A Retreat Day with the Gospel of John

Dr. Peter Judge

Thursday, March 24, 2022 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Since the early Christian centuries, the Gospel of John has been dubbed “the spiritual gospel” because it expounds the divine nature of Jesus more than the other gospels. It has been represented symbolically by an eagle because it soars to theological heights, teaching us who Jesus is and what he is about. However, the Fourth Gospel is also about the life of its hearers/readers and discipleship to Jesus as it explores the depths of our intimate relationship with him. Indeed, the author tells us his purpose is that “through believing you may have life in his name” (20:31).

This retreat with John will be not simply an intellectual exercise in learning about Jesus in this Gospel but a guided opportunity to enhance a deeply personal relationship with Jesus. As the “Word made Flesh” Jesus also communicates the Wisdom of God, the feminine figure of intimacy with God that appears in several Old Testament traditions. By exploring discipleship through the characters and episodes of the Gospel, especially the authoritative witness behind it, we too can become “beloved disciples” who embrace the Word and Wisdom of Jesus. The day includes Eucharist and lunch.

Peter Judge is Professor Emeritus of Religion at Winthrop University in Rock Hill. He earned degrees in theology and religious studies at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. He has published several articles on the Gospel of John, which is one of his chief areas of research.