Thomas Merton's Theoretical Analysis

Society has thrived against adversity with virtues of hope, fueled by the belief of a higher power. In The Book of Martha, by Octavia Butler, the protagonist, Martha, seeks a solution to end humanity’s greed, which will eventually lead to their inevitable demise. For centuries, religion has had an impact in the way societies view ethical and moral issues. Human kindness has always been at the core of each act behind religious beliefs. These acts of kindness have been made with the intention to progress ourselves as a society and as a community. An interview with Father Jesus de la Tapia, from The Parish of Santa Rosa, highlighted the social impact that these acts of kindness can bring to our community. Although Martha’s actions are those set in a fictional story, her belief in God and ability to bring humanity together, are actions which can be seen in our community, making it a better place.

This sermon provokes the one who has had their own hearts weaken to seek holiness from the transformation of love. Wesley desires every Christian to attain the status of perfect love, where the love of God and neighbor would reign in their hearts. As evidence he quotes St. Paul, “Earnestly desire the higher gifts, and I will show unto you a more excellent way.” (The More Excellent Way,

While when discussing the history of the world’s power forces, violence makes for stimulating discussion, other tactics were put to good use, one of these alternatives being non-violence. With the guidance of three worldwide heroes - Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela - with contagious optimism and high spirits, it became apparent just how much of a difference could be made carried out through non-violent terms. Mankind was introduced to another way to resolve major problems just as effectively, if not more, than violence could.

The life and teachings of Jesus Christ call us to work for justice, peace and human rights. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus describes this mission in the following way:

What does it mean to form a more just society for the common good? I will be examining Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” as well as Gustavo Gutierrez’s essay, “The Option for the Poor Arises from Love of Christ.” Dr. King examines the facets of social injustice through a letter that he wrote while imprisoned for a nonviolent public protest. King’s letter is in response to a letter from eight fellow clergymen. In the letter from the clergymen they criticize King’s due process in seeking justice and his social injustice movement, so King responds with what I believe to be one of the greatest examples of a man who personifies what it means to form a more just society for the common good. He does not only speak on his behalf, but he speaks out all of humanity. Likewise, Gustavo Gutierrez examines specifically the poor in a similar manner, but believes that these “poor” people have found the ultimate meaning in life and we should all seek to have that same spiritual connection to God, for it would make our society a better place. The preferential option for the poor is seeking a deeper connection to God by bringing justice to light. Gutierrez and Dr. King both exemplify men who have truly set an example on how to form a more just society for the common good of humanity.

The most important and relatable comparison for Martin Luther King Jr.’s peers must have been the comparison of the clergymen’s claims that King was an extremist to Jesus’ claim that you should “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, or persecute you.” (p. 6) King argues that because of the similarity between Jesus’ and his own missions of using nonviolence and love to overcome hate, his label of an extremist must be a good thing and so much so that it began to give him

In a world that does not know the Gospel anymore, we must indulge in it, and love our fellow community though they may not share similar values, but find balancing in still remaining in our own values. Though many of times we find ourselves in opposition of the majority of the world, we must exude Christ love onto others as He does to us unconditionally. The author addresses ways in which we are able to live out our faith and still find a place within our community though they may not share similar values.

In Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes Us Just, Tim Keller uses the bible as a focal point in connection to social justice. Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Acts, and the Gospel were all used to associate Jesus’ teachings to today’s world. He does this to prove the importance of social justice. He uses several instances in today’s world and how society needs to do better for our neighbors. Keller shows the importance of social justice by not only using Jesus’ sacrifice, but he also shares the struggles that the poverty stricken and marginalized go through. In the end, Keller calls for all Christians and non-believers to look within themselves and do what is right to provide social justice for all.

Writing from the seclusion of his Hermitage in Bardstown, Thomas Merton was a prominent advocate for peace and non-violence during the Cold War era. Through his various writings on peace and war, Merton reflected on the systemic violence and injustice pervasive in American culture. It was in this “Post-Christian” era that Merton found Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. to be important spiritual guides, specifically on nonviolent protest rooted in “the truth.” In Blessed are the Meek: The Christian Roots of Nonviolence Merton articulates his belief that nonviolence could be something rooted in Christianity, explains how Christian nonviolence in America can be “honest,” and offers insight on how nonviolence can break through the Western persona of superiority. Merton begins by emphasizing that “Christian nonviolence” is not a means to establish the moral superiority of a group; by its very nature, nonviolence is built “Not on a presupposed division, but on the basic unity of humankind.

