Thomas Merton on Thomistic Thought and the Ways of God

Explore the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas with Thomas Merton as your guide.

While he was a student at Columbia University, Thomas Merton stumbled upon The Spirit of Medieval Philosophy by renowned neo-Thomistic philosopher Étienne Gilson. An essential work on St. Thomas and other Christian philosophers, it led him down a path of spiritual seeking that would culminate with his conversion to the Catholic Church and entrance into a Trappist monastery.

These five talks, originally delivered by Thomas Merton to the novice monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani, focus on “The Ways of God” (De divinis moribus), a short work attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas. Under the guidance of Merton, you will explore the nature of God, looking at how God is simple, perfect, infinite, immutable, and One.

Merton’s talks are more akin to retreat conferences rather than didactic academic presentations. In these talks, you will find profound reflections on the Divine perfections as expressed in "The Ways of God." He applies these qualities to our own lives, looking at how God provides a powerful model for imitating the Divine. Just as we are made in the image of God, so we are called to imitate the Father and thus become Godlike.

Thomas Merton on St. Thomas Aquinas and “The Ways of God” is an exceptional journey through medieval philosophy and Thomistic thought. Join Thomas Merton in imitating the Divine today.