New Norcia Institute for Benedictine Studies Annual Institute Lecture 2016:

“Longing for Ecstasy: Monastic Theologies and their Influence”, Professor Constant Mews (Monash University)

Date: Saturday 1 October, 2016
Time: 10:00am-3:00pm
Venue: Institute for Benedictine Studies, New Norcia
Cost: $60 ($35 concession) Includes morning tea and lunch. You can now book and pay on-line at http://www.newnorcia.wa.edu.au/products; or contact either Carmel Posa sgs (carmel.posa@newnorcia.wa.edu.au, phone: 08 9654 8371) or Jill O’Brien sgs (jill.obrien@newnorcia.wa.edu.au, phone: 08 9654 8371).

Professor Mews will consider the way monastic writing in the twelfth-century drew attention to the Song of Songs in a personal way. To under-stand and appreciate what these monastic writers had to say, we need to take seriously how much they valued what the Song had to say about long-ing for the experience of ecstasy.

Constant Mews is Director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology at the School of Historical Studies, Monash University, Melbourne. Professor Mews has published widely on intellectual and religious history within the twelfth century, with particular reference to Abelard and Heloise, and to Hildegard of Bingen.