Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Wuhan (Agenzia Fides) - The School of Philosophy of the Chinese State University "Huazhong University of Science and Technology" (HUST) in the city of Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, will hold an academic ceremony in June to celebrate and honor Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274). The occasion is the 800th birthday of the “giant of philosophy”. The invitation states that Thomas Aquinas "occupies an important historical position in the history of Western philosophy; he is the greatest teacher of all philosophies. On the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Sage's birth and in a spirit of reverence" for Aquinas, the 5th National Forum for Medieval Philosophy and the 2024 Annual Assembly of the Technical Committee for Medieval Philosophy of the National Institute of Philosophy will take place. The forum aims to provide an in-depth overview of the results of historical studies that also examine the contemporary development of the philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas, and to open a broader discussion on the contribution of medieval philosophy in the context of multiculturalism. The forum will deal not only with the theoretical origins, the contributions of scholars and the path of the philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas, but also with the contents of patristic philosophy, Jewish philosophy, Arabic philosophy and Byzantine philosophy, whereby also the development of scholasticism and the interaction of all these philosophies with modern philosophy are examined in detail. The time of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the great theologian and Doctor of the Church, coincided in China with the final period of the Song dynasty (960-1279), a period in Chinese history in which the Chinese economy, culture and science flourished. This period was characterized by relative political enlightenment, agricultural development, economic and urban prosperity, and social change. The revival of Confucianism led to the formation of schools of thought, the rapid development of science and technology, even the flourishing of Song poetry, and high achievements in the art of calligraphy and painting. Several Western historians also consider the Song Dynasty period to be the "Chinese Renaissance" era. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 22/1/2024)
