Category: Christianity

CHARLES FREER ANDREWS (1871-1940)

Christ’s Faithful Apostle: That was the name given to this Christian priest by the Hindu Indian independence leader, Mahatma Gandhi, playing off the initials of Charles Freer Andrews. Andrews was one of Gandhi’s closest associates and friends. Together they struggled for justice and freedom over many years and in many settings. Andrews grew up in… Read more »

TITUS BRANDSMA (1881-1942)

Titus Brandsma, born in 1881 and named Anno Sjoerd, was a Dutch Carmelite priest who also worked as a university professor and a journalist. When he joined the Carmelites in 1898 he took a new name according to Carmelite tradition, Titus, his father’s name and the name of the author of a New Testament epistle…. Read more »

WAYNE TEASDALE (1945-2004)

Wayne Teasdale’s spiritual career began as a Trappist monk at St. Joseph’s Abbey in Massachusetts. After 10 years under the direction of Abott Thomas Keating, founder of the centering prayer movement, Teasdale received an invitation that changed the direction of his spiritual journey. He was invited to study in India at the Benedictine ashram of… Read more »

FRITZ EICHENBERG (1901-1990)

Fritz Eichenberg was born in 1901 in Germany to a assimilated non-religious Jewish family. He studied art and became a wood engraver. He used his art to highlight moral and social convictions, including producing many anti-Hitler cartoons. When the Nazis came to power Eichenberg emigrated to the United States. The tragic death of his wife… Read more »

LANZA DEL VASTO (1901-1981)

Lanza del Vasto was born to a noble family in Italy in 1901. After studying philosophy he journeyed to India in 1936 where he studied under various Hindu holy men. He met Mahatma Gandhi and lived at Gandhi’s ashram long enough to become deeply acquainted with his philosophy of nonviolence and its practice. Gandhi gave… Read more »