So that the World Will Return To Thinking: Reason, Faith and Hope in an Era of Populism: this is the title of the conference delivered by Czech theologian, philosopher and essayist, Fr. Tomáš Halík, at a book launch held by Paulinas Editora in Lisbon on 21 November. About 400 people attended the event, which was the high point of a series of activities organized by our FSP publishing house during Fr. Halìk’s 3-day stay in Portugal, on the occasion of the publication of his autobiography, All My Paths Are Before You (an echo of Psalm 139:3). It is the sixth of his books published by our sisters in just six years. Every publisher knows the hard work involved in translating the work of an unknown author and making it accessible to the people. This was not the case for Tomáš Halìk because, to everyone’s surprise, the introduction of his first book to the people of Portugal was a case of “love at first sight.”
Fr. Halík’s autobiography takes the reader to many unusual places, among them his childhood in a Stalinist regime, his conversion to Christianity, the “Prague Spring” in Czechoslovakia followed by Soviet occupation of the country in 1968, his secret ordination as a priest (of which not even his mother was aware), his work in the “Underground Church,” his personal relationship with Pope John Paul II, and much more. Within this context, Tomáš Halík documents his process of intellectual and spiritual development, but he also speaks openly about his crises and internal conflicts, thus following the tradition of St. Augustine, who created a new literary genre with his Confessions. Fr. Halìk also expands his gaze to current world dynamics, weaving together the threads of a global fabric shot through with a populism that feeds on the fears of society and of the Church, which is challenged both internally and externally by extremely complex situations. Pope Francis, says Fr. Halìk, is a prophet of our times–the only one who is pointing out, for the Church and for all humanity, the sure path to follow in the “transhumance” process currently underway in this time of epochal change.
Some links: