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THOMAS MERTON's DIALOGUE WTH D. T. SUZUKI, Joseph Quinn OPENNESS AND FIDELïW THOMAS MERTON'S DIALOGUE WTH D. T. SUZUKI, AND SELF-TRANSCENDENCE b Joseph Quinn Raab A Thesis subnrittd to tht Fdtyof Thco10gy of the University of St. Michaei's College uid the Dcpuhnnit of ïheology of the Toronto School of Theology in p& fulfüknent of the rrguirements for the degree of Ooctor of Philosophy irt Thcology awarded by the University of St. Michael's College Toronto 2000 0 Joseph Quinn Rjab National Library Bibliothéque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. nie Wellirigtori OnawaON KlAW OnawaON K1AON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or seli reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electro'onic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retaios ownership of the L'auteur consenre la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts kom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othewise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Opennrss and Fidelity: Thomas tî&rtonOs Dialogue zvith O. T. Suzuki, and Self-Transcmdmce by JosephQuinn Raab A bstmct This dissertation demonstrates that a Christian can remain faithful to hs or her doctrinal heritage, even to a normative christology/soteriology, and yet genuinely open to and able to learn from non-Christians about the human quest for truth. This integration of openness and fidelity involves no self-contradiction and no compromise of doctrinal orthodoxy because both openness to the other and fidelity to the Apostolic Kerygma are fruits of one's fidelity to one's self at best. The integration of openness and fidelity is thus explained as the huit of authentic subjectivity. In this regard, this work provides a resource for the present discussions concerning interreligious dialogue and theological models of world religions that assists Christians in resolving an apparent dialectical tension that obtains between Christian orthodoxy and openness to the wisdom of non-Christian religions. Thomas Merton is the central figure in my dissertation because his dialogical practice illustrates very well this combination of openness and fidelity. Merton's dialogue with D. T. Suzuki exemplifies his achievement of appropnating Zen insight at no cost to his Catholic faith commitments. A theoretical understanding of self-transcendence grounds my interpretation and explana tion of Merton's achievement in his dialogue with Suzuki, and Merton's life and dialogue serve io illustrate just what self-transcendence means. 1 relv on Bernard Lonergan's theory of intentional consciousness as a wav to make explici t Merton's self-transcending joumey and as a way to interpret and explain what (methodically) is happening in his dialogue with Suzuki. Acknowledgmen ts I would like to thank Professors Michael Vertin and Vivian Ligo for their encouragement and unfailing guidance. I would like to thank my professors from the Toronto School of Theologv, especially Michael Vertin, Ovey Mohammed S.J., Robert Doran S.]., Jean-Marc LaPorte S.J., and Lorna Bowman for helping me understand myself more clearly as a thinking person of faith. 1 would also like to thank Brother Patrick Hart O.C.S.O.,and Jonathan Montaldo from the Thomas Metton Research Center at Bellarmine College, for answering questions about Thomas Merton and for encouraging this work. 1 am also grateful for the support of friends like Dr. John Murphy, Joseph Hartzler SM., and John Dadosky for suffering with me the pains of giving birth to a dissertation. I am indebted to The Universitv of St. bfichael's College, Santa Catalina School, and to the Michigan City Scholarship Founda tion, for largely funding my doctoral studies. 1 also want to thank my parents, Ed and Sharon Raab, for being my primary religious educators and passing on to me the wealth and wisdom of the Catholic tradition. Most importantly, 1 want to thank my wife, Jane Raab, for her patience, love, support, and for the countless sacrifices she has made in order to help me finish this project. 1 dedicate this dissertation to her with profound love and gratitude. Table of Contents: .ABBREVI.A TIONS OF WORKS BY THOMAS MERTON............................ vii CHAPTER ONE: Sel' Trn~rscendr~zcemzd Dialogue: An Introduction ........................ ............. 1 1. introduction .............................--...................... ............................................1 7 . Interreligious Dialogue in the Contemporary Context. an Ovemiew of the Present Work .................................................................................................2 3 . Discovering Thomas Lierton: A Persona1 Note........................................... 12 4 . The Dynamism of Human Consciousness and Self-Transcendence..... 23 a . The Theory of Inten tional Consaousness ..............................................24 b . Transformations of Consciousness ................................ ........................... 30 c . Linking the World of Immediacy with The World Mediated by Meaning...................................................................................... .. ................... 35 5 . Di f feren tia ting Realms of Discourse ................................................................40 6 . Self-Transcendence and Interreligious Dialogue .......................................... 44 7. A No te on Limitations ...................................................................................... 49 CHAPTER TWO: Merto~r's Jountey of Self-Trnnscendence and Self-Transformation ............52 1. 1938-1941: A Transforma tive Cornmitment to Meaning and Value .......56 2- blonas tic Formation: Leaming Love and Responsibility........................... 69 3 . Emp tiness and Compassion.............................................................................. 82 CHAPTER THREE: 111 Didopie zuith Strxki: ïïre Specijic Context................................................ 94 I . D . T . Suzuki .......................................................................................................... 94 3 . Merton hfakes Contact........................................................................................ 98 3 . Suuki Replies ...................................................................................................... 99 4 . Merton to Suzuki.............................................................................................. 99 . .. 3 . Suzuki s Preface................................................................................................. 103 6 . Merton Responds.................................................. i ........................................... IO8 7 . Recovery of Paradise......................................................................................... 110 8. Suzuki to Merton .................................... ........................................................... 114 9 . Final Remarks: Suzuki ................................... .. ............. -114 10 . Merton Responds............................................................................................. 115 11 . Final Remarks: Merton ..................................... ............................................. 117 12. The Meeting ...................................................................................................... 119 13. hlerton Remembers Suzuki .................. .............. .....................................122 CHAPTER FOUR: Dialogue. Cottsciottsness and Common Horizons ............................... 4 1 . Suzuki on Prajna .............................................................................................. 126 2 . Mer ton's Initial Understanding of Suzuki's Viewpoint ........................ J28 3 . Merton on Wisdom .......................................................................................... 130 4 . Suzuki's Understanding of Merton's Viewpoint .......................................131 5 . Mer ton's Understanding Develops............................................................... 132 6."The Zen Revival": New Terms for Affinning Mutual Understanding ..................................................................................................135 7 . Convergence and a Cornmon Language..................................................... 142 8 . Three kleanings of "God"'and Human Consaousness ........................... 148 9 . The blranings of '%odl'as Successively Related .......................................161 10 . Torvard an Understanding of the Relationship Between the Imer Spiritual Experience and the World Mediated by Meaning................... 168 CHAPTER FIVE: Conclusions on Consciousness. Dialogue and Self-Trunscendence ..........183 1 . Learning in Dep th from The Buddhist Discipline ................................... 183 2 . The Language of Mystio and the Dialogue for World Transformation ............................................................................................. 194 3 . In tegrating Consaousness and Kerygma ............................ ... .. ....22 4 . A
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