The University of Malta and Fondation de Malte are jointly organising a week's programme of events to celebrate the thought of the French philosopher, theologian and scientist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. An odd 50 years after his death, Teilhard de Chardin remains a somewhat lone voice in believing that the universe stands to be better understood if the age-old dichotomy “religion vs science” which we might allow to rule our thinking, is seen to be mentally confining. As Remo Vescia, one of the participants in the programme puts it, “science for Teilhard, is a direct religious contact with the deepest of reality”.
The holistic image of the universe that Teilhard projects, is one of flawless beauty insofar as that which is seen to oppose beauty, serves as a matter of fact, to enhance it. It is precisely this cue which animates the first event of the week, Sbuhija bla Nikta, a performance which integrates recited biblical text and choreographical sequences with J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations. The performance will take place at 8pm on Monday 3 December at the Collegiate Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception in Cospicua.
On Wednesday, 5 December at 7.30pm, a performance which follows a similar structure will be held at St John's Co-Cathedral. Teilhard's essay-prayer Mass on the World will be read in Maltese, interspersed with choreographical sequences by Francoise Dupriez Flamand and a live performance of Charles Camilleri's musical composition Missa Mundi by British organist David Coram. Camilleri's Missa Mundi is an internationally acclaimed contemporary piece for organ directly inspired and configured on Teilhard's own work.
The week also comprises two discussion sessions which will be held under the auspices of the Philosophy Society. The first session will take place on Tuesday, 4 December, and has as its main speaker, French Teilhardian scholar, Remo Vescia. The subject of the discussion will be “Meditating Beauty with Dante and Teilhard”.
The second session will take place on Friday, 7 December. The main speaker is Fr Edward Farrugia, Professor of Oriental Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome. He will interpret the concept of woman as developed by Teilhard in his prose-poem L'Eternel Feminin. Both sessions will be held at Erin Serracino Inglott Hall, University of Malta at 7pm.