“The Christian, the Church, and the Public Good”
Professor Charles Curran presents the eleventh Schubert M. Ogden Seminar on Systematic Theology, titled “The Christian, the church, and the public good.”
Description of the topic on Brite’s website:
“The first part of the presentation will deal with the social mission of the church recognizing its important role in the life of the church, some developments that have occurred, and some limitations on the social mission of the church. The second part will consider the proper understanding of the role of the individual Christian and of the church in the public order from the viewpoint of the church itself. Underlying the whole discussion here is the question of the unity and the diversity of the church. The role and function of the total church working for the public good includes the following: the church as teacher, as provider for those in need, as enabler and empowerer, as advocate, and as model. More particular questions will deal with the taking of stands on specific moral issues and on particular political candidates. The third part will consider the proper understanding of the role of the Christian and the role of the church in working for the public good from the standpoint of the First Amendment and our pluralistic society.”
About the speaker
From Brite’s website:
“Charles E. Curran is the Elizabeth Scurlock University Professor of Human Values at Southern Methodist University. He has served as president of the American Theological Society, The Catholic Theological Society of America, and The Society of Christian Ethics. He was the first recipient of the John Courtney Murray Award for Distinguished Achievement in Theology given by the Catholic Theological Society of America. In 2003, the College Theology Society gave him its Presidential Award for a lifetime of scholarly achievements in moral theology. The Society of Christian Ethics gave him its Lifetime Acheivement Award in 2017. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Curran has been named the New York Times Man in the News and the ABC TV Person of the Week. Curran is a Catholic priest of the diocese of Rochester, New York. He has authored and edited more than fifty books. His most recent publications are: Tradition and Church Reform: Perspectives on Catholic Moral Teaching; The Development of Moral Theology: Five Strands; Catholic Moral Theology in the United States: A History which won the 2008 American Publishers Award for Professional and Scholarly Excellence in Theology and Religion; and Loyal Dissent: Memoir of a Catholic Theologian.”
About the seminar series
From Brite’s website:
“The Stalcup School of Theology for the Laity is open to all who want to continue learning and growing through biblical study, exploration of contemporary issues from a faith perspective, interfaith dialogue, and critical thinking about the basis of Christian understanding of God, humanity, and the world. Top scholars with a heart for the church bring their expertise and passion for sharing that knowledge with people engaged in ministry and those who simply want to learn.
“Seminars are typically held on Saturdays and participants may attend an individual event or sign up for the whole series.
“The School is made possible by the generosity of SSTL’s former Dean, Joe Stalcup, and his wife, Nancy Vaughn Stalcup, and the gifts of others who share their commitment to theological education.”
