Bl. John Newman

and

Bl. John Duns Scotus

Similar?

Yes! In fact, they are so similar that there will actually be three days of scholarly talks on the subject by some of the most eminent theologians and speakers in the field for the Newman Scotus Symposium at the Washington Theological Union on Friday, the 22nd of October to Sunday the 24th. See Videos from the event.

There will be Nine Major talks with several Question and Answer sessions by the following speakers:

• Fr. James McCurry, OFMConv.
• Rev. Dr. John Ford, CSC
• Dr. Timothy Noone of CUA
• Rev. Dr. Peter Damian Fehlner, FI
• Deacon Jack Sullivan
• Most Rev. Jude Winkler, OFMConv.
• Keynote by Sr. Mary Beth Ingham w/Q/A: On the Quadruple Scotus Congress
• Rev. Dr. Ed Ondrako, OFMConv.
• Sr. Pat Hutchison, OSF, Ed.D

In addition there will be Masses, Meals, and Leisure time included in the Program

There is still time to register. Here is a talk by Fr. Ed Ondrako, the organizer:

Hope to see you there.

Ave Maria!

The post News – Newman Scotus Symposium Oct 22-24 first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Conferences #93 – Fr James McCurry opens the Newman-Scotus Symposium ( 11min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Fr James McCurry gives an inspirational welcome and introduction to the Newman-Scotus Symposium at the Washington Theological Union on Oct 22, 2010. He reads a warm letter of encouragement from Friar Marco Tasca, OFM Conv., the Minster General of the Conventual Franciscans from Rome, asking the participants to energetically uncover, for all the world to see, the common intellectual treasure that these two holy and eminent British scholars share, centered on the Absolute Primacy of Christ and the primacy of Love. He reflects on the Pope’s words at the very recent beatification of Newman in Birmingham, England where he mentions Newman’s  motto “Cor ad Cor Loquitor“, “Heart speaks unto Heart” where God and man speak heart to heart. Fr. McCurry mentions the equivalent starting point for Scotus’ theology where “God wills to love. God wills to be loved. God willed to have co-lovers of himself” and so he created the world and man with the goal of the incarnation via Mary Immaculate. He ends by reciting a prayer to Our Lady written by Bl. John Cardinal Newman to give us protection and the purity of heart and mind to be good and wise Christians.

Ave Maria!

For more of this Symposium http://dev.airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/newman-scotus-symp-2010/

For the book that is the final fruit of this Symposium: https://academyoftheimmaculate.com/products/the-newman-scotus-reader-contexts-and-commonalities

Audio (MP3)

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Conferences #94 – Rev. Dr. Ford, editor of Newman Studies and Professor of Historical Theology at the Catholic University of America ( 54min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

In this 1st talk of the Newman-Scotus Symposium presented by the Conventual Franciscans at the Washington Theological Union on Oct 22-24, 2010, Rev. Dr. John Ford of the Catholic University of America gives a talk titled “Newman’s Reasonable Approach to Faith.” Dr. Ford discusses the search of Cardinal Newman for the Via Media between the two extremes of his day, the hyper-rationalism of the Evidentialists that said reason is the only thing that is important in knowledge and the hyper-pietistic position of the Evangelicals that said faith is impenetrable to reason. He discusses how Newman sees the meeting place of these two seemingly incompatible positions is the personalist approach that shows the rational process is very personal and has many stages that lead to many different conclusions by different people even if given the same data. Dr. Ford explains how this resolution led him to the Catholic Faith and, further, what its ramifications are for evangelizing, using a car salesman analogy. This has many similarities to Scotus who was doing the same between the Franciscan Platonic tradition and the Dominican Aristotelian tradition as Dr. Noone alludes to in the question and answer period. Dr. Ford then connects these personalist concepts with Newman’s motto, Cor ad cor loquitor, Heart speaks to heart.

Ave Maria!

For more of this Symposium http://dev.airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/newman-scotus-symp-2010/

For the book that is the final fruit of this Symposium: https://academyoftheimmaculate.com/products/the-newman-scotus-reader-contexts-and-commonalities

Audio (MP3)

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The post Video – Conferences #94: Scotus Newman – Dr Ford – Newman’s Reasonable Approach to Faith first appeared on AirMaria.com.

( 55min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Dr Timothy Noone, professor of Scotistic Philosophy at Catholic University, gives the 2nd talk of the Newman-Scotus Symposium presented by the Conventual Franciscans at the Washington Theological Union on Oct 22-24, 2010.  He titled his talk Blessed Johns Duns Scotus on Intuitive Cognition, Abstractive Cognition, Scientific Knowledge and Our Knowledge of God. He discusses the cognitive process according to Scotus as it compares to that of the more familiar Thomas Aquinas. His goal is to give the background of Scotus’ teaching on the process of human knowledge in order to provide a basis for discussing the similarities with Bl. John Henry Newman in his next talk the following day.

He explains that Scotus’ main objection is that Aquinas is too focused on sense knowledge as were many others of his time. Scotus makes the distinction that although this focus may be the wrong conclusion we must still start with the senses but explain how more is added by intuition to make the sense knowledge intelligible.

Scotus believed that faith and reason can coexisting in the same mind. This is not possible in the strict sense of scientific knowledge, but in the wider sense it can. Broader knowledge of God falls under the subject of metaphysics, this was common until Aquinas who was the innovator. Scotus’ innovation was the idea that the concept of being in the natural sense can be applied to God univocally. He stresses and clearly explains how this statement is actually very modest as compared to what Scotus’ detractors insist. Although we can know God through natural reason we need revelation and Scotus explains that this is because we cannot know God’s presence directly.

Fr. Ed Ondrako points out that intuition and abstraction of Scotus relates to Newman’s notional and illative concepts. Then questions are answered at the end.

Ave Maria!

For more of this Symposium http://dev.airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/newman-scotus-symp-2010/

For the book that is the final fruit of this Symposium: https://academyoftheimmaculate.com/products/the-newman-scotus-reader-contexts-and-commonalities

Audio (MP3)

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The post Video – Conferences #95: Newman-Scotus – Dr. Noone – Scotus Intuition & Abstraction first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Conferences #96 – Fr. Peter Fehlner at Washington Theological Union ( 57min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

In this 3rd talk of the Newman-Scotus Symposium presented by the Conventual Franciscans at the Washington Theological Union on Oct 22-24, 2010, Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner gives a talk titled “Scotus and Newman in Dialogue – Scotus Metaphysician – Newman Phenomenologist.” He  points out that Newman agreed and even specifically refers to Scotus’ opinion of the motive for the incarnation, that is, the Franciscan Thesis, the Absolute Primacy of Christ, that Christ would have come even if Adam had not sinned. And in regard to the Immaculate Conception, which Scotus was so prominent in giving a theological basis, is key to understanding the difference between Protestants and Catholics and why Catholics are orthodox. Also, both Scotus and Newman have been accused by Harold Weatherby of being the seeds of later heresy and in the same way as Hegel was. Fr. Peter argues, as many others are doing, that Scotus and Newman are in fact the antidote to the Modern errors of Hegel. Fr. Peter is saying that Weatherby correctly sees the affinity between Scotus and Newman but misinterprets the common teaching of both and points out how.

Prominent in his talk is the stages of intellectual  process that are common between Scotus and Newman which gets short circuited by modernism.  And the element of internalizing of the process, how the heart factors into the intellectual process.

The critical question of how we achieve certainty is determined by both the object and so derives the certainty but also a personal note that involves the will which is not (as both rationalists and pietists insist) radically opposed to the intellect and reason.

Affectio Justitio of Scotus is also akin to the benevolence Newman derived from the idea that God loves himself both because it is reasonable and also most appealing and this is how we are able to love others as ourselves as our intellect becomes sanctified and so begins to function more like God’s.

Fr. Peter also refers to Carl Balic, who was the foremost scholar of Scotus in his day and who wrote the first draft of the eighth chapter of Lumen Gentium on the Virgin Mary. Balic suggested the affinity of Scotus and Newman to Fr. Peter and thought this would be a great way for modern men to understand Scotus better. Here Fr. Peter brings this suggestion to full fruition.

Ave Maria!

For more of this Symposium http://dev.airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/newman-scotus-symp-2010/

For the book that is the final fruit of this Symposium: https://academyoftheimmaculate.com/products/the-newman-scotus-reader-contexts-and-commonalities

Audio (MP3)

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Conferences #97 – Fr. James McCurry reciting the prayer for Canonization of Bls. Scotus and Newman ( 06min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

For Scotus Month:

During the the Newman-Scotus Symposium in Washington, DC on Oct 22, Fr. James McCurry makes the first public recitation of the new prayer to obtain the canonization of Bl. John Newman and Bl. John Duns Scotus. Please follow along using the subtitles in the video. The text has also been provided below. Bls. Newman and Scotus pray for us!

Prayer to Obtain the Canonization of
Bl. John Henry Newman (1801-1890) and
Bl. John Duns Scotus (1265-1308)

Heavenly Father, the two great Oxford scholars, Bl. John Duns Scotus and Bl. John Henry Newman, spent their lives in the service of Holy Mother Church and the salvation of souls. With courageous loyalty to the truth and exemplary obedience to the Church they sought to show how best to sanctify the intellect in the pursuit of holiness and wisdom. The insights of Bl. John Duns Scotus into the mystery of divine love and the Incarnation, his profound understanding of and devotion to the Immaculate Virgin Mother, his defense of the Holy Eucharist and the Church; the sage counsels of Bl. John Henry on living our faith in a radically secularized world and his deeply moving illustrations of our hope inspire us to ask you, the Giver of all good gifts, to grant that these two great examples of Christian virtue and learning might soon be counted among the Saints to be imitated by the faithful.

Through the intercession of Bl. Scotus we ask you for this favor….

Through the intercession of Bl. Newman we ask you for this favor….

In all this, may we learn to speak “heart to heart” with Jesus through Mary and pass from “shadows and images into the Truth”, your Son and our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen

Please report any favors received from either Bl. Scotus or Bl. Newman to:

The Very Reverend James McCurry, OFMConv.
12300 Folly Quarter Rd.
Ellicott City, MD 21042

IMPRIMATUR + Edwin F. O’Brien, D.D,
Archbishop, Archdiocese of Baltimore

Ave Maria!

For more of this Symposium http://dev.airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/newman-scotus-symp-2010/

For the book that is the final fruit of this Symposium: https://academyoftheimmaculate.com/products/the-newman-scotus-reader-contexts-and-commonalities

Audio (MP3)

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The post Video – Conferences #97: Fr. James McCurry – Prayer to Scotus and Newman first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Conferences #98 – Dr. Noone addressing a question ( 11min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

On the first night of the Newman-Scotus Symposium we have the first Panel discussion. Fr. James McCurry asks the first question, how the Pope seemed to blame Scotus for Modernism at Regensberg but then later, at a Wednesday address, to praise him and basically retract his negative statement. Dr. Timothy Noone addresses this and explains the basis for this common objection to Scotus that comes from a long standing misconception about the Scotus’ teaching. One is the misconception that Scotus is voluntarist and the other that he is a nominalist and involves Scotus’ teaching on the common nature.

Ave Maria!

For more of this Symposium http://dev.airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/newman-scotus-symp-2010/

For the book that is the final fruit of this Symposium: https://academyoftheimmaculate.com/products/the-newman-scotus-reader-contexts-and-commonalities

Audio (MP3)

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The post Video – Conferences #98: Scotus Newman – Panel 1- Q1 – Pope’s Comments first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Conferences #99 – Fr. Peter on Scotus and the Heart ( 20min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Newman-Scotus Symposium – What is meant by Heart in Scotus, Bonaventure and the Franciscan tradition? Fr. Peter answers this question. Heart in Augustine really means the essence of a person. And this is used very similarly in Bonaventure in the Itinerarium with the interiorization. Father goes into considerable detail outlining the use of the world by Augustine, Bonaventure, Francis de Sales, Aquinas, and generally in the Franciscan school. He points out that the Franciscans make a strong distinction between doctrine and spirituality. St.Margaret Mary Alaquoqe, St. John Eudes, Two Hearts and Sacred Hearts which is related to the Church which is from Duns Scotus. He relates this to Scotus’ teaching of the absolute primacy of Christ. The devotion to the hearts of Jesus and Mary popularizes the scotistic teaching.

Ave Maria!

For more of this Symposium http://dev.airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/newman-scotus-symp-2010/

For the book that is the final fruit of this Symposium: https://academyoftheimmaculate.com/products/the-newman-scotus-reader-contexts-and-commonalities

Audio (MP3)

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The post Video – Conferences #99: Scotus Newman – Panel 1- Q2 – What is meant by Heart in Scotus first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Conferences #100 – Dr. Noone answering questions at the Newman-Scotus Symposium ( 16min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Newman-Scotus Symposium – Fr. Ed Ondrako asks how we might implement what the Pope asked for, to reconnect will and intellect?

Dr. Noone answers that the problem is rooted in Descartes by disassociating will from intellect. He was aware of Scotus and used his thoughts but ultimately subverted them. He covers the progress from Descartes and even sketches the reasons why Scotus is blamed due to misconceptions about him.

Fr. Ed adds that it is very heard to stay clear of misconceptions.

Dr. Noone reflects on the rarity of authors and philosophers to be free of preconceptions and pints to the exception of Etienne Gilson who saw right past the heavy bias against Scotus in the 1920’s and 30’s. And that it is sad that Scotus is not included in the great books program.

Fr. Ed further reflects on how this exposes a lack of knowledge of medieval history.

Sr. Mary Beth Ingham reflects on how challenging Scotus is to modern impoverished notions of thought and intellectual activity and even the notion of the person. Scotus does not hold to a real distinction between Intellect and will whereas Aquinas did have this distinction and led to a rather strict separation between the two.

Ave Maria!

For more of this Symposium http://dev.airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/newman-scotus-symp-2010/

For the book that is the final fruit of this Symposium: https://academyoftheimmaculate.com/products/the-newman-scotus-reader-contexts-and-commonalities

Audio (MP3)

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The post Video – Conferences #100: Soctus Newman – Panel 1- Q3 – Reconnect Will and Intellect Requested by Pope first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Conferences #101 – Rev. Dr. John Ford ( 08min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Newman-Scotus Symposium – Deacon John Sullivan asks what role illumination plays in the intellect.

Dr. Ford answers by calling this the eureka moment where many different peaces of information comes together into one sudden insight that brings it all together in one coherent picture. Newman speaks of taking a view, and that this leads to a need for action to follow through by conversion and to show others this new view.

Follow up question, how do know if this new view or eureka moment is true?

Dr. Ford answers by saying there is no formula to know. But only points to the need to include the need for the will being involved in the process of inference.

Ave Maria!

For more of this Symposium http://dev.airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/newman-scotus-symp-2010/

For the book that is the final fruit of this Symposium: https://academyoftheimmaculate.com/products/the-newman-scotus-reader-contexts-and-commonalities

Audio (MP3)

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The post Video – Conferences #101: Scotus Newman – Panel 1- Q4 – Role of Illumination first appeared on AirMaria.com.