The International Relations Committee of the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality and SpIRE will hold a symposium in Dublin from Tuesday, 9 June (morning) to Thursday, 11 June 2026 (lunch). The title for the colloquium/symposium is: Engaging the Body in Narratives of the Soul’s Unfolding.
There has been an explosion of research into embodied aspects of spirituality – dance as a spiritual practice, the healing of trauma in the body through pastoral and spiritual care practice, ancient and contemporary practices of pilgrimage, embodied eco-conversion through gardening, the journey to martyrdom, spiritual injury, etc. What are the challenges for, and strengths of Christian spirituality in this turn to the body in narratives of the soul’s unfolding? A springboard presentation will open the symposium so as to set the scene for the ensuing dialogue. This presentation will be delivered by Robert McChesney, SJ. He is the author of The Soul Also Keeps the Score: https://litpress.org/Products/8975/The-Soul-Also-Keeps-the-Score