Robert A. Jonas: Biography and Books
A Brief Biography
obert A. Jonas, M.T.S.( Weston School of Theology, Cambridge, MA: Masters in Theological Studies,), Ed.D. (Harvard, Cambridge, MA: psychology and education), is the founder and director of The Empty Bell, a contemplative sanctuary in Northampton, MA, with a special emphasis on the Buddhist-Christian dialogue, and on the arts.
Jonas is an author, musician and retreat leader. A Christian in the Carmelite tradition, he has also received spiritual formation with Buddhist teachers. Currently a student of Sui-Zen, the Japanese bamboo flute (shakuhachi), he has played in many secular and spiritual contexts, both Buddhist and Christian. Sample tracks by Dr. Jonas may be found throughout this site. For his CDs, visit the shakuhachi page.
Dr. Jonas is a member of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies, on the Board of the Henri Nouwen Society, and co-founder with the Wilderness Society, of Project Noah, an effort to connect people of faith with wilderness protection. He is the author of many books and articles; a selected bibliography with samples may be found below, and more examples of his writings, as well as an interview may be found here. He is currently working on a book about the Christian-Buddhist dialogue.
| Books by Robert A. Jonas | ||
 |
Henri Nouwen: Writings Selected With an Introduction by Robert A. Jonas, (Modern Spiritual Masters Series, Orbis Books, 1998.)
Orbis Books' Best Selling Book for 1998 |
|
|
||
| Rebecca: A Father's Journey from Grief to Gratitude. Introduction by Henri J.M. Nouwen, (New York: Crossroad, 1996.)
Winner of a 1997 Catholic Book Award |
 |
|
|
||
 |
"Loving Someone You Can’t See," in Beside Still Waters: Jews, Christians, and the Way of the Buddha. H. Kasimow, L. Keenan & J. Keenan, eds. Foreword: J. Miles, author of God, A Biography. (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2003). | |
|
||
| "Cigarette Smoke and Incense: A Perfect Storm of Healing," a chapter in Into the Mountain Stream: Psychotherapy and Buddhism. Paul C. Cooper, editor. (Lanham, MD: Jason Aronson, 2006.) |  |
|
|
||
 |
"The Empty Bell: A Contemplative Community," in Handbook of Spirituality for Ministers: Perspectives for the 21st century, volume 2 in Robert J. Wicks, ed. (NY and Mahweh, NJ: Paulist Press, 2000.) | |
|
||
| "Daybreak," a chapter in The Journey of the Lay Contemplative. Mary Frolich and Virginia Manss eds. (St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1999.) |  |
|
|
||
Articles, Reviews and Apologetics | ||
 |
Deep River Shusaku Endo, (translated by Van C. Gessel. New York: New Directions, 1994) A Review by Robert A. Jonas (First appeared in Studies in Interreligious Dialogue, 5/1995/2) |
|
|
||
| The Logia of Yeshua Guy Davenport and Benjamin Urrutia, translators (New York, Counterpoint Press, 1998) A Review by Robert A. Jonas (First appeared in Shambhala Sun magazine, September, 1996) |
 |
|
|
||
 |
Blowing Zen: Finding an Authentic Life by Ray Brooks(Tiburon, CA: HJKramer, 2000) A Review by Robert A. Jonas ©2000 |
|
|
||
| The Gospel According to Jesus by Stephen Mitchell, (New York: HarperCollins, 1991.) A Review by Robert A. Jonas (First appeared in Shambhala Sun magazine, December, 1996) |
 |
|
|
||
 |
A Response to Erik Reece's “Jesus Without Miracles” (Harper's, December 2005). | |
|
||
| Becoming the True Self: Spiritual and Psychological Perspectives for the 21st Century by Robert A. Jonas |
 |
|
|
||
 |
Can't Help Falling in Love read more |