Spanish Association of the Friends of Teilhard

The Spanish Association of the Friends of Teilhard was established just a year ago on September 26, 2013.  Celebrating that landmark, the Spanish daily “Córdoba” published the following article by the vice-president of the organization, dated Friday, September 26^th, 2014.

TEILHARD, One Year Later
by Leandro Sequeiros, Vice President

A few months ago, the daily CORDOBA was publishing in its chapter “Opinion” an article from Gaspar Rul-lan about the relevance of Teilhard’s ideas for the 21^st century. Although Teilhard’s figure and ideas are still creating conflicts with some people, no doubt is left about the positive influence he exercised on the Church at the Second Council of the Vatican. In 2012, an international symposium that took place in Rome showed the influence of Teilhard’s ideas on some of the Council’s documents such as Gaudium et Spes, the Constitution about the Church in the world of nowadays.

These ideas are still held by the approximate 100 members of the Association of the Friends of Teilhard de Chardin (Spanish branch). Indeed, this adventure started one year ago. A small group of enthusiastic readers (without any nostalgia whatsoever) of the books by Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) gave birth to an Association of Friends such as there is in other European or American countries.

The founding assembly took place at Comillas University in Madrid on September 25^th, 2013; and decided to create an association ruled by the organic law 1/2002 of March 22^nd about the right for the association to be named “Association of the Friends of Teilhard de Chardin – Spanish branch”. The elected President was Professor Dr Emiliano Aguirre Enriquez, Prince of Asturias Prize, who initiated research on the site of Atapuerca (Burgos), where the remains of the first Europeans have been discovered.

Article 2 of the statutes thus provides: “The aim of the Friends of Teilhard de Chardin (Spanish branch) is the study, development and circulation of the ideas and work of the scientist and philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. It also wishes to facilitate between the members of the association and the civil society in Spain the discussion and interdisciplinary study of his contributions in the fields of natural science, social science and theological and philosophical disciplines. With the freedom of expression of democracies, its goal is to spread the forcefulness of his vision of the world within the civil society.”

During this first year of existence, we have undertaken various projects included in the purpose of the Association: a discussion forum on social medias, the preparation of a Teilhard bibliography, the proposal of new translations of Teilhard’s works. The Teilhard library is being set up in the office of the Association in Cordoba. For this year 2014-2015, other projects are being studied in order to participate in the 60^th anniversary of Teilhard’s decease. The subject that is deemed most interesting might well be: what is the legacy of Teilhard de Chardin for the 21^st century? What remains from Teilhard’s thinking and proposals? It is a challenge that the Association wishes to share with the citizens who are looking for a meaning of reality.