Lumen Christi Institute
Making the Catholic intellectual tradition a vital part of the secular university
Featured Events & News
Independence Day Greeting
Happy Independence Day! Adopted 249 years ago on July 4, the Declaration of Independence sets forth essential principles of our great country: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
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From the Director | Beacon Newsletter, Spring 2025
A message from our Executive Director, Daniel Wasserman-Soler, as he remembers the life of Pope Francis and reflects on the life of the Lumen Christi Institute's founder Thomas Levergood, who held an enduring vision of bringing the different parts of both the Church and the academy into one conversation.
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Multi-year Study Unveils Key Insights on Virtue Formation in Secular and Faith-Based Higher Education
The Lumen Christi Institute participated in a two-year study with researchers and experts from Baylor University to examine virtue formation in higher education moral communities, both secular and faith-based.
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Seeking Graduate Reading Groups for the Fall Quarter
The Lumen Christi Institute is seeking graduate students to lead reading groups for the upcoming Fall Quarter. The deadline to submit proposals is August 31, with a priority deadline of August 1.
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Inside the Classroom with Fr. Adam Hincks
In the winter quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute was honored to welcome Rev. Dr. Adam Hincks, S.J., as scholar-in-residence. During his residency at the University of Chicago, Fr. Hincks led a non-credit course titled “The Bible and the Big Bang” as well as a Magis Lecture exploring the connections between faith, belief, and knowledge.
Learn MoreLumen Christi has been one of the great spiritual achievements of the last 25 years. And to see Lumen Christi flourishing so well and expanding around the country is a sign of tremendous hope for the Church.
The longest intellectual tradition of any institution in the contemporary world.
Celebrated University of Chicago President Robert Maynard Hutchins once remarked that the Catholic Church has “the longest intellectual tradition of any institution in the contemporary world.” The mission of the Lumen Christi Institute is to make the Catholic intellectual tradition a vital part of the secular university and the broader culture. The Lumen Christi Institute’s programs enrich academic communities at the University of Chicago and beyond with the insights of Catholic thought, in order to engage our secular culture in dialogue and ultimately to renew our civilization by forming leaders for a global society in need of Christian wisdom.
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Making the Catholic intellectual tradition a vital part of the secular university