which changed his whole understanding of life. During this time he was impelled to show that race and peace were the two most urgent issues of his time. (Merton) He was a strong supporter of the non-violent civil rights movement, in which he faced a lot of criticism by non-Catholics and even some Catholics, because they said that his actions were "unbecoming of a monk." (Merton) This criticism or persecution reminds me of a Bible verse about persecution. In 2 Timothy 3 it says, "You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings--what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted," (NIV, 2 Timothy 3:10-13) It says that all who live a life in Christ will be persecuted. I agree with this, but not everyone will be persecuted in the same way. No one will have to go through what Jesus went through exactly because we can't, but things like Merton experienced will happen in our own lives if we choose to live a life for Christ.

During his later years Merton became extremely interested in Asian religions, especially Zen Buddhism. (Merton) Not only that but he really wanted to promote East to West dialogue. (Callahan, 4-16-07) In fact, through many visits to the East he got to know the Dali Lama, and he praised Merton for "having a more profound understanding of Buddhism than any other Christian he had known." (Merton) Merton ended up dying doing what he loved. He died in Bangkok on December 10, 1968 during an East-West monastic dialogue, where he was accidentally electrocuted. (Merton)

Merton