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A Luminous Absence: Poetry and the Need for God's Absence

A Luminous Absence: Poetry and the Need for God

3 November 2016
3:30 PM-5:30 PM
Palm Court, Mundelein Center, Lake Shore Campus

Event was free and open to the public.

Irish poet and novelist John Deane gave a lecture focusing on the poetry of Irish poet Seamus Heaney, with added work from poets including Denise Levertov, Fred Marchant, George Herbert, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and others. His talk explored the poetry of faith and tries to discover the personal response of poets to the person of Jesus Christ.

The work of Seamus Heaney provides the grounding for the notion of how the non-presence of God is deeply important for a real and living faith. If the absence of God to our senses is important, then poetry can also demonstrate the necessity for a prayer-life that is close to what is regarded as poetic inspiration, an allowing of the mind and heart to listen and focus on the Other, rather than pushing the noise of vocal prayer; how to become permeable to God rather than impermeable. So, poetry and prayer are closely aligned.