Join monk and mystic Thomas Merton on a journey through monastic and contemplative history.

In these talks delivered by Thomas Merton, you will gain a rich introduction to the monastic period of church history, encountering such figures as St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Benedict, John Cassian, Basil, and Charlemagne. As you will come to discover, the history of monasticism is deeply intertwined with the greater history of Europe and the Christian contemplative tradition.

Join one of the 20th century's great contemplative masters in deepening your understanding of the Christian life and spiritual history.

A best-selling author and mystic, Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk, and his monastic vision shaped his profound spirituality. In this series of lectures, he examines the founding of the Cistercian Order, of which the Trappists are a part, and what the early Cistercians can teach us today. You will journey with Merton through the most vital events of Christian contemplative history. Explore Christian monasticism's origins in the Desert Fathers and Mothers, who encountered God in inspiring and radical ways. Then see how monasticism flourished under St. Benedict, whose rule promoted the power of humility, work, and prayer.

Most importantly, you will see how the medieval Cistercians, founded at the Abbey of Cîteaux, have much to teach us about our world today. Facing the excesses of the Middle Ages, these inspiring spiritual ancestors sought lives of simplicity in order to make manifest their love of Christ. Theirs was a deeply contemplative practice in which they gave themselves over to God completely.

With Merton as your guide, you will explore such topics as Lectio Divina, the conversion of manners, and the core values of the Trappist way of life. Merton delivers these lectures with his signature grace, wit, and wisdom. In taking Merton as your guide, you will discover what it means to dedicate yourself to the search for God.