Dante in Savannah

If they were to fly south, most Canadian men his age would head for a few quiet days sunning on a sandy beach or putting on a golfing green. But Dr. Robert Crouse, 78, chose instead a grueling 12 hours of lecturing at a three-day seminar. 

The distinguished Canadian theologian was a keynote speaker at two conferences in the deep South this January, first at the Elliot House Seminar in Savannah, Georgia (Jan. 28-30) then at Mere Anglicanism held in Charleston, South Carolina (Jan. 31-Feb. 2). 

Dr. Crouse, Professor Emeritus of Classics at Dalhousie University in Halifax and Canon Theologian of the Diocese of Saskatchewan, spoke at a seminar at Elliot House, an outreach of St John’s Episcopal Church in Savannah to “refresh and expand the education of the clergy.”

This year the twenty participants were greeted the first night with a parish-prepared Low Country supper of crab cakes, roast beef and vegetables.  There was also an oyster roast and chocolate torte with brandy ice-cream.   

Crouse, a scholar of patristic and medieval theology who specializes in Augustine and the Augustinian tradition, has been the visiting scholar at Elliot House for several years, invited by the Canadian-born rector of St. John’s, Rev. Gavin Dunbar. Dunbar is also a former student of Crouse.

The poet and theologian Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) is Dr. Crouse’s passion. This year he led a study of Dante’s Paradiso (following Dorothy Sayers’ translation) while last year he taught Dante’s Purgatorio. Other years the seminar has studied Augustine’s Confessions, Boethius’ The Consolation of Philosophy and Bonaventure’s Journey of the Mind into God (all under Crouse), Plato’s Republic (under Dr. Dennis House) and Athanasius’ On the Incarnation (taught by Bishop Jeffrey Steenson).

Elliott House describes itself as “an academic and liturgical community for the formation of clergy in the theological and spiritual tradition of Anglican Christianity.” It believes that the “supreme way to fashion the mind after our sacred authorities is to study and master the texts of our tradition” and to do this in the context of a discipline of daily prayer. Elliot House, like the parish church that sponsors it, uses the American 1928 Book of Common Prayer in all its worship.

Elliott House is not a seminary but aims to provide “a period of prayer, study, and reflection for seminary graduates, as well as for clergy who wish to spend a season of refreshment within a parish community.” 

In 2003 the Rev. David Phillips of Nova Scotia took a three-month sabbatical to study St Augustine’s On the Trinity under Dr. Michael Carreker at Elliot House. Rev. Phillips had just concluded parish ministry in the Diocese of Saskatchewan and was about to begin serving two parishes in Nova Scotia.

Now busy once again with parish work, Rev. Phillips returns for the annual 3-day conferences, finding them “a ministry of encouragement as well as of learning.” Although the text for next year has not yet been finalized, he hopes Dr. Crouse can be persuaded to lead a study of The Mystical Ark by Richard of St Victor, a 13th century contemplative.

On Thursday many of the seminar participants, along with the rector and choir of St John’s, drove north from Savannah to the sister city of Charleston to take part in the Mere Anglicanism Conference that opened with a Choral Evensong led by the Savannah choir. 

In Charleston Dr. Crouse gave a well-received address on Anglican Sacramentalism, focusing on the English Reformers. (click here for the full paper)

Many of Dr. Crouse’s writings can be read at www.prayerbook.ca/crouse, a website produced by his students in affectionate tribute to the great scholar and gentle priest. His sermons can be found on www.lectionarycentral.com.

For digital recordings of the Elliot Hall Conference talks see www.stjohnssav.org . Audio files of Dr. Crouse leading some parishioners through Dante's Purgatory and Paradise can be heard at www.prnd.ca.