Lumen Christi Institute

The Thought of John Henry Newman
2018-07-07 00:00 - 2018-07-14 00:00 (America/Chicago) | Merton College, Oxford, Merton St, Oxford OX1 4JD, UK, Oxford, United Kingdom
You can download the poster here.
Now in its sixth consecutive year, this intensive seminar will examine the achievements of Blessed John Henry Newman as a theologian, philosopher, educator, preacher, and writer. Remarkably, in each of these areas Newman produced works that have come to be recognized as classics: An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, The Grammar of Assent, The Idea of a University, The Parochial and Plain Sermons, and the Apologia Pro Vita Sua. This seminar will approach Newman’s thought through a critical engagement with these texts.
Format: There will be two 2-hour sessions each day. The seminar will include presentations by Professor Ker and by participants on the readings assigned, followed by seminar-style discussion.
Location: The seminar will take place at Merton College at the University of Oxford. Students will be provided with lodging and meals while at Oxford, and a travel stipend of up to $700.
Application Information: This seminar will be open to PhD students in the humanities and relevant fields (such as philosophy, theology, English, classics, & history).
Applicants will be required to submit:

A completed online application form.
An updated CV.
At least one and as many as two letter(s) of recommendation from a member of the program in which the student is currently enrolled.
A statement of research interest no longer than 750 words, which includes an explanation of how this seminar might bear on the student’s current or future research plans.
One academic writing sample (30 pages maximum).

All application materials can be submitted via the online application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Fifteen students will be admitted to this seminar.

Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I apply for more than one seminar?
Yes. You may apply for multiple seminars. Please indicate your order of preference in your statement of purpose for each application. Each applicant may only be admitted to one seminar.
I am a PhD student graduating this academic year. Can I still apply?
Yes!
I am currently an undergraduate or masters student, but have been admitted to a PhD program for the next academic year. Can I still apply?
Yes, please indicate this somehwere in your application.
I have attended a Lumen Christi Institute seminar in the past. May I still apply?
Yes!
Do I have to be Catholic to apply?
No. The Lumen Christi Institute exists to promotes the Catholic intellectual tradition and is committed to the integration of the intellectual and spiritual life. The Institute welcomes seminar participants of all or no religious affiliation, and wants to assure all applicants that the opportunities to participate in devotional activities are optional.
Contact us with any further questions.

Truth and Authority in Augustine's City of God
2018-07-21 00:00 - 2018-07-28 00:00 | University of California, Berkeley, S Hall Rd. Berkeley, CA 94720, Berkeley, CA
You can download the poster here.
In this seminar, students will read, analyze, and discern continuities and discontinuities in Catholic Social Thought from the late 19th century to the present. Lectures, seminar reports, and discussion will focus on original sources (encyclicals and other magisterial documents), beginning with Rerum novarum (1892) and concluding with Caritas in veritate (2009) and Evangelii Gaudium (2013). This intensive course is multi-disciplinary, since this tradition of social thought overlaps several disciplines in the contemporary university including political science, political philosophy, law, economics, theology, and history.
Format: There will be two 2.5-hour sessions each day. Each session will include an opening lecture and seminar-style discussion of the text and the issues at hand. Students will be expected to prepare the readings carefully and participate in the discussions of the material.
Location: The seminar will take place at the University of California, Berkeley. Students will be provided with lodging, meals, and a travel stipend of up to $350.
Application Information: This seminar will be open to PhD students in the humanities and relevant fields (such as philosophy, theology, english, classics, and history).
Applicants will be required to submit:

A completed online application form.
An updated CV.
At least one and as many as two letter(s) of recommendation from a member of the program in which the student is currently enrolled.
A statement of research interest no longer than 750 words, which includes an explanation of how this seminar might bear on the student’s current or future research plans.
One academic writing sample (30 pages maximum).

All application materials can be submitted via the online application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Fifteen students will be admitted to this seminar.

Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I apply for more than one seminar?
Yes. You may apply for multiple seminars. Please indicate your order of preference in your statement of purpose for each application. Each applicant may only be admitted to one seminar.
I am a PhD student graduating this academic year. Can I still apply?
Yes!
I am currently an undergraduate or masters student, but have been admitted to a PhD program for the next academic year. Can I still apply?
Yes, please indicate this somewhere in your application.
I have attended a Lumen Christi Institute seminar in the past. May I still apply?
Yes!
Do I have to be Catholic to apply?
No. The Lumen Christi Institute exists to promote the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and is committed to the integration of the intellectual and spiritual life. The Institute welcomes seminar participants of all or no religious affiliation, and wants to assure all applicants that the opportunities to participate in devotional activities are optional.
Contact us with any further questions.

