Priest, poet, author, and musician to present at 2021-22 speaker series
BRISTOL, Tenn., March 28, 2022 — King University’s Institute for Faith & Culture (IFC) welcomes poet, priest, and author Malcolm Guite as the 2021-22 speaker series, “Listen to Your Life,” continues Thursday, April 7, and Friday, April 8.
A Supernumerary Fellow and former chaplain at Girton College in Cambridge, England, Guite has taught at the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge, and lectures widely on theology and literature throughout England and North America. He has authored several books of poetry and theology, including “Faith, Hope and Poetry: Theology and the Poetic Imagination.” In addition, he records his own music and performs in the band Mystery Train.
Guite will present “Songs and Sonnets: An Evening of Poetry, Song, and Story,” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Bristol, Virginia.
On Friday, April 8, at 9:15 a.m., Guite will present “An Unexpected Music: Poetry and Renewal” in the Memorial Chapel on King’s main campus in Bristol. Both events are free and open to the public.
“Malcolm Guite’s poetry and song draw from the richness of ancient roots, and blossom in vivid, accessible verse,” said Martin Dotterweich, Ph.D., director of the IFC. “His words are grounded in the liturgical year, the language of Scripture and the Book of Common Prayer, and poetry ranging from Dante to Coleridge to Heaney, but without the slightest pretense or affectation. We look forward to a Thursday evening of poetry and song, followed by his theological reflections on art and imagination in a Friday morning lecture. Malcolm comes to Bristol from Middle Earth, by way of Cambridge, England, and he embodies a dynamic union of creativity and faith.”
Guite is a 1980 graduate of the University of Cambridge, where he received a Master’s Degree in English Literature. He was ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1991, and went on to obtain his Doctor of Philosophy from Durham University in Durham, England, in 1993. He has published works of poetry, theology, and literary criticism, and has worked as a librettist. His most recent books include “Love, Remember,” “Mariner,” a spiritual biography of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Parable and Paradox,” and “The Singing Bowl.” His poetic response to the psalms, “David’s Crown,” was released in January 2021, and anthologies of his Poet’s Corner writings, “In Every Corner Sing” and “Heaven in Ordinary,” were published in 2019 and 2020.
For more information about the Institute, including the full schedule for the 2021-22 speaker series, visit king.edu/faithandculture.
###
King University is a Presbyterian-affiliated, doctoral-level comprehensive university. Founded in 1867 as King College, the University offers more than 90 majors, minors, pre-professional degrees and concentrations in fields such as business, nursing, law, medical and health sciences, pharmacy, education, and humanities. Graduate programs are offered in business administration, education, and nursing. A number of research, off-campus learning opportunities, and travel destinations are also available. King University is a NCAA Division II and a Conference Carolinas member with 25 varsity sports. For more information about King University, visit www.king.edu. King University does not discriminate against academically qualified students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, or disability. King University is certified by SCHEV to operate in Virginia. King’s primary location in Virginia is Southwest Virginia Community College, 724 Community College Rd, Cedar Bluff, and VA 24609.