The Fons Vitae publishing project for the study of world religions through the lens of Thomas Merton’s life and writings brings Merton’s timeless vision of all persons united in a ‘hidden ground of Love’ to a contemporary audience. The previous six volumes in our series - Merton and Sufism, Merton and Buddhism, Merton and Judaism, Merton and Taoism, Merton and the Protestant Tradition, Merton and Hesychasm feature essays by international scholars that assess the value of Merton’s contributions to inter-religious dialogue. This seventh volume in our series, Merton and Indigenous Wisdom, gathers reflections that expose Merton’s appreciation for the spiritual and religious genius of American and Canadian indigenous peoples. A new translation of his ‘Preface for Latin American Readers’ is a significant manifesto of Merton’s universality and ‘catholic’ approach to the phenomenon of seeking God and the Sacred in all the world’s cultures. The essays included are replete with passages from Merton’s writings and transcriptions from his recovered weekly talks to the novices at the monastery of Gethsemani, where he lived until his untimely death in 1968. We owe an enormous debt to the Indians, and we should begin by recognizing the spiritual richness of the Indian religious genius. There is great hope for the world in the spiritual emancipation of the Indians. - Thomas Merton, The Courage for Truth Letter to Pablo Antonio Cuadra, 1958 I have a clear obligation to participate, as long as I can, and to the extent of my abilities, in every effort to help a spiritual and cultural renewal of our time. To emphasize and clarify the living content of spiritual traditions by entering deeply into their disciplines and experiences, not for myself only but for all my contemporaries. This for the restoration of man’s sanity and balance, that he may return to the ways of freedom and peace, if not in my time, at least some day soon. - Turning Toward the World: The Pivotal Years.The Journals of Thomas Merton, Volume 4, 1960-1963
