The Living Wisdom of Howard Thurman: A Visionary for Our Time

by Howard Thurman, Vincent Harding, Michael Bernard Beckwith

When we face challenges that seem too daunting to overcome, where can we find the strength to carry on? There is an inexhaustible wellspring of energy available to us in the moments of quiet stillness when we become aware of the Divine. For decades, Howard Thurman's words have guided many toward this deep inner reservoir, from leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King and President Barack Obama to countless people looking for the inspiration to deal creatively with the everyday struggles of life. Now with The Living Wisdom of Howard Thurman, you can hear some of the most powerful recordings from this treasured spiritual luminary. Howard Thurman was a Christian theologian, yet he knew that no religion could ever ¿own¿ God. Instead, he spoke of the mystical experience-the deep knowledge that each of us is always surrounded and pervaded by Spirit. In these recordings, he offers insights on how we can open ourselves to our inherent divinity. With thunderous testimony and gentle whispers from the heart, he illuminates the inner journey that leads us ever toward a love so great that it can only come from God. Howard Thurman's words transcend any single religious tradition or era in history, for they have the power to give wings to all of us when we are suffering or in doubt.The Living Wisdom of Howard Thurman brings you a unique opportunity to hear one of America's greatest spiritual teachers-speaking to you across the years with timeless wisdom for your human journey.

Genres: Spirituality, Audiobook, Theology, Nonfiction, Christian, History

6 pages, Audio CD

First published September 28, 2010

About the author

Howard Washington Thurman was an author, philosopher, theologian, educator, and civil rights leader. As a prominent religious figure, he played a leading role in many social justice movements and organizations of the twentieth century.

Reviews

[Adam Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: A collection of portions of Howard Thurman’s sermons, prayers, talks, and teaching.

Jesus and the Disinherited is Howard Thurman’s most influential book. It is the only book of Thurman’s I have read so far, but I have an autobiography and a collection of his meditations and sermons that I will get to eventually.

When I think of Thurman, I think of him primarily as a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr. And because King died in 1968, and Jesus and the Disinherited was published in 1949, I think of Thurman as someone from the first half of the 20th century, but Thurman lived until 1981.

The Living Wisdom of Howard Thurman is a collection of sermons, prayers, and talks with introductions to different sections by Alice Walker, Vincent Harding, and several others. The openings were helpful because many of the contributors relate personal stories about Thurman as part of their sections.

Because these are all actual recordings of Thurman and not narrations of his written work, the quality is not as high as most audiobooks. However, the ability to hear him, in his voice, makes up for any weakness in audio quality. Many of these are from his time as pastor of the Church of the Fellowship of All Peoples. This church was an early, intentionally interracial church, started in 1944 (before the Kneel in Protests across the country.) Thurman was co-pastor with Alfred Fisk, a White man, until 1953 when he became the Dean of Marsh Chapel at Boston College.

The main negative of the collection is that there is very little content more than five to ten minutes long. I would have like many more full-length sermons. I am not sure if the choice to primarily collect snippets was in the interest of a broader range of content, or issues of audio quality. Whichever it was, the decision leaves the listener without full context in many cases.

When I finished The Living Wisdom of Howard Thurman, I started a similar collection, The Radical King. The Radical King is mostly full-length speeches and sermons, but it is also only narrated by modern celebrities doing dramatic readings, Danny Glover, LeVar Burton, Leslie Odom Jr, etc. The narration is high quality, and the full-length sermons or speeches are helpful, but I miss the voice of King. So I will be happy with what I have with the actual sound of Thurman words.

Thurman was a mystic. This collection highlights that far more than Jesus and the Disinherited. Mystics, in part, are dealing with ideas and spiritual experience that is hard to communicate. There are definitely sections here that I need to listen to again. The format has a tendency to reduce Thurman to spiritual sage. He certainly was a wise man, and I am interested in him in part because of his elder statement of the Civil Rights movement status. But my impression of him is that while a true mystic and idealist, he was a much more practical man than what ‘spiritual sage’ tends to communicate.

The Living Wisdom of Howard Thurman is one of those books that I am happy to have, but want more from.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful audiobook with actual clips of sermons and meditations from Dr. Howard Thurman with introductions from many people including Alice Walker.

I had intended to share so many quotes from the book that I decided it would be better just to let everyone know that there are so many poignant quotes that I couldn't possibly put them all down. Each sermon has multiple quotes to help you with various situations.

I continue to use the word Sermon but Thurman was considered a mystic...he believed that God, Gods, oceans, ancestors and all things exist in heaven..they are all part of the whole.

It is a great book and i have already recommended it to my friends. I will be reading more on Howard Thurman.

[Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

illuminating. wish snippets of sermons were longer

[Dawn Dishman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Howard Thurman was a remarkable man who lived through a remarkable and tumultuous time of US history. His writings reflect a deep spiritual thinker who cared for and nurtured his interior world so that he could respond to the outer world around him. I found these writings, sermons, and meditations challenging and comforting both.

[r · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It may be that seeking and finding are one and the same thing. That what I hunger for is grows out of what I am aware of as the most real thing in me already."

"I think I am responsible for my reactions to the events of my life, even though I may not have created them. Even though I may merely be a victim on their hands. [...] I alone can say yes or no. I can give to them my yea or nay. I can hold in my hands, even through my tears and my agony, my own vote so that I will not let my circumstances vote for me."

"The pressure itself becomes an agent that is vehicular for my ends. It becomes my servant, rather than my nemesis or my enemy."

"Keep alive the dream, for as long as a man has a dream in his heart he cannot lose the significance of living."

[Karen Berlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audio collection of actual recordings of sermons, meditations, talks and prayers by contemplative Howard Thurman, spiritual mentor for Martin Luther King Jr who taught the importance of self-examination, centering, and love for self, others and God. Effective use of story, religious writings, scripture, personal transparency and questions provides thought-provoking and inspirational wisdom to consider and apply.

[Alison Poole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first remember being exposed to Howard Thurman’s ideas through Osheta Moore. It was powerful to hear these recorded sermons combined with the reflections on Thurman by writers and thinkers like Alice Walker who were influenced by Thurman. I enjoyed the sermon format, but/and I look forward to reading his longer works.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired to read this by Dean Elmore at BU, I'm glad I got to hear Dr. Thurman's delivery. His talk after MLK's assassination was important to hear. Otherwise, a little too much religion for me, but well-delivered.

[Michael Erwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The audiobook consists of recordings of Thurman reading his own works. Excellent!

[Dee Lanier · Rating 4 out of 5]

The eulogy of MLK made this worth the price of admission. I will be listening to that multiple times now that I have heard it here and have found it on YouTube.

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

What am amazing collection of Thurman's work. The thematic presentation and excellent introductions added so much. I will be listening to this again and again - so much depth and insight.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

2010 audio book. Recordings of black theologian and pastor Howard Thurman, an inspiration and a mentor to many in the civil rights movement including MLK, Jr. Along with Alfred Fisk, started the first major interracial, interdenominational church in the United States in San Francisco in the 1940s. A true mystic in his experiences who knew how to talk to ordinary people about the real stuff of life. Also includes recordings from some of the people he influenced about his effect on their lives.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

He’s awesome.