If contemplation and criticism can lead to imitation, then writing about the literary Christian left of the last century might help establish a literary Christian left for this century.

In 'Monster in the Middle,' Tiphanie Yanique shows how the choice to love is always a leap of faith, a heedless plunge into the unknown.

The tale of a medieval woman’s decision to join the convent, Marj Charlier’s historical novel, 'The Rebel Nun,' resonates with many of the issues faced by the church in modern times.

Patrick Collins gives a close read of Thomas Merton’s correspondence in “A Focus on Truth: Thomas Merton's Uncensored Mind.”

In “The Deep Places,” Ross Douthat relates how an experience of illness and suffering can lead to a search for answers to more transcendent questions, including the meaning of suffering and the gift of perseverance.

Marshall McLuhan, the pop culture sage of the electronic world, spent the final days of his life with Frank Stroud, S.J.