James H. Forest Boeken

Thomas Merton, in onze streken vooral bekend door zijn autobiografie "De Louteringsberg", trad in 1941 in bij de Trappisten van de abdij Gethsemani, Kentucky. In dit boek beschrijft een van zijn vrienden in het kort het hele leven van de monnik-schrijver, eerst vanuit zijn bekeringsverhaal, daarna vanuit zijn vele andere geschriften. Zo leren we Merton kennen als monnik, bezieler van de vredesbeweging, mysticus, kluizenaar en kenner van de oosterse godsdiensten. In 1968 is hij tijdens een pelgrimstocht door Azië overleden te Bangkok.

Offers insights and inspiration on loving our enemies as Jesus taught us. An enemy is any person or group I feel threatened by and may seek to defend myself against. Often one's most feared enemy is someone close: a member of the family, a co-worker, a neighbour. But it could also be people I don't even know: blacks, whites, gays, punks, pro-abortionists, pro-lifers, people in political or religious groups opposed to my own, foreign nations which threaten my sense of security. The author helps us to realize that we, too, are enemies to some people. The only solution to our fears is a love characterized by action and responsibility--to do what one can to foster the well-being of another whether one likes that person or not. Using the life and teachings of Jesus, and also examples such as Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton, the author helps us to understand and, more importantly, experience the spiritual liberation that comes from turning fear into peace--enemies into friends.