“The Woman at the Well:
On Conversation”
2026 Beatrice Institute Lenten Campaign
“Coming from the highly secular world of the university, Beatrice Institute is vital because it serves as a forum for the spiritual discussion which I otherwise miss. The Beatrice seminars helped me to realize what is essential and good. As a community, BI is warm and I have met many good-hearted and encouraging people.”
Annibale Caracci, Christ and the Samaritan Woman (The Budapest Copy)
"God's breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage"
George Herbert, Prayer I
THE MEDItATION
Some Etymology…
In the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, the bedrock of prayer is found in conversation with God, "as one friend speaks to another."
For Ignatius then, the vehicle of intimacy with God is conversation. But what is conversation?
The word originates from the Latin conversationis, meaning "familiarity" or "close association." But a close association seems to fall short of what a Christian does when he or she prays.
There is, however, another Latin root (or at least, close cousin) that comes a bit nearer: conversare, meaning quite literally to "turn around."
Herbert's poem, Prayer I (quoted above), captures this deeper definition of conversation with God as a kind of turning or movement:
God's breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage...
The Woman at the Well…
The episode of John’s gospel with the Samaritan woman at the well is one of those rare moments where Christ is depicted in one-on-one conversation. Christ draws explicit attention to the fact: “I am he, the one who is speaking with you” (John 4:26).
Conversation is the vehicle of revelation and the means of conversion.
Notice that in Caracci’s painting of the scene (above), Christ is catching the woman just as she's about to leave: at the sound of the shepherd's voice, the lost sheep turns back. Caracci has painted the heart of conversation with God: the turning.
Caracci seems to agree with Herbert that conversation with God is indeed movement, "God's breath in man returning to his birth...the heart in pilgrimage." Christ has come to reveal the true pilgrimage and point of return, "neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem" but through Him, in the Spirit, and towards the Father. (John 4:21)
Why we converse…
Beatrice Institute aims to be a space where we can bring the heart of conversation with God into our conversations with each other.
The Action
We have a request for you!
BI exists to host conversations: colloquy that generates inquiry that generates deeper colloquy. Conversation not only with each other, but with Christianity's rich traditions. Conversations with the potential to re-turn culture to God.
In order to have these conversations, we have to invite people to them. This requires advertising around the city.
Help us spread the word this Lent and bring friends and strangers to the conversation!
$50 prints our beautiful posters
$150 pays for distribution
Thank you to all who have already donated to support Beatrice Institute this Lent!
spreading the word
Christian Studies Fellowship posters hanging at CMU!