Join with us as Dr. Christopher Pramuk explores the breakthrough of Wisdom-Sophia into the life and writings of Thomas Merton. In this presentation, Chris traces the broad outlines of Merton’s mystical-theological worldview and the genesis of his awakening to the feminine divine during a period of social unrest that Merton described as a “season of fury.” How did Merton’s encounter with divine Wisdom-Sophia both center and catalyze his extraordinary outreach to others and his radical commitment to peacemaking? Where do we see signs of her Presence, her call to peace, breaking through in our times?

In a series of conferences, Dr. Pramuk invites us deeper into the process by which Wisdom-Sophia broke into Merton’s consciousness during the last decade of his life, and would find expression in his writings, consummately in the prose poem of 1961, “Hagia Sophia.” Through a close reading or shared “lectio divina” of select passages tracing a range of Merton’s biblical, mystical, experiential, and theological sources, we will contemplate with Merton the mystical and prophetic implications of reclaiming the feminine divine for our times. Periods of solitude and shared dialogue will be structured into the day, with an optional film viewing together in the evening.