Theology Unpacked

This podcast episode of "Theology Unpacked", Dr John Moffatt SJ explores philosophical and theological views on death, the afterlife, and the soul. Starting with Catholic practices in November, which we dedicate Masses on the 2nd November especially for the Repose of the Souls of the Dead. He examines Prayers for the Dead, which express a human longing for connection with those who have passed. The discussion delves into historical perspectives on the soul from different cultures, comparing the non-material, immortal soul of Plato with Aristotle’s view of the soul as a life force intertwined with the body. 📧 ⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days! 📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library 🤓 ⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit Centre If you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this prelude of Season 2, Dr John Moffatt SJ introduces the themes of death, resurrection, and the anticipation of Advent and Christmas within Christian theology. He emphasises the importance of exploring complex theological concepts not just intellectually, but also as matters deeply tied to personal faith and existential questions. 📧 ⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days! 📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library 🤓 ⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit Centre If you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, Dr John Moffatt SJ’s discussion on Christian Creation Theology examines various perspectives on life’s meaning, justice, and environmental responsibility, contrasting secular worldviews like Epicureanism and Marxism with Christian teachings. He highlights that creation is inherently good and that both the Old and New Testaments advocate justice and care for the marginalised. Drawing on thinkers like Thomas Aquinas and Pope Francis, Dr John Moffatt underscores the concept of the "Universal Destination of Goods," arguing for a shared stewardship of Earth’s resources. - 📧 ⁠⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days! 📚 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library 🤓 ⁠⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit Centre If you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this podcast episode of the "Theology Unpacked", Dr John Moffatt SJ discusses modern Christian interpretations of creation, beginning with an analysis of the Book of Genesis and how to interpret it responsibly without literalism. It outlines the importance of understanding biblical text within its historical context, as encouraged by both ancient and modern theological perspectives. Dr John Moffatt SJ highlights the evolving relationship between faith and science, with early Christian thinkers integrating ideas from Greek philosophy and later reconciling shifts in scientific understanding, such as heliocentrism, with theological views. The discussion progresses to more challenging developments like Darwin’s theory of evolution, which sparked debate over the literal reading of Genesis and the unique role of humans in creation. Despite these challenges, some modern Christian theologians, inspired by figures like Teilhard de Chardin, have embraced evolution as compatible with the Christian narrative of salvation. 📧 ⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days! 📚 ⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library 🤓 ⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit Centre If you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode of "The Science of Creation," Dr John Moffat SJ examines how Jewish and Christian traditions have used prophetic and allegorical readings to reinterpret ancient texts in light of new cultural and philosophical ideas. He explains how Jewish and Christian thinkers incorporated Greek philosophy, including insights from Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics, to deepen their understanding of God and Creation. 📧 ⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days! 📚 ⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library 🤓 ⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit Centre If you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠.

Do take part in our polls! In this Episode of "Theology Unpacked", Dr John Moffatt SJ explored how Jewish thinkers in the centuries before Jesus looked at the Old Testament writings and reinterpreted them in new and sometimes conflicting ways, influenced by their historical context and by engagement with Greek philosophical culture. Two views of creation emerged: one in which God creates the world and grants humans the freedom to obey or disobey His laws, and another where God is deeply involved in human destiny, promising a new creation at the end of time. This reinterpretation of sacred texts opens the door for new religious ideas, gradually shaping the Christian theology of Creation. In our next episodes, we'll look at how all this leads into the classical Christian understandings of Creation, the complicated relationship between religion and science, and what a good theology of Creation might tell us about how to save our planet. 📧 ⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days! 📚 ⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library 🤓 ⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit Centre If you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠.

Do take part in our polls! In this episode of Theology Unpacked, Dr John Moffatt SJ takes us on another journey for a best guess at author meanings for Genesis 2-3. Adding more cultural connections and myth as a parable of contemporary history! . 📧 ⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days! 📚 ⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library 🤓 ⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit Centre . If you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠.

Do take part in our polls! In this episode of Theology Unpacked, Dr John Moffatt SJ takes us on a journey to guess intelligently what author(s) meaning for Genesis 1 and connections with ancient Middle-Eastern narratives. What is a myth? . 📧 ⁠⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠⁠, including follow-up study days! 📚 ⁠⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library 🤓 ⁠⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit Centre . If you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠⁠.

Do take part in our polls! In this episode, Dr John Moffatt SJ explores some current ideas in biblical scholarship about the turbulent historical context of exile and restoration in which the Genesis texts were written. . 📧 ⁠Sign up for regular updates⁠⁠, including follow-up study days! 📚 ⁠⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠⁠ in the Heythrop Library 🤓 ⁠Join online or in-person courses⁠⁠ at the London Jesuit Centre . If you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠⁠.

In this podcast, Dr John Moffatt SJ introduces the texts of Genesis 1 and 2-3 and a simple working theory of interpretation: reader meaning and author meaning. . 📧 Sign up for regular updates⁠, including follow-up study days on your branch of interest! 📚 ⁠Explore the wide range of reading materials⁠ in the Heythrop Library 🤓 Join online or in-person courses⁠ at the London Jesuit Centre . If you find our podcasts helpful, please consider ⁠donating to the London Jesuit Centre⁠.

Dr John Moffatt SJ shares the story behind producing the Heythrop Institute's new podcast "Theology Unpacked".