Spiritual Hero\'s by Brennan Hill

Spiritual Heroes

Mohandas Gandhi

"Knowing what you stand for limits what you fall for."

Gandhi stood for liberation through non-violence. Consequently, he could not be goaded into returning violence with violence and could not be dissuaded from his goal of India's freedom from British control (BBC, 2011).

What contributed to the development of his focus?

The development of Gandhi's focus on liberation through non-violence was developed by being an East Indian lawyer who was still treated like a third-class citizen; also, his stress on non-violence was largely developed by his Hindu religious roots (BBC, 2011).

What was his one thing?

Gandhi was the first to apply non-violence to large-scale politics, which led to the liberation of India from British rule (BBC, 2011) and inspired later leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin:

a. "Knowing what you stand for limits what you fall for."

De Chardin was a paleontologist and geologist who stood for scientific truth and eventually abandoned traditional interpretations of creation in the Book of Genesis in favor of a less strict interpretation. Standing for unflinching scientific analysis meant that de Chardin would not merely accept doctrines as truth when they conflicted with his own research (Grim & Tucker, 2005).

b. What contributed to the development of his focus?

His education in paleontology and geology contributed to his dedication on scientific truth (Grim & Tucker, 2005).

c. What was his one thing?

His one thing was The Phenomenon of Man, a scientific tome that set forth a sweeping account of the unfolding of the cosmos (Grim & Tucker, 2005).

3. Oscar Romero

a. "Knowing what you stand for limits what you fall for."

Oscar Romero was a South American bishop who stood for the basic human rights of the voiceless poor who were being repressed, tortured and killed by Salvadoran soldiers. Because he stood for basic human rights of the poor, he was not seduced by governmental power or silenced by the possibility of violent retribution (U.S. Catholic, 2009).

b. What contributed to the development of his focus?

His focus was developed by the fact that he was born and raised in El Salvador when the church was being persecuted, 40% of the land was owned by only 13 families, and schooling was limited to grades 1 -- 3 but he was privately tutored. Liberation Theology, a theology of freedom and basic human rights for the poor of South America, contributed to the development of his focus (U.S. Catholic, 2009).

c. What was his one thing?

His one thing was speaking fearlessly for the voiceless poor and oppressed, which led to his assassination (U.S. Catholic, 2009).

4. Dorothy Day

a. "Knowing what you stand for limits what you fall for."

Day was an American journalist, social activist and devout Catholic convert who supported the economic theory of Distributism, in which ownership of the means of production is spread out as far as possible among the populace. She co-established the Catholic Worker movement, a nonviolent, pacifist movement that continues to combine direct aid for the poor and homeless with nonviolent direct action on their behalf. Because Day stood for direct aid to the poor and nonviolent direct action for the poor, she could not be seduced by the idea of accumulating power and position due to her intelligence, education and social position (Forest).

b. What contributed to the development of her focus?

She was raised Methodist, became an agnostic but was spiritually reawakened by the birth of her daughter. Eventually, she became Roman Catholic, began writing for Catholic publications and focused increasingly on the plight of the poor (Forest).

c. What was her one thing?

Her one thing was the Catholic Worker Movement (Forest).

5. Edith Stein

a. "Knowing what you stand for limits what you fall for."