The Fate of Religious Liberty with Chad Pecknold
The Saint Benedict Forum was pleased to partner with their friends at Hope College's Tocqueville Forum to bring Chad Pecknold to campus on Thursday, April 7th, to speak on “Freedom for Truth: The Fate of Religious Liberty in Liberal Orders.” You can watch Dr. Pecknold's astute talk below.
C.C. Pecknold, PhD (Cambridge) teaches historical and systematic theology in the School of Theology and Religious Studies at The Catholic University of America. He is the author of Transforming Postliberal Theology (T & T Clark 2005), Christianity and Politics: A Brief Guide to the History (Cascade 2010), and has edited several volumes of essays, including the forthcoming T&T Clark Companion to Augustine and Modern Theology (T&T Clark 2012) with Tarmo Toom.
How Should Christians Think About the Environment? A Reflection On Laudato Si' With Omar Guitiérrez
As Catholics and Christians, how are we to think about and care for the environment? On April 6, 2016, Omar Gutierrez addressed this question as he meditated on the themes of Pope Francis' latest encyclical, Laudato Si'.
You can watch his excellent talk, "Praise Be to You, My Lord: How Christians Should Think about the Environment" below.
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Omar F. A. Gutiérrez has worked for the Church since 2001. Currently, he is the Special Assistant to the Archbishop of Omaha, George J. Lucas, and the Manager of the Office of Missions & Justice handling international missionary efforts and their funding, grants for charitable works, poverty-reduction programs, as well as formation in Catholic Social Teaching within the archdiocese.
A graduate of Franciscan University of Stuebenville with a BA in Theology, Omar then studied at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome (the Angelicum) and completed his MA in Theology from the University of Dallas. His Master’s thesis applied John Henry Cardinal Newman’s marks of authentic development of doctrine to the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration on Religious Liberty.
Omar is a sought-after speaker on the social teaching. He has a weekly program through DiscerningHearts.com which is aired on Nebraska’s Spirit Catholic Radio entitled “Regnum Novum: The New Evangelization through Catholic Social Teaching,” and he is a regular guest on various other programming for the radio station.
Omar has been published in a number of print and online magazines and newspapers including The Catholic Answer, the National Catholic Register, Catholic World Report, CatholicVote.com, HLI’s Truth and Charity Forum and he has a regular column, “Charity in Truth”, in the Archdiocese of Omaha’s paper The Catholic Voice. His first book, The Urging of Christ’s Love: The Saints and the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church was release in October of 2013. Omar’s writings can be accessed through his website omargutierrez.com.
Most importantly, Omar is happily married to his wife Miriam, and they are very blessed by their four children. His hobbies include watching Cleveland Indians baseball and lamenting the same.
Event Co-Sponsored by the Religion Department, Environmental Studies Program, Geological and Environmental Sciences, the Corpus Christi Foundation, and the Our Sunday Visitor Institute.
Wisdom and Discipleship: Honoring Francis Cardinal George
The Saint Benedict Forum is pleased to partner with their friends at the Lumen Christi Institute and Aquinas College to honor the great Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., who passed away last year. On Tuesday, April 5th, at 7:00...
A Godly Humanism:Wisdom and Discipleship in the Thought of Francis Cardinal George
Tuesday, April 5th, 7:00 p.m.
Wege Ballroom Aquinas College 1607 Robinson Road SE
Free and Open to the Public
The Saint Benedict Forum is pleased to partner with their friends at the Lumen Christi Institute and Aquinas College to honor the great Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., who passed away last year.
Bishop David Walkowiak will be present to open us in prayer and share a little about his friend, the late Cardinal. John Pinheiro, professor of history and director of the Catholic Studies Program at Aquinas, and Omar Gutierrez, Special Assistant to the Archbishop and Manager of the Office of Missions and Justice in the Archdiocese of Omaha, will both speak on Cardinal George's final book, A Godly Humanism: Clarifying the Hope That Lies Within, published posthumously.
Finished by Cardinal George nine days before his death, A Godly Humanism offers an account of the Catholic intellectual life by one of the most gifted thinkers to serve as bishop in the American Church. It draws on figures such as St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI to express a vision of the Church as a communion built around the relationship of God to human beings and of human beings to one another. The book provides a starting point for the interpretation of “Pope Francis’s Magisterium [as] evidence of another horizon having been opened more clearly for believers.”
Film Screening and Discussion of Poverty, Inc.
Along with 15 other student organizations, academic departments, and programs at Hope College, the Saint Benedict Forum invites you to join us for a screening of the thought-provoking and award-winning film, Poverty, Inc.
Saturday, April 2, 2016 7:00 p.m.
The Knickerbocker Theater 86 E. 8th Street Downtown Holland Free and Open to the Public
Focusing on the worldwide "poverty industry," the film asks some hard questions about the West's involvement in international poverty alleviation, including whether some of our methods of helping might actually be hurting those experiencing poverty. We hope you will consider attending and perhaps suggest the same to others by forwarding this email or inviting them to the screening through this Facebook event page.
