Abstract
Examining the works and life of Howard Thurman, one cannot avoid reminiscences of other persons who have uniquely combined philosophy, literature, and religion. He calls to mind those persons to whom Roland Frye refers as Christian humanists, such as Augustine, Dante, Erasmus, Zwingli, Melancthon, Calvin, Luther, Milton, Sydney, and Johnson, who exercised a “conscious Christian approach to literature, philosophy, and other humanistic disciplines.” As Frye describes their approach as not necessarily being that of philosophical humanism1 (for their professions differed and they represented diverse philosophical leanings), the same may be said of Thurman. There is some question as to whether he has systematically represented any facet of literature, philosophy, or religion. Though he has a system of his own and he has developed systematically over his life-span of seventy-nine years, one may not be able to place him safely within either of these three disciplines. Admittedly, he was a theologian, philosopher and clergyman by profession; yet to typify him as such occasions some difficulty. So, allowance will have to be made for him and his works to establish their own place or create their own system. Certain characteristics he does have in common with existing systems and trends, but he is, on the other hand, distinctly different from those. His most outstanding trait is mysticism; yet, he is not simply a mystic, and this study will not concentrate merely on that aspect of his character.