Martin Luther King Jr. is looked up as a hero and a role model because of his use of nonviolence. Around the world, many people were using violence to solve their problems, but King, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, decided that the problem around segregation in the United States would not be solved with guns but with words of harmony. This article, published by Cesar Chavez conveys the powerful effect nonviolence has in resolving conflicts by using comparisons, historical evidence, and powerful vocabulary.

In the future this quote will continue to inspire me, within my ministry, to love others according to the unconditional love of Jesus. Rather than assuming that I understand their situation and intentions, I can show them love and walk them through how they can bring about life change by aligning their lifestyle with the teaching of scripture. Too often we, as Christians, treat our influence as “this little light of mine,” when, in actuality, we are the light of the

The main purpose of Billy O. Wireman’s article “Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi: God’s Co-Workers for Justice” is to connect Dr. King’s influences to the concept of non-violence. King led the American Civil Rights Movement with the realization that hate couldn’t exist within the hearts of those who wanted to produce change. King’s predecessor, Mohandas Gandhi also recognized the same thing. The second page of Wireman’s article reads “For 75 years – from 1893 when Gandhi went to South Africa as a 23-year-old London-educated barrister to 1968, when King was murdered in Memphis – these two inspired men fought ‘hate with love and greed with openhandedness.’” As mentioned in the article, Gandhi procured inspiration from “The Sermon on the Mount.” Within these moral teachings, Jesus Christ speaks on the beatitudes. These present a new set of ideals that focus on love and humility rather than force and exaction. The highest ideals of Jesus’ teachings on spirituality and compassion are echoed. Dr. King, being a Christian man of faith, most likely drew inspiration from this as well. The principles revealed in the sermon are relatable to those of Dr. King and Gandhi alike. The two lived to see their dreams given hope and, ultimately, both men died for their cause. Wireman writes “Like reformers everywhere, these men were scorned for their beliefs…In the end, they were destroyed by the very passions they unleashed. However,

Dawson’s article, A Christian Proposal to Peacemaking in a New Country, focuses on the different types of faith based efforts that Christians all over the world are currently involved in that focus on both forgiveness and reconciliation and ways to bridge the gap between victim and offender. He begins his thoughts by reminding the reader that everyone has sinned, but that God responds with forgiveness, and has given us an opportunity to start anew through the death and resurrection of Christ, thus reconciling us to God. Here is where the reconciliation process begins. He also briefly brushes upon that it is man’s inability to resist emotions like envy, fear, and contention, that results in hatred for another person or group of people, which is why there is a continuous flow of conflict in the world. This is why we as Christians should understand and embrace the power of the cross. Throughout the article Dawson continuously, encourages and challenges all Christians to join the ministry of reconciliation movement and become reconcilers stating, “our goal, of course, has always been to see people reconcile to God through the Gospel” (Dawson, 2001, p.234). He maps out a model for reconciliation that defining the following:

Jesus is regarded as the source of peace and Christians are encouraged to model his example. Throughout the ministry of Jesus, the notion of peace often accompanies the forgiveness of sin or an occasion of healing, such as Luke 7:50 and Luke 8:48. Examples such as these confirm the notion that peace is experienced in the presence of God and through God's saving activity. "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all" (Romans 12:18). In this extract, there is a clear understanding that Christians are expected to live in peace with others.

If anyone today were to have the impulse “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with [their] God” (Micah 6:8), I would urge them to read this volume because it shows that “The movement made Martin rather than Martin making the movement” (625). To paraphrase the book’s Epilogue: If we could understand that one of our greatest symbols for social justice was a human being as ordinary and as flawed and as unlikely a legend as any one of us, then maybe, we in the church or broader society could stop waiting for a great charismatic personality to lead us toward justice, and we could start asking ourselves, “What can we do to pursue justice, love, and