Following the film, a faculty panel comprised of Dr. Virginia Beard (Political Science), who specializes in the policy and politics of Africa, and development economist Dr. David Phillips (Economics and Business) will lead off an audience discussion of the film and how Christians might respond to the issues it raises.
Contact Professor Sarah Estelle (estelle@hope.edu), director of Hope's Markets and Morality student organization, with any questions. We hope to see you on April 2 for what is sure to be a memorable and edifying community event!
Desire of the Everlasting Hills: Movie Screening and Talkback with David Michael Phelps
Everyone is invited to a screening of the powerful film, Desire of the Everlasting Hills, an intimate portrait of three Catholics who try to navigate the waters of self-understanding, faith, and homosexuality. This event is part of our series, "Gay and Christian: The Conversation Continues."
On Wednesday, March 9, 2016, the Saint Benedict Forum was pleased to host a screening of the powerful documentary film, Desire of the Everlasting Hills, an intimate and candid portrait of three Catholics who try to navigate the waters of self-understanding, faith, and homosexuality. After the film, there was a talkback with the writer, producer, and Hope College alumnus, David Michael Phelps. This event explored the themes and questions raised by the Gay and Christian Symposium, hosted a few weeks ago.
Homosexuality and Anthropology Day of Study
On Saturday, February 20, 2016, from 9:00-4:00, the Saint Benedict Forum hosted a Day of Study on the theme, "Homosexuality and Anthropology." The study day consisted of four papers, each of which addressed the question, "What does the virtue of chastity mean for the gay person?" Joshua Gonnerman, Daniel Mattson, Eve Tushnet, and Daniel Keating all offered 25 minute papers on this question. Each paper was followed by 30 minutes of conversation with the twenty invited "thoughtful interlocutors" from the region: priests, counselors, family and marriage therapists, chaplains, professors, artists, leaders from the Diocese of Grand Rapids, and religious sisters.
It was a riveting day of fellowship and meaningful exchange.
Sr. Miriam Inspires Hope College
Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, rocked Hope College campus this past week with a series of inspiring talks, workshops, and simply with her joyful and evangelical presence.
Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, inspired Hope College this week with a series of talks. On Tuesday night, Sr. Miriam led a workshop entitled, "Called to Love: A Heart Fully Alive," where she discussed John Paul II's Theology of the Body with Hope College women. One of the participants, Rebecca Pavlock, said, "This was easily in the top five best things I've ever done at Hope." Another student shared, "This is exactly what I needed right now in my life."The following day, Sr. Miriam spoke to a thousand students in Hope College's chapel. Her theme was "God's Masterpiece" and she brought the house down. You can listen to her inspiring talk here. Even President Knapp thought she was great.
Later that evening, Sr. Miriam led the annual Saint Benedict Forum Lent Retreat where she spoke on "Merciful Like the Father: Living in Forgiveness and Freedom." Over a hundred people crammed into Western Seminary's Mulder Chapel to listen to Sr. Miriam's beautiful words. Her talk was followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, confession, and Mass. On the walk back to the car after the retreat, two students stopped us and said what everyone was feeling: "Sr. Miriam! You were so awesome today. You have no idea how much you touched people. Everyone has been talking about you all day. Seriously, you have message that people really need to hear and reached a lot of people with it today. Thank you."
SR. MIRIAM JAMES HEIDLAND, S.O.L.T. is a popular speaker on the Theology of the Body, authentic love and conversion, the healing power of Christ, and the dignity and beauty of woman. She is the author of Loved As I Am: An Invitation to Conversion, Healing, and Freedom through Jesus (Ave Maria Press, 2014).
Gay and Christian: The Conversation Continues
The Gay and Christian Symposium was a riveting and moving event for everyone. The Saint Benedict Forum has three follow up events to keep the conversation going: Sr. Miriam James Heidland on Theology of the Body, a screening of the film Desire of the Everlasting Hills, and Pastor Adam Barr on Pastoral Approaches to Gay Christians...
The Gay and Christian Symposium was a beautiful and moving event. The Saint Benedict Forum is hosting three follow up events to highlight major themes and keep the conversation going.
CALLED TO LOVE: A HEART FULLY ALIVE A Workshop with Sr. Miriam James Heidland Tuesday, March 1 · 7:00 − 9:00 p.m.
Why are we so attracted to beauty and why do we long for infinite satisfaction and a life of meaningful communion? In this workshop we will discover what is revealed in our humanity—male and female—what is at the root of our deepest desires and how, through the healing of our call to love, our lives become fruitful and free. Participation is limited to twenty students.
Contact Dr. Jared Ortiz (jjortiz@hope.edu) if you are interested in participating.
DESIRE OF THE EVERLASTING HILLS Movie Screening with film writer David Michael Phelps Wednesday, March 9 · 8:00 p.m. · Winants
Three intimate and candid portraits of Catholics who try to navigate the waters of self-understanding, faith, and homosexuality. Talk-back after the film with the writer and producer, David Michael Phelps, a Hope College alum.
