Rome Conference On Theology And Communication, September 2007
Jacob Srampical: Planning document
For nearly 25 years the Interdisciplinary Centre for Social Communications (CICS) at the Gregorian University has been forging links with the discipline of theology within the university. The very enriching Cavalletti conferences of 1993 and 1997 got theology professors thinking on the interplay between theology and communications. One result of the 1993 Cavalletti conference was New Image of Religious Film, a book edited by John May which energised many others to reflect on the subject.
We think it is time to renew the Cavalletti spirit and to continue exploring this theme of the Church’s involvement in communications. We want to help theology and communications professors deepen their understanding of the inter-connections between theology and communications. A Cavaletti–III?
Therefore, we propose:
What: a six-day conference for professors from theology. and communications experts, to present papers and discuss the theme interactively
When: 9-14 September 2007
Where: in Rome
Who: communication and theology professors, formation leadership
How Many: 40
A Preference for Rome
For something that affects the Catholic Church so directly, Rome seems the right place. We hope the conference has an impact on the Church and its various Commissions. We would also like the major universities teaching theology, and those involved in formation at higher levels, to become involved in this project.
Modality
Participants will be selected to ensure the necessary range of academic areas and cultural backgrounds are present to allow the rich interchange we hope for. We will ask some people to write papers as well as issuing a call for papers; interested persons can send in papers on a chosen issue under the suggested topic. The papers could then be discussed in groups and then in plenary sessions.
Publication
The outcome of this conference would be the publication of a book to stimulate further thinking on these issues of theology and communications. A board will select the articles and publish as a book by a reputed publisher.
Our Team So Far
Tadek Lewicki (dean, faculty of communications, Salesianum)
Tom Rochford, (Jesuit media co-ordinator)
Norman Penn (St Paul’s, webmaster)
Giuseppe Mazza (professor of theology and communications, Gregorian University)
Jose Palakeel (theology and communications, India)
Paul Soukup (Professor, theology and communication, Santa Clara)
Suggested Topic
Rethinking theology and ministry in the light of developments in communication theory and practice (including media) in today’s world.
Introduction
A major problem communications people have noticed is the large amount of theoretical input in theology given to our priests in abstract doses, with which they cannot apply in practical ways. The cultural reality they face is mediated, thoroughly impacted, media influenced. Often communicators wonder if the Church is at all interested in the new culture spawned by the communication and media. Or is the church on its own wavelength, doing her own thing?
On the other hand, a lot of attempts have been made by media people to use the media, following the instrumental aspect of media without a proper theology that explains why media usage is significant. We feel it is important to develop a vision for communication and media education within the church. Unless theologians wake up to the media and its impacts on our ministry, media will always remain an outsider in the Church.
Thus, we feel it is important to have an on-going dialogue between theology and communication studies; the dialogue needs to be strengthened.
This conference would like to give a general overview about the current situation of this on-going dialogue, so it could be possible – at the end – to gain a clearer idea about what topics to deepen in the years ahead. We can consider this first conference as a foundation point to collect ideas and to open further the path to new research, possibly suggesting the themes for future conferences. Some issues suggested:
Connectivity (Giuseppe Mazza): What is the meaning of “being connected” in the Catholic Church today? What kind of differences could be noticed between a “secular” concept of living, thinking, moving, in a complex, inter-connected reality, and the Christian concept of “staying connected” in faith, love and hope? What kind of connection of belief and faith can be noticed inside the Catholic structures? Is the Church a real “network” in a modern sense? What is the link between the Christian concepts of communio. solidarity, participation, and all the secular subjects suggested by the global communication model?
Iconography (Tom Rochford): As soon as you talk about images, you move into a concrete way of thinking and expressing revelation which we often forget with the academic emphasis on abstract definitions. Can we even think of image-making as a legitimate field of theological inquiry? Is a visual language adequate to express the human encounter with the Divine? If we take seriously the emphasis on visual expression, as it has changed our cultural practice today, we need to revisit the long history of artists expressing Revelation and re-examine our presuppositions.
“Natural” Sacramentality and Communication: (Norman Pena)
From the Center to the Periphery: (Tadek Lewicki)
Communication within contexts (Paul Soukup): contrast with hierarchical style of communication. communicating inside the Church and outside
Teaching a Communication-oriented Christianity: (Jacob Srampickal): how do people involved in formation see communication? What has been done and what should be done? Seeing the seminarian, or person-in-formation, as a communicator: how does he or she discover their own voice? The perspective of communication, with its emphasis on responding to an audience, changes the whole approach of preaching and pastoral practice. Long before considering any use of technology of communication, there are fundamental personal considerations that should shape the person preparing for ministry, especially since the persons he or she will be addressing will be influenced and shaped by a culture of communication.
Images and theology (Jose Palakeel): how images are working in tandem with words to make sense, and how it has an impact on theological epistemology (meaning making). On the epistemology of the multi-media communication and its impact on theologizing.