Modern Spiritual Masters

In this first anthology of Gutierrez's massively influential work, James Nickoloff draws from Gutierrez's many published books and translates some pieces for the first time. Arranged both thematically and chronologically, the Selected Texts highlight not only the revolutionary import of Gutierrez's theology but also his deep and searching spirituality, his bold view of the church, and his personal challenge to the reader to engage the world's injustices directly. Nickoloff's expert Introduction explains the development of Gutierrez's ideas and sheds new light on the Latin American, especially Peruvian, context of his thought.

"Pope John XXIII opens with a concise but sweeping history of the Catholic Church and the papacy, culminating in the brief but unforgettable reign of Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli as Pope John XXIII in the mid-twentieth century. At seventy-six years of age, neither a well-known public figure nor a highly trained theologian, he was at first regarded as a transitional pope. During his reign, however, he awed the world with the seminal and unprecedented change he brought about, in his concern for the fundamental plight of humankind.". "In rich, impassioned prose Cahill follows the pontiff's life from his peasant roots to the landmark Second Vatican Council, with its emphasis on worldwide social justice, which marked the beginning of a true shift in the Catholic Church and its relationship to the modern world. In a biography that will captivate Catholics and non-Catholics alike, Cahill's signature blend of imagination, interpretive insight, and scholarship mirrors Pope John's own intuition, spontaneity, and all-embracing vision."--BOOK JACKET.

Bede Griffiths was an English Benedictine monk who settled in India in 1955, and became a great mystical teacher. In India, Griffiths established a Christian community following the customs of a Hindu ashram, and found wisdom and inspiration for his own Christian faith. Contents include: - A vision of nature - The challenge of Hinduism - Awakening to the feminine - A New Age - Final unity.

Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948), acknowledged as one of the great souls of the twentieth century and leader of the Indian independence movement, defined the modern practice of nonviolence. These writings reveal the heart and soul of a man whose message of nonviolence bears special relevance to all spiritual seekers today

"Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), embodies classic features of the American spirit--nonconformity, the impulse to seek renewal in nature, and the will to stand firm by his convictions. Famous for his retreat to Walden Pond and his night in jail (described in The Duty of Civil Disobedience ), he was a profoundly religious man, though he remained unaffiliated with any organized religion. He might well serve as a patron saint for today's spiritual but not religious seekers. Thoreau experienced mystical ecstasies in his youth; he followed an almost monastic discipline of contemplation; he was an early pioneer in the exploration of Hinduism and eastern religion, which he integrated with his deep immersion in nature and his highly refined social conscience. This anthology, which focuses specific attention on Thoreau's spiritual and prophetic writings, draws on his voluminous journals, correspondence, essays, and selection from Walden and his other key works." --Publisher description.