Paul F. Lakeland, Ph.D., professor of religious studies at Fairfield University, will be inaugurated as the first Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. Professor of Catholic Studies in a March 2 ceremony in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on the Fairfield University campus. Father Kelley, former president of Fairfield for whom the new chair is named, will be on hand for the 7:30 p.m. ceremony and reception immediately following. The public is invited.

As part of the ceremony, Dr. Lakeland will offer remarks entitled, "In Praise of Folly." He is the author of several books and a highly respected teacher and scholar whose expertise is frequently sought on subjects such as the laity, the papacy, postmodernism and the church and politics.

In addition, George Dennis O'Brien, Ph.D., president emeritus of Rochester University and a prominent leader in higher education and author of "The Idea of a Catholic University," will speak on "The Quest for the Apostle Paul." The University will bestow on Dr. O'Brien an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

The establishment of a Chair in Catholic Studies at Fairfield was announced in May during a tribute ceremony for Fr. Kelley, honoring his 25 years as president of the university.

In determining the first holder of the Chair, the university sought a teacher and scholar with a national reputation, a description aptly applied to Dr. Lakeland. He is called upon to speak at academic and religious conferences across the country and is quoted in national and international media, including the New York Times, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dallas Morning News, The Economist, Liberation (France), Catholic New Times (Canada) Commonweal, National Catholic Reporter, and CNBC, among others. He recently returned from giving the keynote address for a three-day workshop presented by the School of Theology at Seattle University.

The author of several books, Dr. Lakeland was awarded the first place 2004 Catholic Press Award in theology, for his ground-breaking book, "The Liberation of the Laity: In Search of an Accountable Church." Published by Continuum International, New York, N.Y., and recently released in paperback, the book examines the idea of the laity throughout church history, looks at recent efforts to give them a more prominent place in church life, and suggests ways that a more empowered laity could strengthen the church in its current crisis.

Dr. Lakeland also authored some 35 scholarly articles and five other books. The most recent are "Postmodernity: Christian Identity in a Fragmented Age," (Fortress Press, 1997); "Theology and Critical Theory: The Discourse of the Church," (Abingdon Press, 1990); and "Free in Christ: The Challenge of Political Theology," (Kevin Mayhew Publications,1984). He is at work on a new book, "Being Adult, Being Catholic: The Lay Vocation in Today's Church."

Dr. Lakeland played a key role in developing the present University honors program and chaired the recent efforts to bring new direction and definition to the University core curriculum. He was Fairfield's representative on the Rhodes Consultation, funded by the Lilly Endowment, that explored questions of mission and identity with faculty.

He is a member of the American Academy of Religion, where he currently chairs the Theology and Religious Reflection Section, and the Catholic Theological Society of America. He is an editor for "Religious Studies Review," a member of the editorial board of "Cross Currents," co-editor of the Fortress Press series, "Guides to Theological Inquiry," and co-convener of the independent ecumenical association of systematic and constructive theologians, The Workgroup for Constructive Theology.

Dr. Lakeland received his Ph.D. in religion from Vanderbilt University in Nashville Tenn., a Licentiate in philosophy from Heythrop Pontifical Athenaeum, a Master of Arts degree from Oxford University in English language and literature, and a Bachelor of Divinity degree from the University of London.

Dr. George Dennis O'Brien is also a past president of Bucknell University, serving from 1976 to 1984. In addition he has been a member of the philosophy faculty and assistant dean of the College at Princeton University and taught at Middlebury College.

He is the author of several books, including "The Idea of a Catholic University" (University of Chicago Press, 2002); "All the Essential Half-Truths about Higher Education" (University of Chicago Press, 1997); "What to Expect from College" (St. Martin's Press, 1991); and "God and the New Haven Railway - and Why Neither One is Doing Very Well" (Beacon, 1986). He is the author of many articles in both professional and popular publications on wide-ranging aspects of philosophy, religion and modern art.

Dr. O'Brien was appointed vice president for the Commonweal Foundation in 1994 and is on the Board of LaSalle University in Philadelphia and the Salzburg Seminar in American Studies. He has chaired review and accreditation efforts at many higher education institutions from the U.S. Naval Academy to the American University in Cairo, Yale to the New Bulgarian University in Sofia.

A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Yale University with a Bachelor of Art's degree in English, he earned a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Chicago. His academic honors include a Carnegie Research Fellowship in University teaching and an American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship. He has been awarded honorary degrees from St. John Fisher, Hobart and William Smith, Middlebury College, Wilkes College and Siena College.

Posted On: 02-18-2005 10:02 AM

Volume: 37 Number: 171