Being Compassionate Contemplatives

Albert Nolan OP was a South African born Dominican priest, writer, YCS Chaplain and activist against apartheid in South Africa. He is well-known, since the 1970s, for his writings in Christology (Jesus Before Christianity was an international best seller), but there are few published pieces of his writings on Dominican themes. At various times in his life he was Novice Master and Student Master to young Dominicans in his vice-province and so had to prepare talks to give to those under his care on aspects of the Dominican life, while at other times he was the provincial and so was invited to speak at meetings and conferences and gave talks reflection on his life and his vocation. This book brings together a number of these writings; talks to the novices, and papers he gave to others (including one to the Jesuits’ in South Africa), on Dominican saints, the spiritual life, and on various forms of prayer. Some of the papers are dated and it is clear to whom they were addressed, while others are not. However, they offer significant insights into his life and thoughts of being a Dominican in South Africa.

Albert Nolan OP (2 September 1934 – 17 October 2022) was a South African Catholic priest, theologian writer and member of the Dominican Order. He is well known for his book, Jesus Before Christianity, first published in 1976. It has sold more than 150,000 copies and was translated into over 10 different languages. Nolan published his second major work, God in South Africa in 1988. At one point during the writing process he ‘went underground’ to hide from the South African Security Forces during the State of Emergency. In 2006, Nolan published his Jesus Today: A Spirituality of Radical Freedom. In 1990 Albert Nolan received an honorary doctorate from Regis College, Toronto, Canada while in 2003 the South African government awarded him the Order of Luthuli in silver, in recognition of ‘his life-long dedication to the struggle for democracy, human rights and justice and for challenging the religious dogma including theological justification of apartheid’. On 15 November 2008, the Master of the Dominican Order, Fr Carlos Azpiroz Costa OP promoted Nolan to a Master of Sacred Theology in recognition of the significant contribution he had made to theological research and debate.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.