Adult Forums start-up again on September 17th with a series led by the Rev. Thomas Clement, the Annihilation of Difference: Silence in the Poetry of R.S. Thomas.
R.S. Thomas (1913-2000) was an Anglican priest and one of the preeminent poets of modern Wales. A good deal of his work might be described as a secular account of the harshness of life in the Welsh hill country: an account given in a poetic style that the literary critic, James F. Knapp, described as both “realistic and merciless”. This lack of sentimentality also shows through in Thomas’ religious poetry. Many have read Thomas’ poetry on prayer and have come away with the idea that Thomas believed God to be unknowable. But the reality is far more subtle. In this forum series, we will explore Thomas’ poems on prayer, focusing particularly on the poet’s portrayal of silence, to try and gain a picture of how Thomas understood the relationship between God and humanity, and the role of silence in that relationship.
This forum series will run from September 17th to October 1st. There is no advance preparation required. Our Adult Forums are open to everyone.
Watch out for details of other Adult Forums this Fall!