International Catholic scholars to address the Reformation, marriage, democracy

CHICAGO – A diverse group of Catholic scholars from around the world are slated to speak at DePaul University’s Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology in the coming months about issues ranging from democracy to peace and marriage. Events include a panel on Pope Francis’ “Amoris Laetitia” (The Joy of Love), a discussion of the legacy of the Berrigan brothers, and an international conference reflecting on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and its lingering impact on Asia, Latin America and Africa. Events are free and open to the public.

Coming Down to Earth: Doing Fieldwork in Theology
Feb. 23, Lincoln Park Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave., Room 314B
Lecture 6-8 p.m.
Virginia R. Azcuy, a professor of theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina in Buenos Aires, uses ethnographic methods including real-life, in-depth interviews and personal observation to make the academic world of theology more human and accessible. She will explain how this type of fieldwork helps theologians understand the unique faith and life experiences of different Christian communities. Her work includes observation at a parish in Rosario, Argentina, where thousands flock to experience the powerful blessings of Fr. Ignacio Peries, the “cura sanador” — the healing priest.

‘Democracy, Culture, Catholicism: Voices from Four Continents’
March 8, John T. Richardson Library, 2350 N. Kenmore Ave., Room 300
Book discussion 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Editors and theologians Michael Schuck and John Crowley-Buck will discuss the three years of research in Indonesia, Lithuania, Peru and the U.S. that culminated in the publication of a book of essays. “Democracy, Culture, Catholicism: Voices from Four Continents” explores how each of these nations have experienced times of political, social and religious oppression, oscillating between periods of liberation, tolerance and religious freedom. Schuck is associate professor of theology at Loyola University Chicago and co-director of the International Jesuit Ecology Project; Crowley-Buck is a doctoral candidate in theology at Loyola.

Love, Joy and Sex: Reflections on Pope Francis’ “Amoris Laetitia” in a Divided Church
March 30,  Lincoln Park Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave., Room 314B
Panel discussion 5:30-8 p.m.
Love, joy and sex all play a part in “Amoris Laetitia,” the apostolic exhortation on love in the family that Pope Francis released in 2016. On its one-year anniversary, this roundtable will explore what it all means, especially for lay and clergy Catholics in the global South — Asia, Africa and Latin America. Panelists are:

• Carolyn Chau, associate director of the Center for Advanced Research on Catholic Thought at King’s University College at Western University.
  
• Rev. Nicholaus Segeja, head of the pastoral theology department at Catholic University of Eastern Africa.
  
• Teresa Delgado, associate professor and chair of the religious studies department at Iona College.
  

Catholic Radicalism in the Age of Trump
April 5, Lincoln Park Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave., Room 314B
Lecture 6-8 p.m.
In 1935, Sinclair Lewis wrote "It Can't Happen Here," a cautionary look at how fascism could take hold in America. Eighty years later, following Donald Trump's election, some pundits claim that it has happened, or is starting to happen, or could happen. But Michael Baxter, former Catholic Peace Fellowship director, contends that some of the dangerous aspects of today's political scene have been underway for decades. He looks to Catholic radicalism as a response, exploring its tradition through authors like Dorothy Day, Peter Maurin, and Alasdair MacIntyre.

Gathered in My Name: Ecumenism and the World Church
April 28-30, Lincoln Park Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave., Room 314B
In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, sparking the Reformation. Now, 500 years later, Stan Chu Ilo, an assistant professor of Catholic Studies at DePaul, will join speakers from India, Nigeria, Brazil, Chile and Sri Lanka to address the Reformation’s lingering repercussions in the global South and efforts there to bridge ecclesial divides. Keynote speakers will be Paul D. Murray, a member of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission and editor of “Receptive Ecumenism and the Call to Catholic Learning;” Sister Teresa Okure, SHJC, the sole representative of Catholic Africa on the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission; and the Rev. Felix Wilfred, president of “Concilium: International Journal of Theology” and chief editor of the “International Journal of Asian Christianity.”

The Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology seeks to be at the forefront of the discussion about the relationship between globalization and the Catholic Church's future as a truly worldwide Church. For more information visit: http://las.depaul.edu/cwcit.

Note: An earlier version of this story listed a different topic for the April 5 event. 

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Media Contact:
Kristin Claes Mathews
kristin.mathews@depaul.edu
312-362-7735

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