Catholic Theological
Society of America

The Laudato Si' Movement announces the release of the feature documentary The Letter, produced by Oscar-winning Off the Fence Productions in collaboration with Laudato Si’ Movement and the Vatican, released by YouTube Originals. The film brings to life the transformative vision of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical letter on the environment, to inspire lasting action for our common home. 

The film features Pope Francis and diverse stories from India, Senegal, Hawaii, and the Brazilian Amazon. Each of these local leaders represents a voice that is not being heard–the voice of wildlife, the voice of the Indigenous, the voice of the youth, and the voice of the poor. The film follows these people coming together in dialogue with each other and with Pope Francis as they find unity in their distinct worldviews and strength in our common values. 

The film is downloadable and is an excellent resource for classes, campus ministry, environmental clubs, service organizations, mission groups, and Board of Trustee retreats.

You can view the trailer here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3EBHebH17Y

CTSA members are eligible for a 30% discount on the individual subscription rate for Theological Studies. Through this arrangement, the journal wishes to continue its long standing support for the CTSA, and, as always, it welcomes submissions from the CTSA community. Should CTSA members wish to take advantage of this discount, please contact the North American office in Thousand Oaks, CA at (805) 499-0721, option #1, then option #1 again.

Christopher Steck, S.J.
Editor-in-Chief
Theological Studies

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS Eighteenth General Meeting International Thomas Merton Society – June 22-25, 2023 Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame, Indiana “Sophia Comes Forth, Reaching.” Deadline extended to Oct 31. 

Session formats include:

1. Scholarly Papers designed for presentation in twenty minutes for an audience of academics and non-academics.

2. Workshops designed for presentation in ninety minutes to involve interactive participation incorporating adult learning strategies and/or small group discussion.

3. Creative/Dramatic Presentations designed for presentation in ninety minutes using music poetry, dance or other media to provide insight into aspects of Merton’s life or work.

4. Guided Meditation/Prayer Sessions designed for presentation in ninety minutes, particularly those using Merton’s writings as a framework for prayer and meditative reflection.

Proposals of no more than 250 words and a short biographical statement (one to two sentences) should be submitted by October 15, Oct 31, 2022 by e-mail attachment to itms2023@merton.org or by mail to: ITMS 2023, Thomas Merton Center, Bellarmine University, 2001 Newburg Road, Louisville, Kentucky 40205 USA. See full details at the link below. 

http://merton.org/2023/2023call.pdf

Good morning. Maddison Reddie-Clifford, Executive Secretary of INSeCT, has asked us CTSA members to take note of two important lectures on October 12. See below information on the October 12 lectures and how to register. The October 12 lectures are explained in more detail at the link Maddison gives, as is the whole series. I told Maddison, and INSeCT President Ruben (Sonny) Mendoza, that we would all take note of this series - any maybe even attend by Zoom, despite the difficult spread of time zones (eg, the lectures will be at 3am Boston time!)

The CTSA of the future will thrive all the more insofar as we engage in real and regular conversation with our colleagues in all parts of the world, so let us pray and think with INSeCT as this series proceeds.

Frank Clooney, SJ (CTSA President)

The International Network of Societies for Catholic Theology (INSeCT)

cordially invites you 

to its online lecture series

with the theme,

“Decolonizing Theologies, Decolonizing the World.”

The lectures will be held on 12 October 2022, Wednesday, 0700 GMT/UTC (0900CEST Germany / 0800WAT Nigeria  / 1230IST India / 1500PHST Manila / 1800AEDT Melbourne / 0000PDT LA / 0300EDT NYC / 0400BRT Rio de Janeiro).  

Kindly register in advance for the webinar: https://ateneo-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vf-6pqT4qGtBtaijCJ4gGneNHAiuVkkR5

Sincerely, Maddison Clifford, INSeCT Executive Secretary

Jessica Coblentz and Daniel P. Horan, OFM, eds., The Human in a Dehumanizing World: Reexamining Theological Anthropology and Its Implications (Orbis Books, 2022).

Kevin C. Baxter & David E. DeCosse, eds., Conscience & Catholic Education: Theology, Administration, & Teaching (Orbis Books, 2022).

Richard R. Gaillardetz, Thomas H. Groome, and Richard Lennon, eds., Priestly Ministry and the People of God: Hopes and Horizons (Orbis Books, 2022).

Roger Haight, S.J., The Nature of Theology: Challenges, Frameworks, Basic Beliefs (Orbis Books, 2022).

Stan Chu Ilo, ed., Handbook of African Catholicism (Orbis Books, 2022).

Thomas P. Rausch, S.J., Pope Benedict XVI: The Significance of His Theological Vision (Paulist Press, 2022).

Elizabeth T. Vasko and Lyndsie Ferrara, True Crime and the Justice of God: Ethics, Media, and Forensic Science  (Orbis Books, 2022).

The Robert J Schreiter, CPPS, Institute for Precious Blood Spirituality at Catholic Theological Union invites contributions to a symposium focused on a praxis of reconciliation, rooted in Schreiter’s groundbreaking work, that examines reconciliation through the lenses of trauma, culture, and spirituality.

Our symposium, A Praxis of Reconciliation: Trauma, Culture, & Spirituality, will explore opportunities and challenges for interculturally recognizing, narrating, and healing various manifestations of trauma in praxes of reconciliation and restorative justice.  Schreiter’s work balanced scholarly rigor with practical effectiveness and spiritual guidance and this symposium will continue in that pathway.  Each panel will be composed of one established scholar, one artist or practitioner, and one graduate student or young scholar, each of whom will do a presentation on their understanding of their session’s topic through their own work and then a facilitator will bring everyone into mutually constructive dialogue. 

The event will take place at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago on May 12-13, 2023.  Keynote remarks will be offered on the night of May 12 by Dr. Susan Abraham. May 12 will bring a daylong conversation among symposium participants and May 13 will bring a half-day conversation and a site visit.  That conversation will be organized into four topical seminar-style sessions.

We invite papers from current graduate students and recent Ph.D. recipients (5 years or less) in theology, philosophy, peace studies, psychology, humanities, the arts, ethics, politics, sociology, or any allied field. Proposals must be submitted no later than November 15, 2022. All papers should be conversant with Schreiter’s work on Reconciliation and seek to engage in mutually-informative and mutually-critical dialogue for the purpose of better understanding and assisting in the work of healing the wounds of trauma. Authors selected for participation will be notified no later than December 15th, 2022. Draft papers should be submitted no later than March 31^st, 2023.

For consideration, paper proposals must be submitted to schreiterinstitute@ctu.edu no later than November 15, 2022 containing the following information:

• ·         Author(s) name(s) and contact information
• ·         Year of Ph.D. or graduate student status
• ·         Title and an abstract no longer than 250 words

Each accepted symposium participant will be awarded a stipend of $500 to help defray travel and lodging expenses.

Please direct questions for clarification to schreiterinstitute@ctu.edu.

Dear CTSA Colleagues,

We are delighted to announce that applications are open through January 9th, 2023,  for the inaugural cohort of scholars in Fordham University's new Master's in Theological Studies degree. Full information about this rigorous, two-year, 48-credit program, plus a shareable brochure, are available here and here.  Full tuition scholarships available for competitive applicants. Will you please spread the word among your faculty colleagues, and especially with your theology-passionate students who might be interested in applying?  For questions please write to hinze@fordham.edu

Thank you so much!  Christine Firer Hinze, Fordham Theology

Religion after Roe: Abortion in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
An Interfaith Conversation at John Carroll University -  Sept. 19, 2022

Watch the Video

Panelists

• Rahmah Abdulaleem, Executive Director, KARAMAH
• Julie Hanlon Rubio, CTSA Member and Shea-Heusamen Professor of Christian Social Ethics and Associate Dean at Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University
• Michal Raucher, Associate Professor, Jewish Studies, Rutgers University

In overturning Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court thrust abortion into the headlines, reigniting with new intensity one of the most painful battles of the culture wars in this country. Abortion is a complex legal question, a divisive social issue, and—for many Americans—a deeply religious matter. Too often, religious concerns are written off or warped to serve political agendas. Too often, we fail to recognize the profound convictions that motivate religious people on all sides of this issue. Join us as scholars of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam discuss the different ways in which their traditions understand abortion, and how their beliefs are lived out in a pluralistic, religiously diverse democracy.

Sponsored by The Breen Chair in Catholic Theology, The Mandel Chair in Jewish Studies, The Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies, and The Tuohy Chair in Interreligious Studies.

Boston College hosting two online events acknowledging Richard Gaillardetz' contributions to the field of ecclesiology:

Friday, September 23rd  7:30 p.m. (ET) - Livestreamed

Last Lecture Loving and Reforming a Holy, yet Broken Church
Richard Gaillardetz, Boston College   

Last Lecture Livestream Link   

Saturday, September 24th    10:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (ET) - Livestreamed Conference

The Contributions of Richard Gaillardez
to the Field of Ecclesiology 
Hosted by Boston College

Conference Livestream Link

Center of Theological Inquiry - Call for Applications
Thriving in Diverse Context
A Study Program on Psychological Science 
for Researchers in Christian Theology
June 2023 - May 2025

Program made possible by grant from the John Templeton Foundation

Call for Applications - Details

Center of Theological Inquiry / Apply