Thomas MERTON. Jon M. Sweeney, ed. A Course in Desert Spirituality: Fifteen Sessions with the Famous Trappist Monk. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2019. pp. 176 19.95 pb. ISBN 9780814684733. Reviewed by Robert P. MARKO, Aquinas College, Grand Rapid, MI 49506.

 Jon Sweeney renders readers fifteen of Thomas Merton's lectures to young men in Trappist formation at Gethsemane Abbey and includes the editor’s fine group discussion topics with questions and suggested further reading.  A Course in Desert Spirituality is essentially a redaction of previous scholarly editions of Merton’s talks beginning with early Christian spirituality of the first two centuries and ending with Mar Philoxenus of Mabburg, (d.523).  As seen throughout the lectures and in Sweeny’s discussion aids (159-169), readers may appreciate the personal tensions of Merton in approaching spiritual life. One of these tensions that will be familiar to many readers is the ubiquitous Father Louis’ struggle between cenobitism or community life and the personal allure to the life of the hermit or eremitism. 

The talks, which are actually more congenial and personal than scholarly essays, were first presented in 1956 and are available in more detail in Patrick O’Connell’s 2005 and 2006 compilations.  Sweeney’s edition may be most valuable to the non scholar who wants an introduction to certain authors and writings in the Desert Spiritual tradition.  Many readers will be familiar with some names and spiritual teaching but, as Sweeney suggests, these lectures are not intended to be merely interesting but “they are meant to transform.” (xv)  While reading the work over a few months, I could not help but think of the prologue of St. Benedict’s Rule: “Listen, child of God, to the guidance of your teacher.” (Trans. Patrick Barry, OSB) 

Even readers who are somewhat familiar with Merton, Patristics and early Christian spirituality may learn something new.   Moreover, novices will get a popular introduction to certain themes in the desert spiritual tradition.  I found his lecture 2 on Aberrations in the Early Centuries as helpful for any course in Christology and Ecclesiology and easily accessible to students.   Also, Merton’s plethora of sage advice and wisdom is relevant to contemporary Christians.  For example, in considering Gnosticism he claims:

We can recognize similar trends all down through the history of the Church.  Such trends arise when there are times of unrest ….They flare up and lead to many excesses…(14)

Merton’s work still attracts many followers and is applicable to everyone, not just monastics. After some introductory settings including a fine taste of the Alexandrian teachers, Clement and Origen who influenced future Christian mysticism, Merton offers us an appreciation of desert hermit, Anthony of the Desert (Lec. 4) and the Pachomius who founded organized desert monasticism (Lec. 5).  The Cappodocian Father, Basil of Caesarea who is considered the founder of Eastern monasticism and whom Merton tellingly, I believe, highlights because of the struggle in community life to follow divine rather than self-will follows in Lecture Six.  Lecture Seven considers the other two Cappodocians, Gregory Nazianen and a Merton favorite and significant theologian, Gregory of Nyssa.   In Lecture Eight, the cantankerous St. Jerome along with Palestinian monks are expounded upon.  Merton does not avoid exhortation of the young monks during his lectures.  Consider the following where Merton calls monks to courage and fidelity:

Jerome urged men and women to fearlessly defy the world and their families in order to renounce worldly life and follow Christ with courage. …. he urges Heliodorus (presbyter and bishop noted for abandoning the solitary life) to trample on his father’s prostrate body if the latter lies down ….to prevent him going forth to follow his vocation (61)

Merton throughout the lectures recognizes the tensions in Christian life and teaching in his lengthy treatments of Evagrius Ponticus and John Cassian (Lecs. 12, 13). In fact, Merton asks, “(So) is Evagrius dangerous?”  The answer is affirmative, “Evagrius is an extremist and several dangers are often pointed out in his teaching.” (88)   Merton recognizes the struggles in spiritual life between grace and gift vs. human effort and will.    He rightly includes the importance in his lectures of the Desert Mothers, Melania the Elder and Melania the Young (Lec.9) while Sweeney the editor offers us Mary the Harlot or Mary of Egypt not mentioned by Merton but so revered in the Eastern Christian traditions (163-4). 

Highly recommended as a supplemental text in a spirituality course, and for individual or group reading.