Re: Teilhard de Chardin - new documentary

On Sat, 18 May 2024 17:32:39 +0100, Martin Harran
<martinharran@gmail.com> wrote:

(RNS) - In the history of the Catholic Church, too many innovative
thinkers were persecuted before they were accepted and then embraced
by the church.
>
The list includes St. Thomas Aquinas (whose books were burned by the
bishop of Paris), St. Ignatius Loyola (who was investigated by the
Spanish Inquisition) and St. Mary MacKillop (an Australian nun who was
excommunicated by her bishop for uncovering and reporting clergy child
sex abuse).
>
It's not surprising, then, that a French Jesuit scientist, Pierre
Teilhard de Chardin, who tried to bridge the gap between faith and
science, got himself in trouble with church officials and his Jesuit
superiors in the 20th century. Only after his death was he recognized
as the inspired genius that he was.
>
His story is magnificently told in a new PBS documentary, "Teilhard:
Visionary Scientist," which was produced by Frank Frost Productions in
a 13-year labor of love. It took Frank and Mary Frost to four
countries on three continents, a total of 25 locations, and included
more than 35 interviews.
>
[…]
>
"Teilhard: Visionary Scientist" will premiere on Maryland Public
Television on May 19 and be available for national and international
streaming for two years, beginning on May 20, on the free PBS app.
>
https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2024/05/13/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin-pbs-documentary-247920

Now available at
https://www.pbs.org/video/teilhard-visionary-scientist-pt9dc1/

I've just finished watching this and I found it absorbing, extremely
well produced and not at all pulling its punches about the
tribulations he faced in his life as a priest and scientist. I have
been interested in Teilhard's ideas for some time but hadn't really
bothered about his biography, so it was very revealing for me.

Two big takeaways for me. The first one is the treatment he suffered
from his religious superiors. I knew that they had treated him badly
but not how truly awfully they treated him. Not the Jesuit Order's
finest moment - not clear how much the Vatican was involved, if at
all.

The second takeaway was that I hadn't realised just how highly he was
regarded as a scientist by his peers and his contribution to
palaeontology -  truly impressive. By a funny coincidence, I am
currently reading 'The Day Without Yesterday', John Farrell's account
of Lemaître, Einstein and the Birth of Modern Cosmology. I was, of
course aware, of Lemaître's contribution to the Big Bang but dagain,
idn't realise just how highly he was regarded by his peers.
Fascinating reading about the interplay between the various scientists
and mathematicians involved in the early days of cosmology and the
struggles of Einstein to come to terms with how others developed his
theories.