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Date:         Sat, 26 Sep 1992 12:51:12 PDT
From:         Norman Kraft <nkraft@BKHOUSE.CTS.COM>
Subject:      Re: mysticism
              "AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU!CATHOLIC" at Sep 26, 92 1:58 pm

> In article <m0mYMHd-0000ioC@bkhouse.cts.com> Norman Kraft
> <nkraft@BKHOUSE.CTS.COM> writes:
>
>    > Catholic pastors have NO BUSINESS quoting substantial portions from
>    > Buddhists or Hindus, PARTICULARLY if they are promoting their
>    > theological views! This is idolatry and heresy!
>
>    Hmmm. Heretics like Thomas Merton? Dom Aldred Graham? William Johnston,
>    S.J.? All of whom wrote extensively about Zen and Buddhism, and
>    incorporated practices from Zen into their own spiritual journey.
>    Or J. DeChanet, S.J., who wrote about "Christian Yoga"? How about
>    Mechtild of Magdeburg? Meister Eckhart? Julian of Norwich? St. John of
>    the Cross? All of whom taught that every person is a mystic,
>    and that the mystic path is a beautiful and deep one, not a dangerous
>    one. Heretics all! Possessed by Satan! .... Poppycock.
>
> This is rather mixed up.  Thomas Merton and St. John of the Cross in
> the same breath?

Actually, the point was Zen and mysticism in the same paragraph. They
are related subjects, though perhaps there should have been a carriage
return in there.

I always find it amusing to see how many great modern Catholic writers,
like Thomas Merton, are often abused by conservative Catholics, when
I remember how many times St. Thomas Aquinas and many other great
classic Catholic writers were condemned in their day by conservatives.

> Zen has no place in Catholic spirituality.  I believe I read something
> from Rome to that effect just recently.  Unfortunately, I can't for
> the life of me remember what it was.

I would be really interested to know just what that was. It was the
direct effect of Vatican II that led people such as Merton and Graham
to explore Zen. Zen, or actually Zen techniques and insights into
meditation, certainly have a place in any spiritual practice,
Catholicism included. There are many ideas in common between Zen
and Catholic mysticism and contemplation, and in many ways Zen presents
a deeper exploration into these areas. This is what attracted people
such as Merton to the tradition.

Have you read Merton's books on Zen, _Zen and the Birds of Appetite_,
or _Mystics and Zen Masters_? Have you read Dom Aldred Graham's
_Zen Catholicism_ or _Conversations: Buddhist and Catholic_? Have
you read Suzuki and Watts for a more Zen-oriented view? Are you
really familiar enough with Zen, its origins, teachings and practices
that you can authoritatively say that it has no place in Catholicism?
Why do you think that so many Catholic contemplatives have pursued
Zen?

Norm.

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Norman Kraft, Senior Partner          INET : nkraft@bkhouse.cts.com
Argus Computing & Multimedia          UUCP : ucsd!crash!bkhouse!nkraft
San Diego, CA                         GENIE: N.KRAFT3
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