This thesis will examine intensively “The Tower of Babel: A Morality” a significant work of Thomas Merton, a major spiritual writer of the 20th Century, entitled. In order to explore this play three other works which impacted significantly on the development of the drama will also be examined. These three works are: A poem also called “Tower of Babel”; a second poem entitled “A Responsory” and a musical work titled “The Tower of Babel: An Oratorio”. Even though Victor Kramer, a Merton scholar, noted the significance of the Morality, the existing literature has all but ignored the impact of “The Oratorio” and the drama. Until this author requested a copy of “The Oratorio” from the Merton Centre in Louisville, Kentucky the work had been known by name only and had never been analysed. Yet this work was a major development from the poem “A Responsory” and led to the creation of the Morality Play. This work argues that “A Morality” was pivotal in contributing to personal and spiritual change in Merton as well as developing a greater depth of social understanding in him. It will also argue that the work contained the seeds of future Merton writings. Writing the drama moved Merton towards a contemplative maturity based on communion not simply community. While many studies have alluded to the play none of them have studied it with this particular focus. This new focus is the discovery of the ways Merton attempted to resolve the dilemma he experienced between the paths of monk and poet and how, in doing so, he created for spiritual seekers a fresh inner significance for the Babel story. This work is opening up new ground for an understanding of the importance of Merton’s insights in the contemporary world. The methods used in this thesis are: 1. Contextualising, that is establishing the historical, social, spiritual and literary framework in which the poems and plays were written, and 2. Literary analysis. Part A of the thesis examines the monastic, spiritual, social, literary and academic contexts which brought Merton to the moment of writing the Morality. Part B is organised chronologically and is an intensive analysis of the poems, the Oratorio and the Morality Play. Part C identifies the seeds of future growth contained within the Morality play and points to some of the directions in which these seeds developed in later Merton works.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-06-01T13:20:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 sibeliuscefaspereira.pdf: 2004097 bytes, checksum: 08c5bba2bd6b09f5586fdee9459a1807 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-07-02T12:57:07Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 sibeliuscefaspereira.pdf: 2004097 bytes, checksum: 08c5bba2bd6b09f5586fdee9459a1807 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-02T12:57:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 sibeliuscefaspereira.pdf: 2004097 bytes, checksum: 08c5bba2bd6b09f5586fdee9459a1807 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-10-18 / O trabalho propõe-se a aprofundar o tema da vida contemplativa em Thomas Merton, reconhecendo que a categoria contemplação, mais do que um tema foi um eixo em torno do qual girou toda a sua obra. A tese central é a de que Merton reinaugura um caminho místico e contemplativo de busca e encontro com Deus no tempo e na história. A Realidade divina e a realidade humana como realidades convergentes. Na primeira parte abordou-se o tema da contemplação como experiência de plenitude de vida em três direções: a relação contemplação, escrita e vida; mediações da contemplação; lugares privilegiados da experiência contemplativa. Na segunda parte abordou-se a perspectiva da contemplação no tempo e na história, assim direcionados: o tempo de Merton; seu diálogo com a cultura, a sociedade e a teologia; a relação contemplação e compaixão; e, por fim, a relação contemplação e ação profética, aprofundando sobre temáticas sociais. Assim, entende-se que na mística cristã, contemplação e ação, transcendência e imanência são realidades interdependentes. Nesse sentido, o itinerarium de Thomas Merton é dos mais expressivos, ao traduzir uma ideia de contemplação não como fuga do mundo e sim como experiência no tempo. / The work intends to deep the contemplative life in Thomas Merton, recognizing the contemplation category like one focal theme around that all his work turned. The central thesis is that Merton re-inaugurates a mystical and contemplative path of search and meet with God in times and history. The divine Reality and de human reality like convergences realities. The first part discusses the subject of contemplation like a plenty life experience in three directions: contemplation, write and life relationships; contemplation mediations; privileged places of contemplation. The second part discusses a perspective of contemplation in times and history, thus structured: the Merton‟s time; his dialogue with culture, society and theology; contemplation and compassion relationship; and, finally, contemplation and prophetic action relationship, deeping about social themes. Thus, the research understands that Christian mystic, contemplations and action, transcendency and imannency, are interdependent realities. In that sense, the Thomas Merton itinerarium it‟s one of more expressive, since the contemplation ideia is understands no like escape of world but like experience in times.

