Simone Weil

Description

Simone Weil, the French Jewish writer, drawn to the Church, was born in 1909 and died in 1943. Her influence has been enormous and she is frequently quoted and referred to. There is something particularly attractive about Simone Weil in this age when people are consumed with doubt and uncertainty. Weil lived out her belief. She worked as a mechanic in the Renault factory in Paris. She had an ardent compassion for the unfortunate, a great desire for the truth and an eagerness to search out the will of God. From an early age she was attracted to Bolshevism, became an anarchist and helped Trotsky. She joined the working class to implement her ideals. She joined the International Red Brigade to fight Franco in the Spanish Civil War. Through all this Weil developed a theology and philosophy which speaks most directly to people today. Deeply imbued with agnosticism and anti clericalism, she nevertheless experienced a profound religious conversion at the Benedictine Monastery of Solemnes in France. Christ' took hold of her'. And yet she never converted to the Christian faith to which she was so deeply attracted. This clear lucid exposition of her life and work show how Weil is truly proph

Dr Mario von der Ruhr is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Philisophy at the University of Wales (Swansea). He is the Associate Editor of the journal Philosophical Investigations, and co-author with D.Z. Phillips of On religions and Philosophy (CUP).

"There was certainly plenty to inspire me in this book...." Simon Doogan, Church of Ireland Gazette -- Simon Doogan "There is no doubt in my mind that this little book is an extremely helpful introduction to that side of Weil's work with which it deals and I shall certainly be recommending it to my students: it is clearly and elegantly written, culturally informed in a way that is still far too rare in philosophical writing, including contemporary philosophy of religion, and sensible and judicious." - Christopher Hamilton, The Authors Journal Compilation. Oct 2008. 'This is a deeply thought-provoking book and will yield a great deal of inspiration whether used in small groups or simply as an insight for the private reader to aid their devotional life.' ~ Judy West, Church of England Newspaper, 2007 -- Judy West * Church of England Newspaper * 'This is a sharply focused exploration of the life and thought of a provocative figure...This books shows how she stands at the linking point between reflection and experience.' Tablet * Tablet, The *