released 11/26/2021

As Advent approaches, the theme of “light” becomes a prominent feature in liturgical life (and elsewhere). Late in his career, physicist David Park (1919–2012) spent a great deal of time researching the history of thinking and theorizing about light. That research was summarized in his 1997 book, The Fire within the Eye: A Historical Essay on the Nature and Meaning of Light (Princeton University Press). Among the thinkers referenced by Park are Augustine, Dante, and Thomas Aquinas. This re-presentation of an interview with Park from Volume 29 is prefaced by Ken Myers with additional liturgical and historical reflections.

17 minutes

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