AIF Spring Lecture – with Dr Clare Watkins: 7th February 2022 – [7.15pm for 7.30 start]
“Communion, Participation, Mission: Interchurch Families’ gifts of discernment and ‘Synodality’ for the wider Church” – Dr Clare Watkins
We are pleased to announce that our Spring Lecture will be focusing on the link between interchurch families and the most important issue facing the Catholic church today, one which also has clear implications for all other Christian churches and denominations – that of Synodality. Theologian Dr Clare Watkins (see her biography below) will focus on the centrality of discernment in the process of Synodality and also in the decisions that face interchurch families. Using the process of discernment inherent in the question of Eucharistic Sharing as one of her examples (as discussed in One Bread One Body and the German Bishops’ Guidelines) she will examine the particular way in which the synodal process highlights the necessity of wide inclusion for authentic discernment – and here she will develop a theme that Interchurch Families have a real wealth of experience that is a gift to the wider church.
This promises to be a fascinating talk drawing together two issues of significant interest and importance to us as interchurch families. It is also very timely, for we will shortly be sending details of an online consultation which is being planned for early March to support an AIF input to the Synodality process.
By all means spread the word to like minded friends and interested parties.
| Event Registration: For security purposes we need to control access to the Zoom session so, like most other such events, you will need to register that you wish to attend and will then receive the log-in details. You can register for the event through the new website, by clicking the link here and following the instructions: https://www.interchurchfamilies.org.uk/events If, for some reason, you are unable to register via the website, please email Doral at doral@interchurchfamilies.org.uk and you will receive the Zoom details by email. Member Registration: If you haven’t yet signed in as a user of the new AIF website please do so at the same time, it only takes a couple of minutes. Just click here: https://www.interchurchfamilies.org.uk/members-registration and follow the instructions. Once you are a registered user of the website you will be able to access the members only pages under About Us. |
Clare Watkins – Biography
Dr Clare Watkins is a Roman Catholic, lay theologian, committed to teaching and research in the areas of ecclesiology, sacramental theology and practical theology, and with a particular concern for working theologically in ways that contribute to ministerial formation and church life and mission. Having completed her doctorate in 1990, she juggled pastoral and theological work with raising four children whilst working pastorally as a lay assistant in parish and student chaplaincy ministries and has since developed a teaching and research portfolio at various institutions including Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, the Cambridge Theological Federation, Allen Hall (Catholic seminary) and the Heythrop Institute. She is currently a Reader at the School of Humanities and Social Services Research Centre for Practical Philosophy
Some members may have seen Clare present a paper on sharing Communion during the webinar to launch the NBCW leaflet last May, and others may have read articles by her in the Tablet magazine (amongst others). You can read a full biographical profile here: https://pure.roehampton.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/clare-watkins
