Make Peace Before the Sun Goes Down: The Long Encounter of Thomas Merton and His Abbot, James Fox

While Merton’s views of his abbot are well-documented in the former’s prolific writings, Lipsey (Hammarskjöld: A Life) draws on lesser-known documents from the pen of Dom James Fox himself to “shape an interpretive history” of the two monks’ nearly 20-year relationship at the Abbey of Gethsemani. Direct quotes are blended with keen analysis as the art historian and critic writes “not without pain and wonder” about their struggle. The abbot’s kindnesses toward Merton, Lipsey reveals in sometimes horrific detail, were mixed with sustained attempts, often with Dom James’s superiors and once with a cooperative psychiatrist, to control the brilliant, sometimes wayward writer and contemplative who achieved fame as soon as he began publishing his work in the 1940s. Lipsey’s narrative lightens as Merton begins to transcend the limitations of his context, using its unresolvable contradictions to foster spiritual growth. While the author works to be fair to the “immensely capable” abbot and unstintingly explores Merton’s convoluted participation in this complex relationship, he is clear about his discomfort with Dom James’s willingness to cause Merton suffering. This skilled, sometimes moving, addition to Merton scholarship will appeal most to enthusiasts already familiar with the full biography of the world-famous spiritual writer and social activist. (May)