How to Encounter God through Poetry w/James Matthew Wilson | Ep.187

Poetry is far more than personal expression; it is a contemplative encounter with reality itself. In this episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Ave Maria University welcomes poet, critic, and theologian James Matthew Wilson, Cullen Foundation Chair in English Literature and Director of the MFA Program in Creative Writing at the University of St. Thomas in Houston.
Professor Wilson explores how the Catholic imagination restores the unity of truth, goodness, and beauty. Drawing from Augustine, Aquinas, Dante, and Benedict XVI, he shows beauty as the splendor of being—the force that first draws us into wonder and ultimately leads us to contemplative praise. Through readings from his collection Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds, Wilson illustrates how disciplined poetic form becomes an act of doxology, responding to the divine love that precedes and sustains all creation.

Chapters:
00:00- Introduction and Wilson's Work
5:00- The Form of Western Civilization and Hans Urs von Balthasar
8:30- Truth as Slavific, Unity of Intellect/Will/Body, and Jacques Maritain
13:00- The Transcendental: Truth, Goodness, and Beauty
18:00- Beauty as Evidence of Christianity and Benedict XVI
22:00- Beauty in Mathematics/Physics, Aquinas as "Poet," and Intelligibility
28:00- Poem: "For Martha"
33:00- Poem: "The Love of God"
42:00- Reflections on Effortlessness of Grace, Dante, and Charity
45:00- Poem and Discussion: "Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds"
52:00- Border Context of the Book: Homage to Mid-20th- Century Poets
57:00 Poem: "The Garden"
1:02:00 Closing Reflections on Order, Evil, and Gratitude
1:05:00- Closing Remarks

Resources Related to the Podcast:

James Matthew Wilson’s Website:
https://jamesmathewwilson.com/

Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds (Word on Fire Press):
https://www.wordonfire.org/products/saint-thomas-and-the-forbidden-birds

Related Episodes:
An Introduction to Chestertonian Theology with Joseph Pearce
https://youtu.be/IfTEIGHCypc

The Theology of Tolkien w/ Joseph Pearce
https://youtu.be/sTJrMnSnjOI

Tolkien's Liturgical Imagination in The Lord of the Rings w/Dr. Ben Reinhard
https://youtu.be/YKYfXJCDMlo
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Видео How to Encounter God through Poetry w/James Matthew Wilson | Ep.187 канала The Catholic Theology Show