Play and Wisdom: Liturgy and the Liberal Arts January 20, 2017 By Event Details Date: Wednesday, Feb 22nd, 2017, 7:30 pm Venue: Quadrangle Building 264 Categories: Lecture, Scholar Presentation Tags: Benedictine Spirituality, Brendan McInerny, higher education, lecture, liberal arts, liturgy, play, resident scholars, theology It is commonplace today to lament the commodification of education, particularly in the liberal arts. More than ever, it seems, politicians, social critics, parents, students, administrators, and even professors see education as a means to an end. Unfortunately, such a view of education not only restricts its scope, but also stifles the human spirit. In this lecture, Dr. McInerny will present an alternative view of the liberal arts as rooted in a theological account of play. Understood as those acts that are ends in themselves, play is a fundamental aspect of human existence. It reflects our status as being made in the image of God. But, how can we put such a strange vision of education into practice? Ultimately, it is the spirit of Benedictine liturgical practice that provides the key. Wednesday, February 22, 2017 7:30 PM, Quad 264 Saint John’s University Brendan McInerny is a Kilian McDonnell, OSB Fellow in Faith and Culture at the Collegeville Institute and an adjunct professor of theology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. He received his Ph.D. from Fordham University in 2016. When not giving academic lectures, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Clarey, and daughter, Eilish. Video of event: