Contemplative teaching and interreligious encounter; historical and contemporary perspectives

Rowan Williams (Formerly Archbishop of Canterbury, University of Cambridge)

Abstract

Some discussion of interfaith discourse has tended to assume that there is a common phenomenon of ‘mystical experience’ to which appeal can be made in resolving supposed doctrinal/linguistic conflicts between traditions.  This is a simplistic model; but it does at least open up the question of how the specific disciplines of contemplation or meditation in different traditions speak to each other.  The aim is to look at a couple of instances of apparent encounter and interaction between traditions in the past, and to explore both the methodological and the theological issues arising today in this connection.

About the speaker

Dr Rowan Williams was the 35th Master of Magdalene College, and is a Honorary Professor of Contemporary Christian Thought in the University of Cambridge. He served as the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002-2012. He is a noted poet and translator of poetry, and, apart from Welsh, speaks or reads nine other languages. He has published writings on a wide range of theological, historical and political themes.

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