Business and Catholic Social Thought: A Primer
2019-06-02 00:00 - 2019-06-05 00:00 | University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, Notre Dame, IN
APPLICATIONS FOR THIS SEMINAR ARE CLOSED
We are excited to announce our newly created seminar designed as an introduction and immersion into Catholic social thought for graduate students and faculty in business schools. Participants will cover foundational principles in Catholic social thought and apply them to their own field of research and teaching. This seminar aims at widening epistemological preconceptions and showing practical implications of Catholic social thought for business in a way that affirms the goodness of business directed toward the common good. Participants will delve into social encyclicals, secondary sources, and relevant business texts that show the path for principled entrepreneurship.
This seminar is cosponsored by the John A. Ryan Institute for Catholic Social Thought at the University of St. Thomas (MN); the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame; the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship at the Catholic University of America; the Lumen Christi Institute; and the Markets, Culture and Ethics Research Centre at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome.

Format: There will be four sessions each day, featuring a different instructor. Each instructor will open with a lecture, and then we will turn to a seminar-style discussion of the texts and issues at hand.
Location: The seminar will take place at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. A limited number of travel stipends are available on a per need basis (see the application form). All participants will be provided with accommodations and meals.
Application Information: This seminar will be open to graduate students and faculty of any specialization in business schools.
Applicants will be required to submit a completed online application, including:

An updated CV/resume.
A brief statement of research interest related to Catholic social thought no longer than 750 words.
One academic writing sample.

All application materials can be submitted via the online application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Fifteen students will be admitted to this seminar. Application materials are due March 1.
Please direct any further questions HERE

Economics & Catholic Social Thought: A Primer
2019-06-11 09:00 - 2019-06-14 17:00 | Notre Dame Global Gateway, Ha-Rosmarin St, Jerusalem, Israel
APPLICATIONS FOR THIS SEMINAR ARE CLOSED
Now in its fourth year, this seminar is designed as an introduction and immersion into Catholic social thought for graduate students and junior faculty in economics, finance, or related fields. Participants will cover foundational principles in Catholic social thought, starting with the human person, dignity, freedom, subsidiarity, solidarity, and the common good, and moving toward applications of these principles to conceptual understandings and ethical considerations involving economic topics such as utility theory, firm and business ethics, wages, markets, globalization, poverty, and development. Participants will delve into social encyclicals, secondary sources, and relevant economics texts.
This seminar is sponsored by the Lumen Christi Institute; the Catholic Research Economists Discussion Organization; the De Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture; the Kellogg Institute for International Studies; and the he Institute for the Scholarship in the Liberal Arts, College of Arts and Letters, University of Notre Dame.
*Dates reflect the days of seminar sessions. Participants should expect to arrive on June 10 and depart on June 15.

Format: There will be ten sessions over the course of four days, featuring a different instructor. Each instructor will open with a lecture, and then we will turn to a seminar style discussion of the texts and issues at hand. In the final sessions, we will discuss how the material can be applied to each student’s particular area of interest. There will also be opportunities for mass and several outings to important religious sites.
Location: The seminar will take place at the Notre Dame Global Gateway outside of Jerusalem. Participants will be provided with accommodations and meals, and a limited number of travel stipends are available on a need basis.
Application Information: This seminar will be open to Ph.D. students and faculty in Economics, Finance and related fields.
Applicants will be required to submit a completed online application form, including:

An updated CV.
A brief statement of research interest no longer than 750 words.
One academic writing sample.

All application materials can be submitted via the online application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 15 applicants will be admitted to this seminar.
Application materials are due March 1.
Please direct any further questions to contact@credo-economists.org.

Monastic Wisdom Seminar
2019-06-16 12:00 - 2019-06-21 12:00 | New Melleray Abbey, 6632 Melleray Cir Peosta, IA 52068, New Melleray Abbey, IA
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
“Understanding is wholly useless if it is not based upon wisdom, in that while it penetrates the higher mysteries without the counterpoise of wisdom, its own lightness is only lifting it up to meet with the heavier fall.”
– St. Gregory the Great, Moralia in Job, 1.32.45
“Idleness is an enemy of the soul. Therefore, the brothers should be occupied according to schedule in either manual labor or holy reading.”
– St. Benedict of Nursia, Rule, Chapter 48
“My words are meant for you, whoever you are, who laying aside your own will, take up the all-powerful and righteous arms of obedience to fight under the true King, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
– St. Benedict of Nursia, Rule, Prologue
The Lumen Christi Institute and New Melleray Abbey have partnered to organize a retreat aimed at exploring the monastic wisdom tradition. The Trappist community at New Melleray Abbey in Iowa represents an ancient and continual tradition of Christian monasticism with roots in the early Church. Students with an interest in theology or spirituality may be familiar with some of the major figures in this tradition—St. John Cassian, St. Benedict of Nursia, St. Bernard of Clairvaux. It is less likely they have spent time putting into practice the lessons of prayer, spiritual reading, and silence in an organized manner.
The contention of the Monastic Wisdom Seminar is that monastic disciplines must be practiced to be understood. Participants will spend a week praying, conferencing, reading, and working with the monks of New Melleray Abbey. The goals of the retreat are fourfold:

Introduce participants to monastic life, the Divine Office, and the history and theology of monasticism.