Free and open to the public.
PASTORAL APPROACHES TO SAME-SEX ATTRACTION A Workshop with Pastor Adam Barr Tuesday, March 15 · 7:00 − 9:00 p.m.
Are you considering a future in vocational ministry, or do you simply want to help serve faithfully as a layperson in the local congregation? Every church leader should be equipped to minister with integrity at the intersection of sexuality, Scripture and pastoral practice. In this workshop, led by Adam Barr, author of Compassion Without Compromise: How the Gospel Frees Us to Love Our Gay Friends Without Losing the Truth, you’ll have an opportunity to participate in a hands-on workshop, exploring these issues from a perspective that embraces a traditional understanding of human sexuality while encouraging radical hospitality for all people. Participation is limited to twenty students.
Contact Dr. Jared Ortiz (jjortiz@hope.edu) if you are interested in participating.
Gay and Christian: Exploring Vocation, Friendship, and Celibacy
The Saint Benedict Forum is pleased to host an ecumenical symposium, "Gay and Christian: Exploring Friendship, Vocation, and Celibacy." Eve Tushnet, Wesley Hill, and Joshua Gonnerman will all be speaking at this timely event. The symposium is free and open to the public.
The Saint Benedict Forum was pleased to host Eve Tushnet, Joshua Gonnerman, and Ron Belgau for a powerful symposium on Gay and Christian: Exploring Vocation, Friendship, and Celibacyon Monday, February 22, 2016 at Hope College. All three speakers gave powerful testimonies and inspired a diverse crowd of 300 students, faculty, administration, parishioners, and others.
The three talks were:
“The Radical Challenge of Gay Celibacy”Eve Tushnet
“A Different Conversation: Changing How We Think about Gay Politics” Joshua Gonnerman
“Understanding the Bible's Teaching on Homosexuality”Ron Belgau
See below for the video of the talks.
Ron Belgau is the cofounder of Spiritual Friendship, an ecumenical group blog dedicated to recovering the Church's traditional teachings on friendship and applying them to contemporary debates about homosexuality. He has studied philosophy at the graduate level at St. Louis University and Notre Dame, and has taught ethics, medical ethics, and philosophy of the Human Person at St. Louis University. He is a nationally known speaker, and in 2015 became the first openly gay Catholic to speak at the World Meeting of Families, in conjunction with Pope Francis's visit to Philadelphia
Joshua Gonnerman is a writer and doctoral student in theology at The Catholic University of America, writing his dissertation on Augustine's theology of grace and predestination. His articles have appeared in First Things, Spiritual Friendship, and PRISM Magazine.
Eve Tushnet is the author Gay and Catholic: Accepting My Sexuality, Finding Community, Living My Faith and Amends: A Novel. She lives in Washington, DC. Hobbies include sin, confession, and ecstasy. She blogs at Patheos and has covered topics ranging from pro-life horror movies to the US National Figure Skating Championships. She was received into the Catholic Church in 1998.
This event is co-sponsored by Hope College's Religion Department, Women's and Gender Studies, Campus Ministries, Center for Ministry Studies, GRACES, and the Our Sunday Visitor Institute.
Flapjacks with Jack
Many thanks to our friends in the Knights of Columbus Council #7115 (Saint John Neumann) who organized a pancake breakfast at St. Francis de Sales Church in Holland to benefit the Saint Benedict Forum. It was great to see so many of our friends, fellow parishioners, and students turn out to support our work. God bless you all and stay warm!
March for Life 2016
Sadly, due to the dangerous weather conditions, the trip to the March for Life was cancelled. Fortunately, we were not trapped on the PA Turnpike for 24 hours. Please pray for us as we continue to witness to a culture of life.
Ecumenical Dialogue: What Does It Mean to Be Catholic? (VIDEO)
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On January 28, 2016, the Saint Benedict Forum hosted a Catholic-Reformed Dialogue about Jack Mulder's new book, What Does It Mean to Be Catholic?(Eerdmans, 2015). Dr. Mulder's book is the meditation of a Hope College professor and convert to Catholicism from the Reformed tradition. It was written as an effort to practice robust ecumenism, the idea that different Christian groups should share the distinctive gifts of their own tradition as they walk together toward full Christian unity.
Two Reformed scholars offered generous, yet critical responses to Dr. Mulder's book. Han-luen Kantzer Komline, Assistant Professor of Church History and Theology at Western Theological Seminary, took up the question of the relationship between Scripture and Tradition. Lynn Japinga, Associate Professor of Religion at Hope College, challenged Mulder on Mary, development of doctrine, women's ordination, and contraception. Dr. Mulder responded to each presenter.
This event was co-sponsored by the Philosophy and Religion Departments, Campus Ministries, Center for Ministry Studies, Lilly Group on Robust Ecumenism, the Office of the Provost, and the Our Sunday Visitor Institute.