SIGNATURE EVENTS
Lectures, Conferences, Seminars and Colloquia
Throughout the course of the year the Department of Theology and Religious Studies hosts a variety of opportunities for students, faculty, theologians and often the public, to attend lectures and events on popular topics.
LECTURES AND CONFERENCES
Religion is central to our understanding of complex issues such as culture, politics, race and gender relations, historical events, law, science and technology, and environmental responsibility and sustainability to name a few. We offer an invitation to hear the dialogue among theology, religion, and culture that are intertwined through important issues of our time, both locally and globally. Expect them to be provocative topics where faith and culture intersect.
The Positions lecture series is sponsored by the Department of Theology and Religious Studies. Series speakers discuss contemporary themes in the fields of theology and religion. Prior Positions lectures may be viewed on our Youtube playlist.
The Positions lecture series is sponsored by the Department of Theology and Religious Studies. Series speakers discuss contemporary themes in the fields of theology and religion. Prior Positions lectures may be viewed on our Youtube playlist.
Spring 2026 Positions Lecture Series
Free and Open to the Public
Approved for ACS Course Credit
"Christian Masculinity: What Does it Mean to be a Christian and a Man?"
- Joseph Evans Ph.D.
- Brandon Ambrosino, Ph.D
- Edward Hastings, Ph.D.
Tuesday, April 28
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Driscoll 134
What does it mean to be a Christian and a man? Does it entail having the bold swagger and resoluteness of John Wayne? Or perhaps embracing Dr. Scott Galloway’s vision of men as providers, protectors, and procreators? Or maybe Robert Bly’s admonition to resurrect the inner primal wild man via male bonding rituals? Or perhaps channeling male energy into self-emptying and striving for servanthood (Phil. 2:5-15)?
Come hear the thoughts on Christianity masculinity from three esteemed former and present colleagues in the Theology and Religious Studies Department, who will be sharing their ideas on April 28 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in Driscoll 134. Bios are below:
Joseph Evans, Ph.D., is a former Ranger and a retired lieutenant colonel from the US Army. He conducted combat and peacekeeping operations in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Nepal and was awarded a Bronze Star Medal, a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal, and a Humanitarian Assistance Medal, in addition to numerous other accolades during his Army career. In addition to developing foreign policy with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Army staff in the Pentagon, Evans has been actively involved in peacebuilding and the fight against human trafficking in both the United States and abroad. He is currently a Research Fellow at the Mother Teresa Institute in Washington, D.C., and a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Peace and Justice Education at Villanova University.
Brandon Ambrosino, Ph.D., is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Theology and Religious Studies Department. He is an award-winning investigative journalist and essayist whose work has appeared in a wide variety of publications, including POLITICO, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Globe & Mail, BBC, The Economist, Commonweal, and the Boston Globe. He is also a columnist for Christian Century. He is the author of the recently published book, Is It God’s Will? Making Sense of Tragedy, Luck and Hope in a World Gone Wrong (Morehouse Academic, 2025). His second book, Laughing in a Tomb: An Experiment in Camp Theology is forthcoming from Fortress Press in 2026. In addition to his theological work, Brandon is a clinical bioethicist and regularly lectures local healthcare providers on a variety of medical and dental topics.
Edward Hastings, Ph.D., is a former Augustinian priest and a member of Villanova men’s basketball royalty, having been our starting point guard in 1971 when we played UCLA for the NCAA national championship. He is easily one of the most competitive persons on our planet and his course “Sports and Spirituality” is one of the most popular in the Theology and Religious Studies Department. He is an avid student of the famous Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, and offers a number of courses in Christian spirituality in our department.
Prominent experts from around the world have joined the conversation here at Villanova to better understand the root causes of the crisis and how to keep children safe from abuse. Details about the Task Force can be found on the Office of the President website. Recordings and descriptions of prior lectures offered through this series are also available.
In the fall of each year, Kevin Hughes, PhD, Theology and Religious Studies Department chair and professor of historical theology, assembles keynote speakers and scholars from around the world and across the country to join in a three-day conference which has been held since the mid-1970s – it is a true tradition of scholarship. Learn more about this year's theme, call for papers, and the history of this enduring conference. View previous lectures of plenary speakers on the PMR Youtube playlist.
SYMPOSIA and COLLOQUIA
These forums offer an opportunity for graduate students and faculty to hear the research of our department members and the lively exchange of ideas that ensues. Conversations and guest speaker presentations open to the community will be posted here.
Please revisit this section for Fall 2025 programming in September.
CENTER for POLITICAL THEOLOGY
The Villanova University Center for Political Theology brings Christian theologians into dialogue with humanities scholars and social scientists to explore the intersection of religion and politics, while also helping students understand and participate in those conversations. TRS faculty member Vincent Lloyd, PhD, is the director.To opt-in for the CPT newsletter, please email the CPT coordinator.
Visit Catholic Re-Visions, a blog begun by Lloyd through the Political Theology Network, with sponsorship by Villanova’s Center for Political Theology. The blog’s topics address Catholic and Catholic-adjacent thought and practice as it relates to grassroots social movements, critical theory, questions of race, gender, class, colonialism and much more.