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Villanova
hosts the 36th Annual Theology Institute
Maria Greshock ‘03
Theologians from parishes and universities from Boston to Washington, D.C.
gathered for Villanova’s 36th annual Theology Institute on June 17.
The three-day event was held in the Connelly Center Cinema, and the topic
addressed was “Themes in Feminist Theory in the New Millennium.”
Villanova’s Theology Institute began in 1967 to help theologians discuss
“theological hot topics.” The Institute was founded under the
direction of a priest from the former Czechoslovakia, the Rev. Joseph Papin,
and under the sponsorship of the University’s president at the time,
the Rev. John Driscoll, O.S.A. In 1972, the Rev. Francis A. Eigo, O.S.A
took over the directorship and remains the Institute’s director today.
Since then, well-known theologians Monika Hellwig, Mary Collins, Gregory
Baum, Rosemary Radford Ruether, Langdon Gilkey and George Maloney have given
memorable presentations.
This year’s presenters included Dr. Cynthia Crysdale, author and professor
at Catholic University of America; Dr. Joan Nuth, author and professor at
John Carroll University; Dr. Jane C. Redmont, author and doctoral candidate
at Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley; Dr. Jill Raitt, author and professor
emeritus at University of Missouri-Columbia; Dr. Elizabeth Koening, author
and professor at the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church
in New York; and Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite, author, professor and president
at the Chicago Theological Seminary. Presiding over the speeches were Dr.
Barbara Wall, O.P., professor of philosophy and special assistant to the
President; Dr. Adele Lindenmeyr, professor and chairperson of history; and
Dr. Theresa Nance, associate professor and chairperson of communication.
The number of participants in this year’s conference was exceptional,
according to Dr. Gaile Pohlhaus, coordinator of the annual Theology Institute
and director of Women’s Studies at Villanova. The topics addressed
were particularly appealing to the by-and-large female audience. “Spirituality
and Leadership: Women’s Authority during Times of Crisis – Past,
Present and Future,” “Risk vs. Control, Grounding a Feminist
Ethic for the New Millennium,” and “Globalization, Christian
Feminism and God’s Embrace of the World,” were a few of the
scheduled presentations. More than 50 theologians attended the conference
and stayed through the final address.
Pohlhaus thought the conference was very successful overall. She said that
despite the many challenges the church is facing, people attending the conference
“came away with a lot to think about and consider. They came away
with optimism.”
Feminist topics have been widely popular in the past, and will continue
to be addressed in future conferences. The theme of the next Institute,
beginning on June 22, 2004, will be “Feminism in the 21st Century.”
Speakers will include renowned theologians Dr. Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, author
and Eleanore Raoul professor of the Humanities at Emory University; Dr.
Alice L. Laffey, author and professor at the College of the Holy Cross;
and Dr. Maura A. Ryan, author, associate provost and professor at the University
of Notre Dame. |
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