Faith and Culture Lecture Series

The Series

“Decree 4 [General Congregation 32, 1975], having made its central affirmation about the inseparability of the service of faith and the promotion of justice, then speaks of ‘our mission to evangelize,’ particularly through dialogue with members of other religious traditions and through the engagement with culture which is essential for an effective presentation of the Gospel.”
                               –General Congregation 34 of the Society of Jesus, 1995
 
Georgetown University, in response to this vision, has inaugurated a lecture series which invites contemporary writers to reflect on their work in the context of the engagement of faith with culture.   Seeking the integration of faith and culture represents a commitment to a church within the world, serving the human search for truth, justice, and solidarity.

We invite you to view past webcasts of previous events in this series below, as well as to learn about future installments in the series.

Past Events, 2007 – 2018

2017 – 2018

Jonathan Franzen
in conversation with Paul Elie
“Purith” and “Farther Away”
March 20, 2018
View video

Lawrence Joseph
in conversation with Paul Elie
“So Where Are We?”
February 1, 2018
View web story and video

2016 – 2017

Tracy K. Smith
in conversation with Paul Elie
“Life on Mars” and “Ordinary Light”
October 26, 2017
View video

Martin Scorsese
in conversation with Paul Elie
“Silence”
April 11, 2017

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
in conversation with Paul Elie
“Americanah”
March 16, 2017

Billy Collins
in conversation with Paul Elie
“The Rain in Portugal”
November 29, 2016

2015 – 2016

David Gregory
in conversation with Paul Elie
“How’s Your Faith? An Unlikely Spiritual Journey”
February 4, 2016

Mario Marazziti 
in conversation with Paul Elie
“13 Ways of Looking at the Death Penalty”
April 5, 2015

2014 – 2015

Christian Wiman
in conversation with Paul Elie
“A Conversation with Christian Wiman“
January 28, 2015

Colum McCann
in conversation with Paul Elie
“The Art of Radical Empathy”
May 1, 2014
View video

2013 – 2014

Taylor Branch
in conversation with Paul Elie
“Our American Epic: Taylor Branch on Telling the Story of the Civil Rights Movement”
November 18, 2013
View video

2012 – 2013

Prof. Alice McDermott
in conversation with Paul Elie
“Walking on Air: Alice McDermott and the Faith of the Novelist”
April 22, 2013
View video

2010 – 2011

Fr. Michael Paul Gallagher, S.J.
with a response by Fr. John O’Malley, S.J.
“Cardinal Newman Today: Issues of Culture and Faith”
September 23, 2010
View webcast

2009 – 2010

Mr. James Wood
April 13, 2010
Read President DeGioia’s introductory remarks

Mr. Richard Rodriquez
November 11, 2009
Read President DeGioia’s introductory remarks

2008 – 2009

Dr. Marilynne Robinson
“The Resurrection of the Ordinary: A Conversation with Paul Elie”
April 6, 2009
View webcast

Professor Ron Hansen
“Hopkins and the Catholic Imagination: A Conversation with Paul Elie”
February 5, 2009
View webcast
Read President DeGioia’s introductory remarks

2007 – 2008

Mr. Paul Elie
“The Beginning of Vision: Catholic Writing in a Critical Age”
April 8, 2008
View webcast