Politics and the Cross: Friendship and Responsibility in an Age of Dysfunction  

On Thursday, October 15th The Center for Catholic Studies and Professor Jeremy Wilkins of Boston College will host Politics and The Cross: Friendship and Responsibility in an Age of Dysfunction. This event is sponsored by the Bernard J. Lonergan Institute and co-sponsored by The Department of Religion, University Core, Campus Ministry and the Program in Catholic Studies. The talk will begin at 8:00 p.m. and will be delivered online through the Microsoft Teams platform. A link will be sent to registrants by 4:00 p.m. on the day of. This event requires registration to attend, please click here to register.

It is easy to imagine our responsibilities only in terms of particular issues and interests we care about. But this has led to political dysfunction and the breakdown of civil conversation, which is the very possibility democracy's foundation in collective self-government. This lecture will aim to address questions such as how should we approach civic responsibility at a time of cultural conflict, declining trust, and political dysfunction?

To be responsible today, we have to ask not what side we should take, but how we can foster genuine civil conversation. And, if we are Christians, we must do so mindful that the touchstone of our activity is the Cross, that is, a readiness to endure suffering so that a greater good may come of it. To be a true friend to others — and to oneself — requires us to remember that the worst harm that could befall us is the mutilation of our own moral being.

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR CATHOLIC STUDIES

Founded at Seton Hall University in 1997, the Center for Catholic Studies is dedicated to fostering an ongoing dialogue between the Catholic intellectual tradition and all areas of study and contemporary culture. In the spirit of the Catholic Church's legacy of bringing forth things "new and old," the Center's scholarly research, publications, and programming serve to generate new initiatives and facilitate conversation and collaboration among faculty, administrators, students, and the general public.

The primary function of the Center for Catholic Studies (CCS) is to foster the Catholic mission of Seton Hall in creative ways. It endeavors to be an incubator for innovative initiatives in promoting Catholic identity across the university. It fulfills this role for diverse demographics within the university in five principal areas: Faculty Development, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Intellectual Life, Student Engagement, and Ongoing Innovation.

The Center developed the undergraduate program in Catholic Studies Program which offers a major, minor and certificate and continues to support the Program's students with scholarship aid as well as ongoing co-curricular activities. Focusing on the central role of the faculty, the Center also sponsors regular Faculty Development programs, including lectures, seminars and retreats. In addition, the Center administers two national faculty programs: Collegium: A Colloquy on Faith and Intellectual Life, and The Lilly Fellows Program. The Center maintains a global focus in international scholarship and is the home of the G.K. Chesterton Institute for Faith & Culture, as well as the Bernard J. Lonergan Institute. The Institutes offer opportunities for study and research, as well as ongoing programs related to faith and culture. In addition, the Micah Institute for Business and Economics concentrates on communicating Catholic Social Teaching and ethics to business education at Seton Hall and the wider business community. The Center also publishes the prestigious Chesterton Review and The Lonergan Review. For more information, please click here.

Categories: Faith and Service