Gregory K. Hillis, Ph.D.
“Man
of Dialogue:” Thomas Merton’s Catholic Identity
Since
his death in 1968, Merton’s identity as a Catholic has been regularly
questioned, both by those who doubt the authenticity of his Catholicism given
his commitment to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue and by those who
admire Merton as a thinker but see him as an aberration who rebelled against
his Catholicism to articulate ideas that went against the church. My book
argues that we need to understand more thoroughly how his thought was
intertwined with his identity as a Catholic priest and emerged out of a
thorough immersion in the church’s liturgical, theological, and spiritual
tradition. I further argue that Merton’s vision of a church characterized by
genuine encounter and dialogue, a church that actively works for peace, is one
that has a particular resonance with Pope Francis’ vision, making my account of
Merton’s Catholicism particularly relevant in the world today.
