The Sermon on the Mount in St. Matthew's Gospel is a good synopsis of Jesus ' teaching and the Beatitudes summarize the Sermon on the Mount. Bonnie Thurston reflects on the Beatitudes and their focus on the kingdom of heaven. She shows how the Sermon on the Mount deepens understanding of the spiritual virtues the vows are intended to nurture and how the values embodied in the vows are central to all Christian living. Thurston begins with a study of the Beatitudes that introduces what Jesus might have meant by Kingdom of Heaven. She then looks at passages from the Sermon on the Mount and discusses their implications for religious vows. The book closes with a discussion of how monastic vows might enrich the spirituality of marriage.

About the Author
Bonnie B. Thurston, after years as a university and seminary professor, lives quietly in her home state of West Virginia. She is the author of many books on Scripture and spirituality and eight books of poetry. These include Liturgical Press publications Saint Mary of Egypt: A Modern Verse Life and Interpretation;Shaped by the End You Live For: Thomas Merton's Monastic Spirituality; Maverick Mark: The Untamed First Gospel; The Spiritual Landscape of Mark;Philippians in the Sacra Pagina series; and Belonging to Borders: A Sojourn in the Celtic Tradition (poetry).

Reviews
This short book is rich in insights into the Sermon on the Mount and its application to the life of Christ's disciples. . . . the book can be read with profit by any disciple committed to the life of the Gospels, lay, religious professing the traditional vows, and monastic.American Benedictine Review
The title of the book is very fitting for it shows the relationship of the religious vows with Matthew's Sermon on the Mount and how it is influential to every Christian.Catholic Library World
The real benefit of Thurston's study is her solid confidence in the applicability of Christ's teachings . . . it is a creative engagement of the Lord's message and one that is intent on exposing how Christ's teachings remain immediate and integral to the Christian's daily life.Cistercian Studies Quarterly
. . . her eagerness and her devotion to Scripture remain rich and fruitful.Cistercian Studies Quarterly
Thurston gives us this fresh perspective and manages to do the nearly impossible: open up the Sermon on the Mount as an undiscovered treasure!Spirituality and Practice
Thurston displays her poet's keen sense of wordcraft. She builds upon her thorough knowledge of Scripture, Greek and Hebrew to ground the reader-lay and religious-in these primary 'marching orders' we call Beatitudes.Regula
... shows how the Sermon on the Mount can deepen our understanding of the spiritual values that religious vows are intended to nurture. New Testament Abstracts
Biblical scholar and Disciples of Christ minister Bonnie Bowman Thurston adds another contribution to her thoughtful works on biblical spirituality.The Bible Today



Book Information
ISBN 9780814629291
Author Bonnie B. Thurston
Format Paperback
Page Count 112
Imprint Liturgical Press
Publisher Liturgical Press
Weight(grams) 142g