St Mary's to host Conference for Teresa of Avila's 500th Anniversary

2015 marks the 500^th anniversary of the radical Spanish saint, Teresa of Avila, in 1515. To celebrate this event St Mary’s University, Twickenham will be running a series of events, at the heart of which is a major international conference on the 18th to 20th June including leading theologians and thinkers such as former Archbishop of Canterbury Prof Rowan Williams, Prof Julia Kristeva and Prof Bernard McGinn. The conference will explore the mystical theology and spirituality of Teresa of Avila from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives as well as considering the context and origins of Teresa’s thought, the impact of the Carmelite tradition on theological discourse and belief over five centuries, and its relevance in the 21st century. Delegates will be coming from five continents and as well as the academic papers there will be a number of public events including an exhibition and mass to celebrate the life and teachings of the saint celebrated by Fr Tony Lester OCarm, Provincial of the British Carmelites. Prof Peter Tyler, Director of the Centre for Initiatives in Spirituality and Reconciliation and author of Teresa of Avila: Doctor of the Soul said, “St Mary’s is delighted to host this important conference, bringing together leading figures from different faiths and perspectives. St Mary’s is committed to the exploration of spirituality to understand how it can promote reconciliation at both a global and individual level. We look forward to discussing how Teresa shaped the Carmelite tradition and how her thought continues to have influence today.” The conference is jointly sponsored by St Mary’s, the British and Irish Carmelites, Heythrop College, Sarum College, and the Mystical Theology Network. It is being hosted by the Centre for Initiatives in Spirituality and Reconciliation (InSpiRe) which is part of the School of Education, Theology and Leadership at St Mary’s University.