Eggs, Clocks, and Other Things Liquid: Salvador Dali's Claim to Truth as Practical TheologyAlan Smith (Florida Southern College, retired)Research Interest Group. [
Paper] Salvador Dali’s artwork represented an imaginative and creative dialogue with twentieth-century Roman Catholic theology that consistently challenged the late-modern and emerging postmodern world to new ways of conceiving of art, of reality, and of truth. The presentation will propose a “practical theology of the arts” through its exploration of Dali’s engagement with a fusion of art, theology, and science.
Ignatian Contemplation in the Classroom: Fostering the Imagination in Scripture StudyFrancis Alvarez (Boston College)Research Interest Group. [
Paper] The practice of Ignatian contemplation (IC), a method of praying suggested in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, can ignite the imagination in Scripture study. By involving the body and emotions, IC helps one be immersed in a Bible scene. More than just a technique that can lead to an imaginative wrestling with texts, IC seeks to facilitate an encounter with God. But to integrate IC in teaching the Bible, one needs a more dynamic understanding of what Scripture is, an appreciation of ritual, and an expanded view of Scripture study that goes beyond discursive historical-critical methods.
