Beyond the darkness

by Shirley Du Boulay

Even though the English Benedictine monk Bede Griffiths was well known during his lifetime (1906-1993) for his efforts to harmonize the spiritual practices of East and West, the full range of his influence is only just becoming widely appreciated. Now, from respected journalist and biographer Shirley du Boulay, comes the first major biography of Griffith's life, Beyond the Darkness. Du Boulay shows the transformation of Griffiths from an idealistic, highly intelligent, serious, and sometime irritable schoolboy into a man of profound wisdom who emanated unconditional love, and who was often revered as a holy man and a living saint. During his life of intellectual and spiritual discovery, he became an associate of the Inklings, a close friend of C.S. Lewis, and eventually a leader of an ashram in India.