The 2010-2011 season of events of Fairfield University's Center for Catholic Studies offers array of talks by prominent theologians, authors and scholars | Press Releases

The 2010-2011 season of events of Fairfield University's Center for Catholic Studies promises to be one in which important issues of the day are examined with a discerning eye from an array of passionate and prominent theologians, authors and scholars.

Poet and essayist Thomas Lynch, Boston College Professor Lisa Sowle Cahill, and author Paul F. Knitter are among the speakers who will discuss matters of interest to a public curious about the Catholic Church in the 21st Century. Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., Fairfield president, will open the new season with a lecture to commemorate the upcoming beatification of John Henry Newman by Pope Benedict XVI. Topics also include 'Global Religious Citizenship,' advancing Jesus' mission of social justice, as well as the Catholic Church and politics.

Paul Lakeland, Ph.D., the Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. Professor of Catholic Studies and director of the Center for Catholic Studies, said that if there is a common theme, it is a concern for the universal common good, nicely tying in with the university's focus this year on global citizenship. "I am particularly excited about this year's program. From a university president to a funeral director, from a peace activist to a Catholic follower of the Buddha, from ecclesiologists to ethicists to scholars of globalization, this is a truly catholic series of events."

All the events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit fairfield.edu/cs or call Elyse Raby, administrative coordinator of the Center for Catholic Studies, at (203) 254-4000, ext. 3415.

Fairfield University President Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., will deliver a lecture to commemorate the beatification of John Henry Newman by Pope Benedict XVI , "Two Cardinals: John Henry Newman, Henry Edward Manning and the Victorian Church." Thursday, September 9 at 8 p.m., Dolan School of Business Dining Room.
National Book Award finalist Thomas Lynch, poet, essayist and funeral director, will deliver the 2010 Catholicism and the Arts Lecture: " Language Feasts: Breaking Bread with the Dead." Tuesday, September 14 at 8 p.m., Dolan School of Business Dining Room.
Paul F. Knitter, Ph.D ., the Paul Tillich Professor of Theology, World Religions and Culture at the Union Theological Seminary, will deliver a lecture, "Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christian: The Challenge of Global Religious Citizenship." Monday, September 20 at 8 p.m., Dolan School of Business Dining Room.
Living Theology Workshop: Paul Lakeland, Ph.D., director of the Center for Catholic Studies and the Aloysius P. Kelley S.J. Professor of Catholic Studies at Fairfield, will discuss "The Catholic Church: Politics and Civil Society." Saturday, September 25 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. DiMenna-Nyselius Library Multimedia Room.
The Anne Drummey O'Callaghan Lecture on Women in the Church will be delivered by Kristin Heyer, Ph.D. , associate professor of religious studies at Santa Clara University. The talk is entitled, " Reservoirs of Hope and Resilience: Catholic Women's Witness." Wednesday, October 6 at 8 p.m., Quick Center for the Arts.
Living Theology Workshop: Martin Lang, Ph.D., Professor of Religious Studies, Emeritus, at Fairfield, will speak on "The Gospel of John: Mainstream, Marginal, or Maverick?" Saturday, October 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon, Library Multimedia Room.
The 17th Annual Christopher F. Mooney, S.J. Lecture in Theology, Religion and Society will be delivered by Lisa Sowle Cahill, Ph.D., the J. Donald Monan Professor of Theology at Boston College. Her talk is entitled, "Global Evils or the Common Good: Is There Any Hope?" Wednesday, November 10 at 8 p.m., Dolan School of Business.
Living Theology Workshop: Rev. David Spollett, pastor of the First Church Congregational, United Church of Christ, located in Fairfield, will discuss, "Christianity: Advancing Jesus' Mission of Social Justice." Saturday, November 20 from 9:30 a.m. to noon, Library Multimedia Room.
The 2011 Bellarmine Lecture will be delivered by Rev. John Dear, S.J., peace activist, organizer and lecturer. The lecture title will be announced at a later date. Tuesday, February 8 at 8 p.m., Dolan School of Business.
The 4th Annual Commonweal Magazine Lecture will be delivered by Eugene McCarraher, Ph.D., assistant professor of humanities and history at Villanova University. His talk is entitled, " The Enchantments of Mammon: Corporate Capitalism and the American Moral Imagination." Wednesday, March 30 at 8 p.m., Dolan School of Business.
The 5th Annual Lecture in Jewish-Christian Engagement will be delivered by Mary C. Boys, Ph.D., the Skinner and McAlpin professor of practical theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Co-sponsored by Fairfield University's Bennett Center for Judaic Studies, the lecture title will be announced at a later date. Tuesday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m., Dolan School of Business Dining Room.
Richard R. Gaillardetz, Ph.D., the Margaret and Thomas Murray and James J. Bacik Endowed Chair in Catholic Studies at the University of Toledo in Ohio, will speak. His lecture title will be announced at a later date. Wednesday, April 13 at 8 p.m., Dolan School of Business Dining Room.