Chris sits down with author Matthew Fox to talk about spirituality, activism, and mystic Thomas Merton.
Matthew Fox is the author of over 30 books including Meister Eckhart, The Hidden Spirituality of Men, Christian Mystics, and most recently A Way to God. A preeminent scholar and popularizer of Western mysticism, he became an Episcopal priest after being expelled from the Dominican Order by Cardinal Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI. You can visit him at http://www.matthewfox.org.
Show Notes
On Merton
Matthew and I discuss what inspired him to write a book about Thomas Merton.
Creation Spirituality
Matthew talks about Creation Spirituality and elaborates on how it is both a tradition and a movement, which is celebrated by mystics and agents of social change from every age and culture.
On God
Matthew and I discuss the nature of God and why he titled the book, A Way to God?
Meister Eckhart
Matthew talks about the connection between Thomas Merton & Meister Eckhart.
Art & Spirituality
Matthew shares about how Merton was not only a writer & poet, but also a photographer, calligrapher, and pianist, and the role he played in contributing art to spirituality?
Social Justice & Freedom
Matthew shares about how Merton was very socially aware when it came to justice and freedom, not only speaking out strongly in support of Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights activism, but also being the first religious figure in America to speak out against the Vietnam War.
On Feminism
Even though Merton died in 1968, which was before the feminist movement really took off, he was still very aware of early feminist writers and commented favorably on them, which Matthew elaborates on.
Fox & Merton
Matthew talks about the influence that Thomas Merton has had on his own life and work.
For on the topic of Christian Mysticism, check out BHNN guest podcaster Mirabai Starr’s Saints and Sonnets.
You can also check out Matthew’s two-part interview with Ram Dass on the Ram Dass Channel.
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