Keynote speaker Tomáš Halík (pictured) a leading Catholic intellectual and author from the Czech Republic, says Churches must transcend national, religious, cultural boundaries A new reformation for the 21st century must transcend “the current forms and boundaries of Christianity,” resist simplistic answers to contemporary challenges and contribute to uniting into ‘One Body’ all of humanity, Read more
New tasks and challenges emerge between the synod’s first and second sessions. Greater attention needs to be paid to the wider context of the synodal renewal, to the preconditions and consequences of this process. It concerns a much larger and more demanding task than simply transforming a rigid clerical system within the Catholic Church into Read more
Fr Tomáš Halík, a renowned Czech theologian and philosopher, says the Catholic Church should shed the “heresy of triumphalism” and foster a more synodal approach to evangelisation in today’s secular climate. Halík recently participated in a synodal gathering convened by the Vatican, highlighting concerns over parish priests’ exclusion from previous synodal sessions and stressing the Read more
What form of Christianity is coming? What will the Church look like in the new era? To begin to find an answer to that question, please join me at a recent gathering of parish delegates from the two adjacent Welsh dioceses of Cardiff and Menevia. It was in a parish hall in Miskin, outside the Read more
Monsignor Tomáš Halík, a prominent Czech theologian, has emphasised the importance of taking seriously those who report having no religious affiliation (‘nones’) and spiritual seekers. Halik recently visited Sydney and addressed various Catholic audiences, including educators, parish leaders and youth. He stressed that ‘nones’ and spiritual seekers are a growing demographic in Australia and other Read more
Faith today in the afternoon of Christianity presents real opportunities, says under-ground priest Tomáš Halík. Halík, also an acclaimed author, lecturer, psychotherapist, psychologist of religion and pastoral theologian at Charles University in Prague, joined in conversation at Victoria University Wellington’s Law faculty. Halík focussed on a number of issues facing the Church that he said Read more
Culture warrior Catholics are falling prey to fundamentalism and bigotry says a Czechoslovakian academic. Warning the positive content of faith has become emptied, Father Tomáš Halík quotes the former Archbishop of Milan, Carlo Maria Martini; “I am not so much afraid of people who do not have faith; what disturbs me are people who do Read more
Closed churches are likely to become closed for good in the not-too-distant future, says Monsignor Tomas Halik. This won’t be because of outside forces like the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but because of the Church’s unwillingness to reform, he suggests. Halik says we should take notice that in many countries churches, monasteries and seminaries have been Read more
Western society has reduced the Christian command to “love thy neighbour” to mere secular tolerance, Templeton Prize winner Fr Tomáš Halík has warned. On May 14, the Czech philosopher priest was presented with the award, which honours a living person who has made exceptional contributions “to affirming life’s spiritual dimension”. The prize is worth about Read more