Thursday, November 18, 2010

Leading theologian urges people to educate themselves about theology

A leading theologian has urged the laity to educate themselves more about theology saying that it is seen as the preserve of the religious.  

Speaking at a graduation ceremony last weekend at the Priory Institute in Tallaght in Dublin, where 84 students graduated with degrees in theology, Dominican Friar Fr Joe Kavanagh O.P (pictured) moderator of the priory, said, “The Irish are, in most respects, a very educated people.  However for many this certainly did not apply to the topic of religion.”  

“Indeed, the prevailing thinking tended to see religious education as the preserve of the clergy and the religious, prompting Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to speak of a large percentage of theologically illiterate people in Ireland.”  

The Institute runs a number of modular degree programmes in Theology with e-learning and distance learning key components.

Meanwhile the Institute is also running a number of special seminars over the coming weeks in the run up to Christmas.  

Last weekend it ran a seminar exploring to the Gospel of Mark that was given by leading theologian and Cashel & Emly priest Fr John Littleton.  

On Monday December 8t it will host another seminar on Mary and the warmth of Advent which will be given by Fr Gabriel Harty OP. 

On December 10, it will host a seminar on The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 60 to mark human rights day, led by Alpha Connelly Institute administrator and former CEO of the Irish Human Rights Commission.

SIC: CIN/IE