St Mary's Theologian Launches New Book

To celebrate the launch of his latest book The Pursuit of the Soul: Psychoanalysis, Soul-making and the Christian Tradition (T & T Clark) Prof Peter Tyler hosted a Seminar at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. The Soul Seminar welcomed: leading Australian academic Prof David Tacey; contemporary filmmaker Timothy Wainwright; and the Director of the St Marylebone Healing and Counselling Centre the Rev’d Dr Andrew Walker. The seminar began with engaging discussions on the history and contemporary understanding of the soul. Drawing on the 19^th and early 20^th century origins of the psychotherapeutic movement, Prof Tyler explored how it relates to traditional Christian understandings of the self and soul. As well as giving a historical framework to terms such as ‘soul’, ‘psyche’ and ‘spirit’ the presentations explored key schools of thought that have shaped contemporary applications of the terms as well as investigating their role in the pastoral setting. The afternoon also comprised the first public showing of Timothy Wainwright’s new film About Soul. In this work, the filmmaker asked a variety of contemporary Londoners what ‘soul’ meant to them today. The resulting accounts were moving, inspiring and life-affirming. The day was completed by a book and film-launch hosted by St Mary’s. The talks can be viewed below or you can find Timothy Wainwright's film on www.aboutsoul.org.