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TO LEISURED AMERICANS: Through A Coming October 2002 Elderhostel Institute Course [Digest of 6/22/2002 Remarks to the National Newman Conference] by T. Patrick Killough
Two intertwined learning vehicles cry out to “radiate Newman.” Their events are hosted by public libraries, museums, conference centers and universities. I refer to elderhostels and elderhostel institutes. The first last five or six days, drawing people from long distances. The second meet once a week for four to eight weeks and are for local people. Elderhostelers (http://www.elderhostel.org) must be age 55 or older. They assemble on college campuses, at conference centers and retreat houses. One price (typically, $450 - $800 per person) covers all expenses including lodging, food and up to three courses Directed from the same Boston world headquarters is the Elderhostel Institute Network (EIN) with http://eh.elderhostel.org/ein as its web site. There we read EIN is a voluntary association of over 220 independent Institutes for Learning in Retirement (ILRs) across North America. ... EIN is the voice for the entire ‘Learning in Retirement’ Movement and provides a unique set of specific services to ILRs.... (EIN maintains a) mailing list of over 750,000 older, active learners.
My wife, Dr Mary Klein Killough, and I will soon teach an elderhostel institute course called JOHN HENRY NEWMAN: FROM CALVINISTTO ANGLO-CATHOLIC TO CARDINAL.This will be at small, conservative Presbyterian Montreat College: (http://www.montreat.edu) near Asheville, NC. The course is part of a campus adult education program whose acronym is MCCALL: (see http://www.montreat.edu/MCCALL.htm). Mary and I draw on Christopher Dawson’s 1933 THE SPIRIT OF THE OXFORD MOVEMENT. Dawson said, The language of poetry, even though it be minor poetry, is more universal than the language of theological controversy, and the Lyra expresses the spirit of the Oxford Movement even more clearly and directly than the Tracts for the Times themselves.Hence, we begin with easier, popular aspects of the Cardinal’s verses, novels and hymns--including Elgar’s rendering of THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS--and Newman’s boyhood and school days. We weave in a spiritual ascent for Everyman which displays Newman as a trustworthy guide to souls of all cultures--Christian or not. Every person is initially blessed or weighted down with inherited physical and cultural limitations and potential. Every person has an emptiness which only God can fill.Through conscience God invites everyone to reach upward from and beyond individual situations using senses, intellect, inherited languages and religions. Contrast this Amherst conference’s Newman-attentive experts and readers with our coming class of Newman-inattentive non-specialists in North Carolina. Here in Amherst half the students and faculty are Catholics. The Newman learners whom Mary and I will teach live, by contrast, in the insignificantly Catholic mountains of our historically least Catholic State. Our neighbor Reverend Billy Graham is the religious leader. Non-Catholic learning and training centers or “assemblies” abound. We also highlight “conversion,” a phenomenon much studied in our evangelical denominations. We describe Newman’s eight years at Ealing School in London and his 1816 conversion to pro-active “dogmatic” Christianity. He remained largely evangelical for another eight years: sixteen continuous years of Calvinist influence or belief. Our course introduces the Oxford Movement and Newman’s circle of female friends and relatives. We will teach two-hour sessions on six consecutive Wednesday
mornings. In addition to elements just mentioned, the course is described
as follows in a forthcoming “recruiting” handout to likely students.
TITLE: JOHN HENRY NEWMAN : FROM CALVINIST TO ANGLO-CATHOLIC TO CARDINAL INSTRUCTORS: Patrick and Mary Killough SYNOPSIS: John Henry Newman (1801-1890) grew slowly into one of England's most creative yet orthodox Christian thinkers. He was teacher, hymnist, preacher, spiritual guide and friend, also poet, historian and philosopher. His was a large, happy family: low-church Anglican and London middle class. At age 15 he had a profound conversion under Calvinist influence. Newman became and remained for 74 years an ardent, searching Christian He co-led the Oxford Movement which rejuvenated the Church of England. In mid-life he became a Roman Catholic and in old age a Cardinal. His works have inspired persons of many faiths and cultures to seek God in and through their consciences and within their inherited cultures and faiths. We will begin with Newman's poetry, LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT
and THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS (hearing parts of Edward Elgar's oratorio),
then discuss Newman's two novels, LOSS AND GAIN and CALLISTA.
We move from his sermons and letters into more difficult masterpieces,
including APOLOGIA PRO VITA SUA, THE IDEA OF A UNIVERSITY and A
GRAMMAR OF ASSENT.
NOTE For Patrick Killough’s complete remarks at the annual Newman conference see http://www.patrickkillough.com/courses/newman_amherst_remarks.html Mr and Mrs Killough welcome readers’ advice on course content. ==================================
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