At Play in Creation: Merton's Awakening to the Feminine Divine

In this series of deeply meditative retreat conferences, Christopher Pramuk leads the reader through a sustained meditation on Wisdom-Sophia, the feminine face of God's presence alive in the world, who speaks and sings in the writings of Thomas Merton. With the sensitivity of a poet and the intellectual acuity of a seasoned teacher and Catholic theologian, Pramuk invites readers to taste and see for themselves the hidden presence of Christ and the dynamism of Love at play in creation; the biblical and mystical tradition from East to West calls this presence Sophia. Looking beyond Merton to seek out her presence in the silent and broken landscapes of our world today, Pramuk shows Sophia above all to be the bearer of hope in an age of unspeakable violence and planetary destruction. Includes illustrations and photos.

About the Author :
Christopher Pramuk is associate professor of theology at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the author of Sophia: The Hidden Christ of Thomas Merton and Hope Sings, So Beautiful: Graced Encounters across the Color Line both from Liturgical Press. The recipient of the Catholic Theological Society of America's 2009 Catherine Mowry LaCugna Award, he has also received the International Thomas Merton Society's 2011 Thomas Merton Award, and several best essay awards from the Catholic Press Association. A lifelong musician and student of African American spirituality, he has led numerous workshops on the healing of race relations in society and the church as well as retreats on the life and writings of Thomas Merton.

Review :
In the midst of this absolutely beautiful book of reflections on Wisdom in Thomas Merton, Christopher Pramuk asks, after citing a passage, "Can somebody say Amen?!" Well, I can and am doing so with true delight. Pramuk brings together in his writing the poet and the scholar, the artist and the critic, the monk and prophet Merton was. His study of Wisdom in Merton is outstanding. This collection of reflections is a feast; Wisdom truly has set her table for us in them. Michael Plekon, PhD; Professor, Sociology/Anthropology, Coordinator of the Program in Religion & Culture; Baruch College of the City University of New York In Christopher Pramuk's marvelous new book, lyrical theology and thoughtfully grounded spirituality merge into one. His "voice" resonates in harmony with Thomas Merton's. As a professor of theology, Pramuk reads Merton well, but then as poet and musician, he sings and plays with Merton's most significant themes in a fresh, new key. . . . Pramuk is now my go-to theologian/poet for a trustworthy rendition of Merton's legacy. I smell a "classic" about to be born before my grateful eyes. My gut reaction is "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!" which is an American translation of "Bravissimo!" Jonathan Montaldo, Author of Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton "Christopher Pramuk's latest work, "At Play in Creation," offers a truly stunning introduction to the long-held but often forgotten Wisdom tradition. Priming our theological imaginations with the rich and sensuous language of poetry and with Merton's poem Hagia Sophia as a guide, Pramuk opens us to the divine music hidden in each of our encounters and allows us to glimpse the unseen Reality whom Merton calls Sophia. She is the breath of God poured out through the world, the one who shines from the faces of those who show courage and compassion in situations that cry for mercy. Pramuk explores her many manifestations within the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures and to people of various faith traditions, inviting us to peer into the liminal spaces of our own lives, the dark places, the places of our poverty where Sophia dwells and from which love springs. Myriad examples evidence the power of her presence and the depth of her love. This is a truly beautiful work, one that encourages deep contemplation of Sophia at work in our every encounter with Earth and with members of the human community, and one that helps us to imagine how to speak of Christ in an age of pluralism." Kathleen Duffy, SSJ Author of Teilhard's Mysticism: Seeing the Inner Face of Evolution Professor of Physics, and Director of the Institute for Religion and Science Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA