The latest in the series of online short courses provided by the Scottish Episcopal Institute will take place throughout Advent, looking at Creation Theology.
The course, led by the Very Rev Stephen Holmes, Provost of St Ninian’s Cathedral, Perth and Associate Tutor at the Institute, is made up of four roughly 40-minute video’s with questions for reflection or discussion. We will explore our theology of Creation.
Previewing the talks, Dr Holmes said: “We live in an environmental crisis. Although many Christians are responding to it in creative ways, there has recently been a neglect of the theology of creation in the Western Churches which has obscured a distinctively Christian response to the crisis. Taking their shape from the 1982 Scottish Liturgy these four sessions aim to outline the main elements of a faithful and orthodox Christian theology of creation which can speak to our contemporaries. The basic structure is taken from traditional Catholic theology, but this is filled out using the insights of poets and theologians such as Kathleen Raine, Maximos the Confessor, Elizabeth Theokritoff, Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Gerard Manley Hopkins. That I have naturally turned to poets, Eastern Orthodox theologians, and an Islamic philosopher, to help outline an adequate theology of creation, and have found the contribution of Pope Francis helpful but limited, suggests that we in the Western Churches have work to do here. The lectures are just a start, an invitation to you to think and pray. I hope they will give a foundation for action, but also counter environmental despair for the earth is the Lord’s and the real heroes in this story are the angels and Mary, the Mother of God.”
Theology of Creation 1 – The Mountain behind the Mountain – 2 December
“Worship and praise belong to you, Father, in every place and at all times. All power is yours. You created the heavens and established the earth; you sustain in being all that is.”
Theology of Creation 2 – Creation through the Word – 9 December
“In Christ your Son our life and yours are brought together in a wonderful exchange. He made his home among us that we might for ever dwell in you… He is the Word existing beyond time, both source and final purpose, bringing to wholeness all that is made.”
Theology of Creation 3 – New Creation in the Spirit – 16 December
“Through your Holy Spirit you call us to new birth in a creation restored by love… Help us, who are baptised into the fellowship of Christ’s Body to live and work to your praise and glory; may we grow together in unity and love until at last, in your new creation, we enter into our heritage in the company of the Virgin Mary.”
Theology of Creation 4 – Creation perfected in praise – 23 December
“As children of your redeeming purpose we offer you our praise, with angels and archangels and the whole company of heaven, singing the hymn of your unending glory: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.”
The course can be joined at the above links from 7pm each Monday in Advent.
SEI Short Course: on Creation Theology
