INSPIRATION FROM CONTEMPORARY CATHOLIC MYSTICS. CONTRIBUTIONS TO AN EMERGING GLOBAL SPIRITUALITY
INSPIRATION FROM CONTEMPORARY CATHOLIC MYSTICS. CONTRIBUTIONS TO AN EMERGING GLOBAL SPIRITUALITY

Summary/Abstract: The essay examines the lives and writings of four contemporary Catholic mystics (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Raimon Panikkar, Thomas Merton, Bede Griffiths—all priests), recognized by Franciscan theologian Ilia Delio as possible guides to the meaning of Christ in the new global community, which is perhaps 80 percent non-Christian. Teilhard, as a scientist and mystic, saw the universe evolving on the physical and spiritual levels, converging toward the Christic Omega Point. To build the future, we need to cooperate with this cosmic nature of Christ. Panikkar, a Catholic Hindu scholar, was deeply involved in interreligious dialogue and encouraged us to recognize the christophany, the reality of Christ, in all of our lives. Merton, a Trappist monk, had awareness of a “transcultural Christ,” the risen one at work throughout the world. Griffi ths, another Benedictine monk, lived for 38 years in India, trying to bridge East and West in dialogue. All four recognized the unique revelation of God through Christ. The latter three also saw value in deep interreligious dialogue between faiths, as a means to enrich the dialogue partners while remaining within their traditions.

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