Thomas Merton and Thich Nhat Hanh: From Contemplative Practice to Social Action
Hoa Nguyen
Journal of Ecumenical Studies March 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1353/ecu.2026.a1002939 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that Buddhist mindfulness and Catholic contemplation, when grounded in an ethicospiritual framework, cultivate morally grounded social responsibility rather than serving as self-referential tools for individual well-being, as illustrated by the examples of Thich Nhat Hanh and Thomas Merton. |
Abstract
precis: Catholics and Buddhists cultivate silence through contemplation and mindfulness, which are, respectively, central practices that encourage engagement in spiritual realization and moral development. The practice of silence in Buddhist mindfulness and Christian contemplation links one’s personal prayer life to a morally grounded social accountability. This essay seeks to determine the extent to which this practice extends beyond a self-referential tool for one’s individual well-being to the cultivation of a morally grounded social responsibility in which suffering with others becomes primary. In an era where mindfulness has become a secular catchphrase and meditation is increasingly used as a corporate tool and ego-driven source of self-care, the examples of the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh and the Catholic monk Thomas Merton offer a reminder that spiritual development, when grounded in an ethicospiritual framework, is not for personal gratification but a greater good.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |