Papers by Richard Bernier
Conference Presentations by Richard Bernier
(Webinar given for the Relevant McGill 2021 conference).
“Fill the earth and subdue it”: this com... more (Webinar given for the Relevant McGill 2021 conference).
“Fill the earth and subdue it”: this command from the Hebrew Scriptures is often invoked by those who wish to accuse Christianity of disdaining the natural world and seeing it as nothing but a resource to be exploited. In recent history, Christians have not always seemed to be allies of ecological and environmental causes, although followers of Jesus, some of them very prominent, have also been vocal advocates of climate justice and ecological responsibility. At the same time, the fundamental beliefs of the Christian Faith both raise concerns about some aspects of the environmental movement, while lending unique weight and perspective to other aspects. In this talk, we will survey how Christianity relates to ethical and pragmatic concerns about climate change, animal welfare, and other environmental issues.
"God our Saviour…desires everyone to be saved” (I Tim 2:4, NRSV) has been variously read as a ple... more "God our Saviour…desires everyone to be saved” (I Tim 2:4, NRSV) has been variously read as a pleasant truism, leaving intact the dreadful possibility of eternal damnation; as diplomatically papering over the inexorable perdition of some or most; and as a blunt confirmation that since God wishes it, it shall be so. The latter position has often been held, especially in the West, as the more audacious, scandalous, and even heretical. Nevertheless, some version of apokatastasis has held currency in every age, raising questions about Divine omnipotence, human freedom, the seriousness of justice, the nature of the Cross, and the quality of mercy. In this talk we will explore how the Eastern Christian theological traditions in particular shed light on the matter.
The ascetic and mystical framework provided by the experiences recorded by St Ignatius of Loyola ... more The ascetic and mystical framework provided by the experiences recorded by St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) have deeply marked the Western Church and shaped the way many Christians approach prayer, discernment, and their outlook on daily life. Ignatian spirituality seems to present intriguing convergences and striking divergences from Byzantine spirituality, a relationship complicated by the discreet importing of Ignatian texts into Byzantine literature by Nicholas of the Holy Mountain. In this lecture I explore some of the important points of mutual confirmation and some points of tension between Ignatian and Byzantine spirituality.
Other by Richard Bernier
From the episode description: "Our guest this month is Richard Bernier, a Christian theologian. W... more From the episode description: "Our guest this month is Richard Bernier, a Christian theologian. What happens when two atheists sit down with a Roman Catholic? We talk secularism, secularity, Quebec Charters, public funding of religious schools, and “attack shirts”."
From the episode description: "In the late-1920s, Edith Stein, having been Catholic for a handful... more From the episode description: "In the late-1920s, Edith Stein, having been Catholic for a handful of years, wrote a fictional dialogue between the philosophers Edmund Husserl and Thomas Aquinas. Stein had been a standout student of Husserl, even for a time serving as his assistant. Husserl was one of the most pivotal philosophers of the 20th-century, being credited as the founder of the school of philosophy known as phenomenology. Stein studied under Husserl during her period of youthful atheism, though she never remained closed to questions of God and religion. As her journey to and within Catholicism commenced and continued, the person and work of Thomas Aquinas took on real significance for Stein.
So, it was with no small amount of personal interest that Stein fashioned this encounter between two of her teachers, Husserl and Aquinas. One of the more prominent topics Stein has these two thinkers wrestle with is that of the relationship between philosophy and theology, or natural and supernatural reason, as she phrases it. We might wonder, in this context, just how human reason relates to, receives, and ought to respond to that revealed by God. We might question whether or not God’s revelation, accepted in faith, negates or runs contrary to the human exercise of reason. It might even be asked whether or not faith is an irrational phenomenon.
In the course of the dialogue, and throughout that of this episode, it will be seen that Aquinas rejects this notion of faith and the relationship between the human and divine mind. What is present in Aquinas, and in the Catholic tradition in general, is a robust vision of reason and faith as being mutually beneficial, “two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth,” as John Paul II puts it.
In today’s episode, I speak with Richard Bernier, from Concordia University in Montreal. Richard teaches at Concordia, as well as McGill University, from which he earned his Ph.D. Richard is devoted to his work with young people as a catechist and trained spiritual director in the Ignatian tradition. Be sure to check out today’s show notes, where you’ll find a link to an essay of Richard’s that focuses on this dialogue written by Stein."
Book Reviews by Richard Bernier
Books by Richard Bernier
Drafts by Richard Bernier
, and 272 of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius cover the largely hidden years of Jesus' lif... more , and 272 of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius cover the largely hidden years of Jesus' life, from His birth to the beginning of His public ministry around age 30. Those 30 years are described as "hidden" years because the Scriptures are silent about them, a silence punctuated by only two vignettes: the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt (followed eventually by their return) after the departure of the Magi, and the finding of Jesus in the Temple at age 12. These three decades, composing by far the largest portion of Jesus' life, were presumably spent in the ordinary duties of everyday life in Nazareth.
Courses Taught by Richard Bernier
This course provides students with theoretical and methodological grounding in Ignatian spiritual... more This course provides students with theoretical and methodological grounding in Ignatian spirituality specifically and in the academic study of Christian spirituality in general. The course introduces students to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, situating the Exercises both in their historical context and within interpretations in contemporary culture. The goal of the course is to prepare students to engage in the role of directing the Spiritual Exercises, to facilitate students' understanding of the dynamics of the Exercises and to explore the underlying anthropology and theology of the Ignatian Exercises.
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Papers by Richard Bernier
Conference Presentations by Richard Bernier
“Fill the earth and subdue it”: this command from the Hebrew Scriptures is often invoked by those who wish to accuse Christianity of disdaining the natural world and seeing it as nothing but a resource to be exploited. In recent history, Christians have not always seemed to be allies of ecological and environmental causes, although followers of Jesus, some of them very prominent, have also been vocal advocates of climate justice and ecological responsibility. At the same time, the fundamental beliefs of the Christian Faith both raise concerns about some aspects of the environmental movement, while lending unique weight and perspective to other aspects. In this talk, we will survey how Christianity relates to ethical and pragmatic concerns about climate change, animal welfare, and other environmental issues.
Other by Richard Bernier
So, it was with no small amount of personal interest that Stein fashioned this encounter between two of her teachers, Husserl and Aquinas. One of the more prominent topics Stein has these two thinkers wrestle with is that of the relationship between philosophy and theology, or natural and supernatural reason, as she phrases it. We might wonder, in this context, just how human reason relates to, receives, and ought to respond to that revealed by God. We might question whether or not God’s revelation, accepted in faith, negates or runs contrary to the human exercise of reason. It might even be asked whether or not faith is an irrational phenomenon.
In the course of the dialogue, and throughout that of this episode, it will be seen that Aquinas rejects this notion of faith and the relationship between the human and divine mind. What is present in Aquinas, and in the Catholic tradition in general, is a robust vision of reason and faith as being mutually beneficial, “two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth,” as John Paul II puts it.
In today’s episode, I speak with Richard Bernier, from Concordia University in Montreal. Richard teaches at Concordia, as well as McGill University, from which he earned his Ph.D. Richard is devoted to his work with young people as a catechist and trained spiritual director in the Ignatian tradition. Be sure to check out today’s show notes, where you’ll find a link to an essay of Richard’s that focuses on this dialogue written by Stein."
Book Reviews by Richard Bernier
Books by Richard Bernier
Drafts by Richard Bernier
Courses Taught by Richard Bernier
“Fill the earth and subdue it”: this command from the Hebrew Scriptures is often invoked by those who wish to accuse Christianity of disdaining the natural world and seeing it as nothing but a resource to be exploited. In recent history, Christians have not always seemed to be allies of ecological and environmental causes, although followers of Jesus, some of them very prominent, have also been vocal advocates of climate justice and ecological responsibility. At the same time, the fundamental beliefs of the Christian Faith both raise concerns about some aspects of the environmental movement, while lending unique weight and perspective to other aspects. In this talk, we will survey how Christianity relates to ethical and pragmatic concerns about climate change, animal welfare, and other environmental issues.
So, it was with no small amount of personal interest that Stein fashioned this encounter between two of her teachers, Husserl and Aquinas. One of the more prominent topics Stein has these two thinkers wrestle with is that of the relationship between philosophy and theology, or natural and supernatural reason, as she phrases it. We might wonder, in this context, just how human reason relates to, receives, and ought to respond to that revealed by God. We might question whether or not God’s revelation, accepted in faith, negates or runs contrary to the human exercise of reason. It might even be asked whether or not faith is an irrational phenomenon.
In the course of the dialogue, and throughout that of this episode, it will be seen that Aquinas rejects this notion of faith and the relationship between the human and divine mind. What is present in Aquinas, and in the Catholic tradition in general, is a robust vision of reason and faith as being mutually beneficial, “two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth,” as John Paul II puts it.
In today’s episode, I speak with Richard Bernier, from Concordia University in Montreal. Richard teaches at Concordia, as well as McGill University, from which he earned his Ph.D. Richard is devoted to his work with young people as a catechist and trained spiritual director in the Ignatian tradition. Be sure to check out today’s show notes, where you’ll find a link to an essay of Richard’s that focuses on this dialogue written by Stein."