April 29-30, 2011 Spring Thomistic Circles Conference: "Theo-Centric Ecclesiology"

Between April 29th and 30th, the Thomistic Institute hosted its annual Spring Thomistic Circles conference at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC.  In addition to other smaller symposiums and honorary lectures, the Thomistic Institute offers two theological conferences per year during the Spring and Fall semesters respectively. 

This year, the Spring Thomistic Circles was titled, Theo-Centric Ecclesiology: St. Thomas Aquinas and the Church.  In the course of the twentieth century, the Church herself became a central topic of theological consideration.  However, divisions forming within the science of theology at times eclipsed the Thomistic perspective in contemporary conversations about ecclesiology and sacramental theology.  

This conference invited its participants to consider the connections between such theological topics as Christology and sacramental theology in the Thomist tradition, and to discuss potential roles for Thomistic theology in our theological articulation of the Church and her sacraments. 

The following scholars spoke at the conference:

• Fr. Johnathan Robinson (Toronto Oratory), "Changing the Subject: The Liturgy as an Object of Experience"
• Fr. Guy Mansini, O.S.B. (St. Meinrad Archabbey), "Christ Acts in the Church's Action; Christ Speaks in the Church's Speaking"
• Fr. Benoit-Dominique de la Soujeole, O.P. (Fribourg University, Switzerland), "The Economy of Salvation: Entative Sacramentality and Operative Sacramentality"
• Fr. Charles Morerod, O.P. (Rector of the Angelicum, Rome; Secretary for the International Theological Commission), "'No Salvation Outside the Church': Understanding the Doctrine with Thomas Aquinas and Charles Journet"