Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Conference on Acheropite Images to be Held at Torun, Poland May 11 to 13





This gathering entitled the International Interdisciplinary Conference on the Acheiropoietos Images is a big step forward which will bring together scientists and scholars from many disciplines including theology, humanities and the natural sciences. The organizers of the conference are from the Nicholas Copernicus University in Torun, as well as from the University of Gdansk. The language of the conference will be english. It is very significant that it is being held in commemorate the 12th anniversary of the visit which Pope John Paul II made to Torun, and also that it falls on the twentieth anniversary of the date on which Our Lady saved the faithful and beloved son of Poland so that he might continue to carry on his mission of "Throwing Open Wide the Doors to Christ".

from the website of the Conference http://acheiropoietos.umk.pl/
The conference aims, among others, to update knowledge on the objects not made by human hand which are referred to by a Greek term “acheiropoietos”. This ancient concept has a wide range of meaning. Within the narrow range, the term covers images which in the strict sense came into existence without the assistance of human hand. In the broad meaning – the objects which are in a more or less conventional way entitled to such a definition when Tradition sources are taken into consideration.

It is still not perfectly clear which objects are entitled to be described as acheiropoietos in the strict sense. Without fail, the images which underwent a thorough research in the previous century obviously belong to that group. These are the images on the Turin Shroud and the Tilma of Guadalupe, and additionally, in the light of recent comparison research carried out i.a. by sister Blandina Paschalis, the Veil of Manoppello has been also included in that group. The question, whether one can classify as acheiropoietos in the strict sense also the images from other objects such as e.g. the miniature cloth from Coromoto in Venezuela, is under discussion.

The organisers of Toruń Acheiropoietos Conference 2011 conference are eager to open the ground for scientific discussion among researchers of various disciplines in order to circumscribe the methodological frames of research scope which is set by the term “acheiropoietos”, to confront research achievements of all scientific disciplines which deal with acheiropoietos and to set the direction for integration of acheiropoietos studies.

The conference will be held on May 11–13, 2011 and will commemorate 12th anniversary of John Paul II's visit to Toruń. While giving a speech at Toruń’s University, he encouraged to engage in a deep dialogue between science and faith. This is also the aim of organisers of Toruń Acheiropoietos Conference 2011. It’s realisation is possible due to special subject of study wich is in the limelight of natural science as well as humanities and theology.

Suggested thematic areas

Acheropoietos images in natural science cognition
Characteristics of material structure of acheiorpoietos
Consequences (pastoral, liturgical, ecumenical) of integrating acheiropoietos studies for the icon theology
The theology of icon
The theology of sign and miracle
Fenomenology of sacred images
Significance of the acheiropoietos images in fundamental theology, missiology and new evangelisation
The issue of authenticity of Jesus Christ image in Christian iconographic canons in the context of acheiropoietos images
The issue of authenticity of Jesus Christ acheiropoietos image in comparison to images of deities of other religions (in the context of religious studies)
Forecast on scientific, sociological, cultural consequences of undertaking integrated acheiropoietos studies
Historical aspects

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