TEILHARD’S PUBLICATIONS
Teilhard de Chardin
COLLECTED WORKS:
MAJOR VOLUMES:
Vol. I The Phenomenon of Man. N.Y.: Harper, 1959; 1961 p.b. 1965 revised p.b.
(Le Phénomène Humain. Paris, Seuil, 1955)
Teilhard’s only systematic presentation of his theme of the evolution of the human towards Omega. For an updated translation, see The Human Phenomenon, trans. Sarah Appleton-Weber (Eastbourne, UK: Sussex Academic Press, 1999).
Vol. II The Appearance of Man. N.Y.: Harper, 1966.
(L’Apparition de l’Homme. Paris, Seuil, 1956)
Teilhard’s theory of the origins of the human.
Vol. III The Vision of the Past. N.Y.: Harper, 1967.
(La Vision du Passe. Paris, Seuil, 1957)
Development of the themes of The Phenomenon of Man.
Vol. IV The Divine Milieu. N.Y.: Harper, 1960; 1965 p.b.
(Le Milieu Divin. Paris, Seuil, 1957)
A classic essay on the interior life; a Christian spirituality “for those who love the world.”
Vol. V The Future of Man. N.Y.: Harper, 1964; 1969 p.b.
(L’Avenir de l’Homme. Paris, Seuil, 1959)
Very important to an understanding of Teilhard’s vision, sets forth the “grand option” that modern humanity must confront in facing the evolutionary future.
Vol. VI (Human Energy. N.Y.: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1971; 1972 p.b.
(L’Energie Humaine. Paris, Seuil, 1962)
Six of Teilhard’s major essays in which the theme of love energy is treated extensively. Fr. Wildiers considers them of “first importance for the sound understanding of his teaching. They are perhaps some of the most original and valuable expositions that he made.”
Vol. VII The Activation of Energy. N.Y.: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich 1971; 1972 p.b.
(L’Activation de l’Energie. Paris: Seuil, 1963)
These essays follow chronologically those in Human Energy and are important to an understanding of the inner coherence of Teilhard’s vision.
Vol. VIII Man’s Place in Nature. N.Y.: Harper, 1966; 1973 p.b.
(La Place de l’Homme dans la Nature. Paris, Seuil, 1963)
Teilhard’s concept of the role of the human in the whole cosmic process.
Vol. IX Science and Christ. N.Y.: Harper, 1969.
(Science et Christ. Paris, Seuil, 1965)
Rich and stimulating ideas of a Christian philosophy for the modern world.
Vol. X Christianity and Evolution. N.Y.: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1971; 1974 p.b.
(Comment Je Crois. Paris, Seuil, 1969)
These essays, which set forth Teilhard’s vision of the Christian mystery and the evolving cosmos, include the famous one on Original Sin which was the cause of his banishment to China. The original French title could not be used because of the publication in 1969 of a translation of the title essay “How I Believe” by Harper paperbacks.
Vol. XI Toward the Future. N.Y.: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1975; 1975 p.b.
(Les Direction de L’Avenir. Paris: Seuil, 1973)
The theme is that human fulfillment consists in personal communion with the divine center of the evolutionary process, culminating in the spiritualization of matter. Includes the famous essay “The Evolution of Chastity.”
Vol. XII Writings in Time of War. N.Y.: Harper, 1968.
(Ecrits du Temps de la Guerre, 1916-1919. Paris: Grasset, 1965)
The germs of all of Teilhard’s later thought lie in these essays; they are his “intellectual testament.” Written in the trenches in the midst of war and death, they are an expression of life, an impassioned vision of the earth and an adoration of God. (Seven essays in the French edition are not in the English edition. However, two will be found in Hymn of the Universe and the remaining five in The Heart of Matter.)
Vol. XIII The Heart of Matter. N.Y.: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1979.
(La Cœur de la Matière. Paris: Seuil, 1976)
The last of the Collected Works, the book contains in the title essay a spiritual autobiography and in “The Christic” a development of The Divine Milieu. Written towards the end of his life they sum up Teilhard’s unique vision.
OTHER COLLECTED WORKS:
LETTERS:
Letters from Egypt 1905-1908. N.Y.: Herder & Herder, 1965.
(Lettres d’Egypte. 1905-1908. Paris, Aubier-Montaigne, 1963)
Letters to his parents during his teaching stint in Cairo while still a Jesuit scholastic. Not informative as to the development of his thought.
Letters from Hastings 1908-1912. N.Y.: Herder & Herder, 1968.
(Lettres d’Hastings et de Paris, 1908-1914. Paris, Aubier-Montaigne, 1965)
Letters to his parents during his years at the Jesuit Scholasticate in England. The translation is not felicitous and it contains many errors.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin — Maurice Blondel correspondence. N.Y., Herder& Herder, 1967.
(Blondel et Teilhard. Correspondance. Paris, Beauchesne, 1965)
A brief exchange of letters, in 1919, about some early essays of Teilhard’s which had been submitted to Blondel for his opinion.
Letters from Paris 1912-1914. N.Y.: Herder & Herder, 1967.
Letters written to his parents while he was at the Musée de l’Homme.
The Making of a Mind. Letters from a Soldier Priest 1914-1919. N.Y.: Harper, 1965.
(Genèse d’une pensée. Lettres 1914-1919. Paris, Grasset, 1961)
This important book should be read with Writings in Time or War, vol. XII of the Collected Works for in his letters to his cousin Marguerite he discusses those essays.
Letters from a Traveller 1923-1955. N.Y.: Harper, 1962; 1968 p.b.
(Lettres de Voyage 1923-1955. Paris Grasset, 1962)
Teilhard’s vivid impressions of the outer world — China, the Gobi Desert, Java, India — and also of the inner world of spirit.
Letters to Leontine Zanta1923-1939. N.Y.: Harper, 1969.
(Lettres a Léontine Zanta. Paris, Desclée, 1965)
In letters to this intellectually distinguished and affectionate friend Teilhard unburdens his mind of his troubles with his Society and the Church, gives spiritual direction, and reveals the growth of his thought during these important years.
(Accomplir l’homme: Lettres inedites (1926-1952). Paris Grasset, 1968.
This rich collection of 170 letters, many written from Peking, is an intimate journal of Teilhard’s inner and outer life during his mature years.
Letters to Two Friends 1926-1952. N.Y.: New American Library, 1968; Meridian Books, 1969 p.b.
Letters written by to Ida Treat and Rhoda de Terra
The Letters of Teilhard de Chardin & Lucile Swan. Chicago, IL: University of Scranton Press, 2001.
Letters written by Teilhard to Lucile Swan during his time in China.
Letters from My Friend Teilhard de Chardin; The 1948-1955 correspondence including the letters written during his final years in America. Pierre Leroy, S.J., ed. N. Y.: Paulist Press, 1976.
(Lettres familières de Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, mon ami, 1948-1955. Paris Centurion, 1976)
Teilhard, in these letters to his closest confident, presents his unmasked face most clearly, infinitely human and attractive. Here his vision is set forth in its full maturity. An important book.
