Teresa Forcades is an icon of European left.
On Sunday, 9 April, the Philosophy Theatre at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb will host Teresa Forcades, a nun and an icon of the European left, as well as the most radical nun in Europe. Philosophy Theatre’s host Srećko Horvat said that her visit will be the event of the year in Zagreb, reports Večernji List on March 21, 2017.
Teresa Forcades has a PhD in public health from the University of Barcelona and a master’s degree in theology from Harvard University. She is a member of Catalan Benedictine nuns, and in her lectures which she holds all over Europe she frequently criticizes capitalism and all of its characteristics, as well as the patriarchal Catholic Church, fighting for the rights of women in the church and the public life.
She writes books on theological issues, pharmaceutical industry and feminism, and is a persistent advocate of Catalan independence and an activist of the Spanish movement Indignados, created after mass protests against austerity in 2011.
Her opposition to mainstream ideas places her among the most radical and most influential intellectuals of European and global left.
Although some consider her to be controversial, Sister Teresa, who normally lives quietly with other nuns in the famous monastery and pilgrimage destination of Montserrat, in her book “Faith and Freedom” simply says: “No church, ritual or ideology can replace internal gesture of free love that saves us and can save the world.”
Theologian and editor Zoran Grozdanov, who recently published the Croatian translation of the book, adds: “The theology advocated by Teresa Forcades follows the best tradition of liberation theology, which puts the spotlight on issues of social justice. For her, there are only two absolutes, God and hunger, and a theology which does not question power structures is not a theology.”
“After last year’s discussion with former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis at the Philosophy Theatre, the visit of Sister Teresa can be considered this year’s event of the year”, said Srećko Horvat.
