Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison and Anglican Fr. Scott Cunningham of Christ Church Madison will share the stage at Upper House in Madison to present “Christ and the Sacramental Imagination” on Sunday, Dec. 3, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Seeing the unseen
A fundamental difference between secular and Christian imagination is how people view the world.
For many, it is assumed that only things we can physically see and touch are what exist.
Scripture teaches, however, that there are two realities that exist alongside each other — one visible and one invisible.
Christians have long believed that these seen and unseen realities uniquely overlap, first and foremost in Jesus Christ, and consequently in His Church.
We might call this way of viewing the world “the sacramental imagination”.
It speaks to our profound thirst for the transcendent and is central to how the Bible invites us to see Jesus, the Church, and all creation.
You’re invited to come and explore, from a Roman Catholic and Anglican perspective, the Biblical roots of these themes, their influence on popular culture, and how they practically shape our faith.
Event presentations
The presenters, Bishop Hying and Anglican Father Cunningham, will each offer a presentation followed by a time of Q&A.
Bishop Hying will speak about “The Word Made Flesh: Jesus Christ as the Source of a Sacramental Vision”.
Because God embraced our humanity in Jesus Christ, stepping into time and space, the entire material world has taken on a new meaning and significance.
All of created reality, including our own human identity, becomes an incarnation of the spiritual and invisible.
Through this sacramental experience, God reveals Himself to us.
Father Cunningham will speak about “A Portal To Eternity”.
Our modern world is obsessed with stories about portals to another world, from the wardrobe in Narnia to Platform 9¾ at Kings Cross.
We are enthralled with the enduring idea that there are worlds that overlap, with openings between them.
Where do these stories — and these longings — come from?
More importantly, do these fantasies have any correlation to our reality?
Attendees will learn that the story of Scripture is not only more audacious than modern fiction, but that it is also a life-changing reality.
More information
Register for free at upperhouse.org/events.
Upper House is at 365 East Campus Mall, Ste. 200, Madison.
Paid parking garages are located nearby on N. Lake St.
An initiative of the Stephen & Laurel Brown Foundation and founded as a site for Christian gathering and learning, Upper House is located in the heart of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
For more information about the event, contact Susan Swanke at sswanke@slbrownfoundation.org.