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.
Spring 2024 lecture series: Why I am Catholic
The Catholic Church is no stranger to criticism, especially during the past couple decades. Yet many Catholics still love their Church, worship regularly, participate in local parish life, and appreciate the many spiritual, moral, and pastoral resources to be found in the Catholic Church. If you are curious about Catholics and would enjoy hearing personal testimony about why they are Catholic, please join us for a panel discussion featuring Villanova professors and students who will share their individual stories of being Catholic. (ACS approved.)
Both lectures will be held from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in Driscoll 134.
Tuesday, March 19 panelists:
Mary Catherine O'Reilly-Gindhart, MA ’13, Ph.D. Candidate, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Ed Hastings, Ph.D., Faculty
Joanna Scholz, Ph.D., Retired Faculty
Peter Spitaler, Th.D., Faculty
Tuesday, April 16 panelists:
Brandon Ambrosino, Ph.D. Candidate
Tim Hanchin, Ph.D., Faculty
Jaisy Joseph, Ph.D., Faculty
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.
The next lecture, titled "The Impact of the Sex Abuse Crisis on Ecclesial Moral Authority and Lay Moral Agency", will be offered on April 24 at 6:30 p.m. in Tolentine 215. More details can be found on the Task Force events webpage.
Register and view the program for Building Sustainable Peace after Genocide: Lessons from Rwanda and Bosnia and Herzegovina, a virtual conference that will take place on the mornings of April 11 and 12, 2024.
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.
The third annual Graduate Student Peace and Justice Symposium, sponsored by the Villanova University Center for Peace and Justice Education, the Augustinian Institute, and Catholic Relief Services Partnership, will be held both in-person and virtually (Zoom) on February 16. Please check back for the program of speakers.
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.