Overview

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) is considered to be one of the most important Catholic American authors of the twentieth century. In this book one can discover Merton not only as a contemplative writer and prophet, but also as a pastoral practitioner. Dominiek Lootens is a Catholic practical theologian with more than twenty years of experience as a pastoral supervisor and educator in Belgium and Germany. Using his own professional practice as a starting point, he reflects in this book on the life and work of Thomas Merton. He shows how relevant Merton can be for pastoral practitioners who are active in today's global context. A variety of professional topics are discussed: interfaith hospital chaplaincy, migration and practical theology, pastoral supervision and spirituality, natural contemplation and Orthodox pastoral theology, racism and adult education, and the training of chaplains as social justice allies. This book offers practical theologians and pastoral practitioners an in-depth view in the life and publications of Thomas Merton and invites them to bring it into dialogue with their own professional practice.

Full Product Details

9781666735062

Table of Contents

Reviews

A master teacher of prayer and a guide in the spiritual life, Thomas Merton is brilliantly revealed by Dominiek Lootens as more--a remarkable pastoral theologian, a genuine source for chaplains and others engaged in the ministry of care and presence. Lootens masterfully opens up Merton's gifts for practical and pastoral theology and work. He makes Merton even more helpful a resource for pastoral engagement. --Michael Plekon, The City University of New York, Baruch College, emeritus Looking with fresh eyes and through interdisciplinary lenses at the task of training pastoral practitioners, Lootens skillfully applies the wisdom and prophetic stance of Thomas Merton to the challenges of interfaith hospital chaplaincy and supervision, natural contemplation and Orthodox pastoral theology, adult education on racism, and training social justice allies. --Monica Weis, SSJ, Nazareth College, emerita One of the hazards of our times is that supervision is being introduced by weak leaders as a management tool aimed at building resilience in the workforce. Thank God for Lootens, who finds in Merton grounds for reclaiming the prophetic role of pastoral supervision within a mysticism of resistance toward everything that diminishes the soul as it interacts with role and context. --Michael Paterson, Institute of Pastoral Supervision & Reflective Practice

A master teacher of prayer and a guide in the spiritual life, Thomas Merton is brilliantly revealed by Dominiek Lootens as more--a remarkable pastoral theologian, a genuine source for chaplains and others engaged in the ministry of care and presence. Lootens masterfully opens up Merton's gifts for practical and pastoral theology and work. He makes Merton even more helpful a resource for pastoral engagement. --Michael Plekon, The City University of New York, Baruch College, emeritus Looking with fresh eyes and through interdisciplinary lenses at the task of training pastoral practitioners, Lootens skillfully applies the wisdom and prophetic stance of Thomas Merton to the challenges of interfaith hospital chaplaincy and supervision, natural contemplation and Orthodox pastoral theology, adult education on racism, and training social justice allies. --Monica Weis, SSJ, Nazareth College, emerita One of the hazards of our times is that supervision is being introduced by weak leaders as a management tool aimed at building resilience in the workforce. Thank God for Lootens, who finds in Merton grounds for reclaiming the prophetic role of pastoral supervision within a mysticism of resistance toward everything that diminishes the soul as it interacts with role and context. --Michael Paterson, Institute of Pastoral Supervision & Reflective Practice

"""""A master teacher of prayer and a guide in the spiritual life, Thomas Merton is brilliantly revealed by Dominiek Lootens as more--a remarkable pastoral theologian, a genuine source for chaplains and others engaged in the ministry of care and presence. Lootens masterfully opens up Merton's gifts for practical and pastoral theology and work. He makes Merton even more helpful a resource for pastoral engagement."""" --Michael Plekon, The City University of New York, Baruch College, emeritus """"Looking with fresh eyes and through interdisciplinary lenses at the task of training pastoral practitioners, Lootens skillfully applies the wisdom and prophetic stance of Thomas Merton to the challenges of interfaith hospital chaplaincy and supervision, natural contemplation and Orthodox pastoral theology, adult education on racism, and training social justice allies."""" --Monica Weis, SSJ, Nazareth College, emerita """"One of the hazards of our times is that supervision is being introduced by weak leaders as a management tool aimed at building resilience in the workforce. Thank God for Lootens, who finds in Merton grounds for reclaiming the prophetic role of pastoral supervision within a mysticism of resistance toward everything that diminishes the soul as it interacts with role and context."""" --Michael Paterson, Institute of Pastoral Supervision & Reflective Practice"

Author Information

Dominiek Lootens is Head of the Centre for Dialogue at Campus Riedberg in Frankfurt a. M., Germany. For twenty years he worked as a pastoral educator and supervisor at Caritas Flanders. He is president of SIPCC (D�sseldorf, Germany), and international advisor of ITMS (Louisville, Kentucky). He currently lives in Schmitten im Taunus, Germany, together with his wife Nina and their dog Bonnie.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available