Tuesday, February 19
Professor Jeff Bloechl on the Catholic Philosopher Charles Taylor
St. John the Evangelist Parish, Social Hall, 7:00pm
The Adult Faith Formation Commission is delighted to announce that Jeff Bloechl, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Boston College specializing in contemporary philosophy, philosophy of religion, and Christian philosophy, will speak on the Catholic philosopher Charles Taylor. As Father Michael Gallagher comments in his work Faith Maps: In 1960 when Charles Taylor was a graduate student at Oxford, he published an article entitled “Clericalism”, critical of the marginal role given to lay people in the Catholic Church. This showed, he argued, a defensive Church isolated from modern culture… His critique is now directed against a different form of academic clericalism, whereby philosophers, sociologists, and historians find it normal to ignore the spiritual dimensions of life. Such intellectuals, he holds, have not only forgotten the answers to the great questions of life, they have forgotten the questions. Connecting to the legacy of the Church’s great intervening event, Vatican II, Professor Bloechl, who recently returned from a seminar with Professor Taylor, has described him as “… a true Vatican II thinker, in the best sense.” Please join us for what promises to be a thoughtful and exciting evening. (Rescheduled from January 30 – please note 7pm start time.)
Wednesday, February 20
A Panel Discussion:
Future of Catholic Periodicals: Finances, Faith and the Digital Age
Editors Panel: Matt Malone, S.J. (America); Paul Baumann (Commonweal) and Meinrad Sherer-Edmunds (U.S. Catholic)
Boston College, Gasson Hall, Room 100, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 26
Father Robert Imbelli on the Christ–Centered Theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar
St. John the Evangelist Parish, Social Hall, 7:30pm
Hans Urs von Balthasar was one of the giants of 20th century Catholic Theology. His massive production of books and articles fills a whole bookcase, and the architectural mass of his work resembles a great cathedral. But its basic lines are clear and straightforward. Fr. Imbelli’s presentation will seek to illuminate the basic patterns and perspectives of von Balthasar’s thought, mindful that for von Balthasar, theology is at the service of Christian living. He speaks of his theology as a “praying theology:” one that derives from prayer and leads to prayer. Fr. Imbelli, a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, teaches theology at Boston College. He recently edited the Boston College Church in the 21st Century publication The Catholic Intellectual Tradition.
For more information, please contact the Adult Faith Formation Commission