My interest in Thomas Merton began two years ago in my last year of an M.A. program in Church History at the Wheaton Graduate school outside of Chicago. In particular, I was impressed with Merton's ability to carry on a dialogue with D.T. Suzuki, communicator of Rinzai Zen to the west, while retaining his commitment to Christianity. Hence I chose to work on an aspect of the Merton/Suzuki dialogue recorded in Zen and the Birds of Appetite. The impulse for such a study arose from my own questions regarding Christianity. Did Christianity alone contain the formula for truth or did Christianity contain one of many formulas to find ultimate reality or God? It became evident as I progressed in my research that the kingpin in Merton's dilemma between the Kerygma of Christianity and Zen consciousness was the epistemological question. The epistemological road of Zen Buddhism is that of experience. The epistemological road of Christianity equally emphasizes experience and rationality. Inasmuch as the experience of the reality of the Kerygma is a vital component of Christianity, and inasmuch as this sphere is often downplayed in a society which puts the scientific method on a pedastle, Merton correctly assimilates Zen Buddhist themes in order to inform that neglected aspect of Christianity. However, the irreconcilable difference between Zen Buddhism and Christianity is apparent. Christianity is not just an experiential, romantic feeling of unity with 'the one'. Conversely, Zen Buddhism refuses the imposition of content on its central thrust. I conclude that we are faced with a 'Mexican standoff’ between Christianity and Zen Buddhism inasmuch as in the quest for satori the Zen Buddhist will not include the Kerygma, nor will the Christian eliminate the Kerygma in his quest for the experience of ultimate reality or God. Thus a merger is impossible unless severe compromise is made on both sides. I maintain that while there is a wealth of gold to be discovered in Christianity and Zen Buddhism, it is impossible to equate them. Merton’s theory of the non-religious character of Zen which can shine through any system, enabled him to espouse the Zen-way to a Christian audience. I refute the claim that Zen is non-religious and rather maintain that allegiance to non-thought represents a definite epistemological stance. Also, the authoritative edge in Zen inspired by satori contains the same degree of dogmatism as the Christian allegiance to the deity of Christ. I understand Merton’s assimilation of Zen themes with his evolved Christian thought in the following manner: 1. Disgust with a technological society whose values carried over into the religious sphere. 2. His own poetic, paradoxical nature and obsession with ultimate reality. 3. His desire that Zen Buddhists learn about Christianity in a non-threatening way, and 4. His intuition that Christianity must be more than intellectual assent to dogma which does not: change one’s lifestyle, and his discovery in Zen of a preparatory mode for the breakthrough of truth. He wanted to integrate the heart with the head. I begin with a biographical report of Merton’s life and evolved religious thought. The second chapter focusses on representative thinkers in Merton’s thought beginning with Bernard of Clairvauxs Meister Eckhart and D.T. Suzuki. Finally the third chapter focusses on the dialogue between Suzuki and Merton. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

No description available.

Submitted by isabela.moljf@hotmail.com (isabela.moljf@hotmail.com) on 2017-05-15T12:25:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 normaribeironassersalomao.pdf: 2554843 bytes, checksum: 8eb85afd198857663b5d583aefa1dc6f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-05-17T15:53:45Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 normaribeironassersalomao.pdf: 2554843 bytes, checksum: 8eb85afd198857663b5d583aefa1dc6f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-17T15:53:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 normaribeironassersalomao.pdf: 2554843 bytes, checksum: 8eb85afd198857663b5d583aefa1dc6f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-12-17 / Este trabalho propõe-se a lançar um olhar sobre o ver em Thomas Merton ao deixar-se tocar pela espiritualidade Zen budista na sua trajetória cristã. O eixo central desta tese será, portanto, o foco na sua via mística em comunhão com a natureza. A rigorosa tradição monástica Zen e o monasticismo trapista da Ordem Cisterciense assemelham-se na rígida disciplina de sua vida cotidiana. A criação para Merton está associada à visão de sacralidade, sendo que este amor é compartilhado pela perspectiva do Zen Budismo, no qual Natureza/Despertar são inseparáveis. A sede de Deus e de aprendizado levou o monge a uma peregrinação pelo continente asiático. Na sua busca da grande compaixão, ele encontrou o outro lado da montanha e viveu experiências místicas definitivas em sítios sagrados da Ásia. / This study proposes one sharp “looking” at Thomas Merton’s “seeing” considering how he let himself to be touched by the Zen Buddhist spirituality on his Christian journey. The axis of this thesis will be, therefore, to promote a focus on his mystic life lived in a great communion with the nature. The strict Zen monastic tradition and the trapist monasticism of the Cisters are really alike on their rigid disciplines taken seriously for the everyday living by the monks. The Creation in accordance with Merton’s thoughts is extremely associated with the vision of sacrality, furthermore the divine love is shared through a Zen perspective where nature/ to awake are inseparable. Thirsty of God and learning he has done a pilgrimage around the eastern continent and on his search for the great compassion he finally found the “other side of the mountain”, or in another words: he has lived many remarkable mystic experiences indeed while visiting some Asian sacred places.

The aim for this paper is to study how mystics can be seen as religious psychologists. It does so by describing and comparing Thomas Merton (1915–1968) and Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950), two mystics from the western-Christian respectively the eastern-Hindu faith. The essay focuses on the mystics understanding about three notions. These are (1) the self, (2) self-realization and (3) the ultimate reality. It does so through the eyes of another 20th century soul searcher: Carl G Jung. The theory that's used is Jungian psychology and is meant to facilitate a tool for describing the mystics' understanding about the notions. It brings the purpose to explain the mystics teachings about the soul, which is the literate meaning of the word ‘psychology’. As such, a discussion is being made about how the mystics can be seen as religious psychologists, because of their use of religious terms and teachings based on mystical experiences. A closer look at the similarities between Jung and the mystics, as well as the impact their teachings have on human well-being, show how they can in fact be seen as religious psychologists. An argument against it is that mystical experiences cannot be proven with a materialistic worldview based on science. However, I discuss that just as some psychological theories and hypotheses cannot be proven by empirical means but are rather judged on the effect it has, so can mysticism also be seen as a religious psychology.

No description available.

The Niles-Merton Songs is a two-opus collection of twenty-two songs by John Jacob Niles setting the poetry of Thomas Merton. The songs are beautiful but contrast from his more popular works in poetry and composition. This project explores reasons why these songs are rarely performed, and gives an overview and analysis of ten selected pieces. The document includes a brief introduction, biographies of Niles and Merton, information detailing Niles’s compositional process, and the technical and artistic requirements for performing the songs, including appropriate age and voice type.

<p>This paper presents Theopoetics, a theo-philosophical aesthetic movement that arose from the 1960’s Death of God theology, as a hermeneutical framework that accounts for both embodiment and the numinous in poetry. Through an examination of the life and poetic works of the disenfranchised religious poet, Thomas Merton, and a more religiously nebulous poet, Denise Levertov. This paper will present two different perspectives from these poets who encountered the need to qualify the numinous in their poetry and subverted that qualification through a theopoetic process. </p>