Tomáš Halik: A conversation about faith, atheism, and “patience with God”
On Tuesday 7 June, UTC will host an evening conversation with the eminent European theologian Tomáš Halik. In a public interview with Scott Stephens (editor of ABC Religion Online), Professor Halik will discuss faith, doubt, and atheism in today’s world.
Tomas Halik studied sociology, philosophy and psychology in Czechoslovakia, and during the Communist regime was secretly ordained as a Catholic priest in 1978. Throughout the 1980s he was active in the Czech underground church. He was involved in secret seminars and in the publication of illegal philosophical and theological work. He closely co-operated with other dissidents and with the future President, Václav Havel.
Since the fall of Communism, Halik has lectured at numerous universities around the world, and has authored hundreds of publications in theology, philosophy, psychology, and sociology of religion. He has received major international awards for his work in interreligious dialogue, human rights, and spirituality, including the Cardinal König Prize (2003) and the Romano Guardini Prize (2010). His writing has been compared to the work of popular authors like C. S. Lewis, Thomas Merton, and Henri Nouwen.
In 2009, Halik’s book on atheism was translated into English as Patience with God (Doubleday). Using the story of Jesus’s encounter with Zacchaeus, the book is addressed to those who stand on the sideline of Christian belief, curious but noncommittal. The fact that Jesus gravitated to the poor and the marginalised means that he also has a special place in his heart for seekers on the margins of the community of believers. In an online review of the book, Ben Myers described it as “one of the best and most beautiful responses to the new atheism,” and as “a sensitive and realistic articulation of the difference faith makes.”
Come and join us for an evening of lively theological conversation about faith, God, and atheism. The evening will commence at 7 pm, and light refreshments will be served.
RSVP: David Roper 02 8838 8927
Date: 19:00 Tuesday June 07, 2011
For more details: davidr@nsw.uca.org.au
Filed under: Conferences
