Faith Theological Symposium...

Well, I have managed to find a computer with internet access for use by guests at the Abbey... and we're having a spot of free time, so I availed myself of the opportunity to indulge my internet addiction. Sadly, I haven't got a phone signal (thanks for nothing, O2!) so can't get my fix at regular intervals. I'm sure that a bit of time spent away from the computer will be good for me... at least, that's what I keep trying to tell myself!

The Symposium has been brilliant so far... I'm really glad that I made the effort to come along (on Sunday I was regretting my decision to spend Half Term doing anything other than sleep) and I am enjoying excellent company and wonderful discussions - the latter, I hasten to add, are happening around me, while I'm doing my best to keep my mouth shut and look intelligent... I think I have failed on both those counts...

The two talks we've had so far have been quite challenging for me - I'm not of a philosophical bent, and Fr. Hugh MacKenzie's talk last night on The Static Form: A virus that has become virulent rather lost me... fortunately, there were plenty of people around to help clarify things (a bit) and the use of the analogy of Michaelangelo's David to explain material, formal, efficient and final causality gave me plenty to think about.

Fr. Hugh later said that most of the stuff he'd covered in his talk could be found in the most recent issue of Faith Magazine...

I found this morning's talk was much more accessible (or maybe I was more awake!) - Fr. Stephen Boyle (brother to Fr. John) spoke about The Theology of the Body. I hadn't really paid any attention to any of the discussions on the blogosphere about Pope John Paul's work in this area, and it was, therefore, very interesting to hear Fr. Stephen's overview.

The talks are certainly more of an intellectual challenge for me than the ones we get at the Faith Summer Session (which is as it should be - after all, those talks are targetted at a very different audience) so I'm having to work quite hard to keep up. This is definitely good for me - it keeps the grey cells ticking away - and it stops me getting complacent and thinking that I understand the Faith!

I shall end there - I need to go and say some prayers before the next talk begins. I shall try to add some more tomorrow...