Merton and the Meek: On Christian Non-Violence

In Thomas Merton's essay, "Blessed are the Meek" from Faith and Violence, the deceased Trappist monk and political activist of the twentieth century sets a theological basis for the manifestation of Christian non-violence in the modern world. His understanding of Christian non-violence is informed by the Beatitudes proffered by Christ in the Gospel of Matthew. As Merton would have it, Christ's eschatalogical vision for humanity is undergirded by meekness, humilty and hope--all central tenets of Christian non-violent resistence that is most efficacious when carried out according to seven conditions the famed monk proffers in "Blessed are the Meek."

Bros:

Using the above prompt as an introductory paragraph to your next essay reflection, I would like you to craft a thought piece that is structured as follows:

Intro - provided

P 1 - give an explanation of what Merton means when he discusses that the non-violent resister is one who fights for everybody and who undergoes a transformation of self in and through God (cf. 15 - 17).

P 2 - give an explanation of what Merton ultimately means by both "meekness" and "resistence" and what the end goal of any form of non-violent, meek "resistence" is (cf. 17-20).

P 3 - summarize and interpret, relying on both paraphrases and direct quotes, the seven conditions Merton sets forth as the bases for Christian non-violence (cf. 21-27).

P 4 - interpret the relationships between "person-oriented" thinking and Christian non-violent resistence (cf. 28).

P 5 - conclude (without stating, "In conclusion," or "All in all") with a statement that gives a clear indication of what Merton's ultimate mandate it is for those seeking to settle conflict (cf. 29).

This reflection is due in my hands, according to MLA format on Wednesday, February 25, 2009.

If you have any issues regarding proper formatting, particularly with regard to incorporating and interpreting quotations--long or short--in(to) your text, please refer to the MLA guide distributed to you at the beginning of the semester.

Peace!
Monk Peach, FSC