Invitation to PhD defence: Bastian Felter Vaucanson

Bastian Felter Vaucanson will defend his PhD thesis:

“La conversation éternelle. L’intimité spirituelle dans la correspondance Guyon-Fénelon”

English title: “The Eternal Conversation: Spiritual Intimacy in the Correspondence between Guyon and Fénelon”

Bastian’s dissertation analyses intimacy, spirituality, and communication from the interdisciplinary perspective of theology and literary studies by using as its case study the correspondence between the mystic Jeanne Guyon (1648-1717) and her spiritual companion François Fénelon (1655-1717). The study argues that Guyon combines epistolary theory and Trinitarian theology to develop a communication theory that does not seek to describe the mystical union but to reenact it through the intimacy of the private spiritual correspondence. According to Guyon, the epistolary writing act forces the subject to transcend itself in a movement that imitates the internal commerce of the Trinity.

Assessment committee:

Professor Xenia von Tippelskirch, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Professor Anne Regent-Susini, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle.

Associate Professor Emeritus Nils Holger Petersen, University of Copenhagen.

Principal supervisors: Professor Mette Birkedal Bruun, University of Copenhagen and Professor François Trémolières, Université Rennes 2.

Co-supervisor: Assistant Professor Lars Cyril Nørgaard, University of Copenhagen. 

Time and Place:

January 13^th 2023, 13.15-16.00

Kirkegaard Auditoriet 9A-0-01, Faculty of Theology, South Campus, University of Copenhagen.

Practical information:

The defence will be in English. 

After the defence, there will be a reception at 'Markedspladsen' hosted by Centre for Privacy Studies and the Faculty of Theology.