Thomas Merton died on this day in 1968.

Apart from scripture itself, Merton’s writings, without question, have been the single biggest source of artistic inspiration and spiritual formation for me. Someday, when I write my memoirs, there will be an entire chapter (maybe two) on Merton’s influence on my life and thought, but for now I’ll point you to this essay by Michael Spencer called “The Monk Who Wouldn’t Go Away“. A quote from that piece:

It is Merton’s honest humanity and thorough Christianity that won my admiration. In my particular evangelical suburb, Christian piety takes some bizarre turns, focusing on all varieties of robotic behavior, enforced personality traits, phony religious experiences and outright lies. Merton was the first modern Christian writer I encountered that was completely and totally himself and at home in his own skin.

Spencer speaks for me in many ways, especially in addressing the paradoxical nature of my affinity for Merton.

The title of my blog is taken from a book by Merton called “The Ascent to Truth “. Below are some links to Merton-related material at “The Ascent to Truth” over the years. Some are evidently written during cynical and searching phases of my journey, but that’s the beauty of a blog: watching the progression… the ascent to truth if you will:

On John Piper, Thomas Merton, and Other Things That Go Nicely Together

Reason is the Path to Faith But Not to Oprah Winfrey

Thomas Merton and the Search for True Self

Merton Quotes

Other useful links:

Look at books by Thomas Merton at Amazon.com

A Merton-inspired painting. The artist is Angela Wales Rockett and you can see more of her paintings here. and read her blog here.

This post by Alan Creech contains a link to an MP3 of Merton speaking.

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Michael Krahn (michael.krahn@gmail.com) is a husband, father, Pastor, writer, and recording artist who enjoys books, theology, technology and the Ottawa Senators.
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