Peace in the Post-Christian Era
Author: Thomas Merton
Foreword by Jim Forest
Introduction by Patricia A. Burton
224pp
"Substitute 'war on terrorism' for 'war on communism,' and Merton's insights continue to challenge our culture of war and ourselves to become Gospel people of peace and nonviolence. This book stands at the heart of the Merton canon . . . Read it and take up where Merton left off--questioning the culture, denouncing war and nuclear weapons, taking risks for the truth, pointing the way to peace, and discovering anew how to be Christian in these post-Christian times."--John Dear, author, Living Peace
Writing at the height of the Cold War, Merton issued a passionate cry for sanity and a challenge to the idea that unthinkable violence can be squared with the Gospel of Christ. Censors of Merton's order blocked publication of this work, but forty years later, despite changing circumstances, his prophetic message remains eerily topical. At a time when the "war on terrorism" has replaced the struggle against communism, Merton's work continues to demonstrate the power and relevance of the Gospel in answering the most urgent challenges of our time.
Thomas Merton, the most prominent monk of the twentieth century, died in 1968. His ongoing legacy is reflected in Thomas Merton: Essential Writings; Seeking Paradise: The Spirit of the Shakers; and The Thomas Merton Encyclopedia, all published by Orbis Books.