Introduce participants to monastic practices, including the discipline of silence, the principle of ora et labora and lectio divina.

Provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on Catholic practices of daily prayer and their relation to monastic life.

Study of texts of major figures of the monastic tradition.

PRINCIPAL TEXTS FOR DISCUSSION

Jean Leclercq, The Love of Learning and the Desire for God, trans. Catharine Misrahi (New York: Fordham University Press, 1982).

St. Athanasius, “The Life of Antony,” in Athanasius: The Life of Antony and the Letter to Marcellinus, trans. Robert C. Gregg (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1979).

John Cassian, Conferences, trans. Colm Luibheid, Classics of Western Spirituality (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1985).

St. Benedict of Nursia, The Rule of St. Benedict, trans. Carolinne White (London: Penguin Classics, 2008).

St. Bernard of Clairvaux, “On Loving God” in Bernard of Clairvaux: Selected Works, trans. G.R. Evans, Classics of Western Spirituality (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1987).

LOCATION AND FORMAT

The seminar will take place at New Melleray Abbey in Peosta, Iowa.

Travel stipends will be available for currently enrolled students.

Lodging, meals, and books will be provided.

Participants will arrive at New Melleray on Sunday, June 16 and depart on Friday, June 21.

Participants will be required read the assigned materials in preparation for the seminar.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Open to men aged 18 through 35. Catholics and non-Catholics are invited to apply.

Applicants must submit an online application including a statement of interest, a CV or resume, and a letter of recommendation from a professor or pastor.

Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis. Apply no later than May 17th to receive full consideration.

A maximum of 15 applicants will be admitted to the seminar.

Metaphysics and the Soul in Thomas Aquinas
2019-06-27 12:00 - 2019-07-03 00:00 | University of Chicago, 5801 S. Ellis Ave., University of Chicago, IL
APPLICATIONS FOR THIS SEMINAR ARE CLOSED
This seminar will be a five-day, intensive discussion of St. Thomas Aquinas’s account of the nature of the soul, with particular attention paid to the metaphysical principles on which it rests. The sessions will center on Summa Theologiae, I, qq. 75-77, concerning the soul in itself, its essential relation to the body, and its role as the primary principle of vital activity. Participants will also discuss relevant passages from other works of St. Thomas, as well as his historical influences (such as Plato, Aristotle, and Augustine) and some contemporary literature on the topic. Finally, the seminar will take up related issues, such as Aquinas’s understanding of the relation between metaphysics and theology, his handling of the Augustinian tradition, his reaction to the Averroists, and how his account of the soul relates to later philosophical developments such as Cartesianism and personalism.
Format: There will be two 2 ½ hour sessions each day. Each session will include an opening lecture and seminar-style discussion of the text and the issues at hand. Students will be expected to prepare the readings carefully and participate in the discussions of the material.
Location: The seminar will take place at the University of Chicago. Students will be provided with lodging and meals for the duration of the seminar, and a travel stipend of up to $350.
Application Information: This seminar will be open to doctoral students in the humanities and relevant fields.
Applicants will be required to submit:

A completed online application form.
An updated CV.
At least one and as many as two letter(s) of recommendation from a member of the program in which the student is currently enrolled.
A statement of research interest no longer than 750 words, which includes an explanation of how this seminar might bear on the student’s current or future research plans.
One academic writing sample (30 pages maximum).

All application materials can be submitted via the online application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Fifteen students will be admitted to this seminar. Application materials are due March 15.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I apply for more than one seminar? Yes. You may apply for multiple seminars. Please indicate your order of preference in your statement of purpose for each application. Each applicant may only be admitted to one seminar.
I am a PhD student graduating this academic year. Can I still apply? Yes!
I am currently an undergraduate or masters student, but have been admitted to a PhD program for the next academic year. Can I still apply?
Yes, please indicate this in the statement of purpose in your application.
I have attended a Lumen Christi Institute seminar in the past. May I still apply? Yes!
Do I have to be Catholic to apply? No. The Lumen Christi Institute exists to promotes the Catholic intellectual tradition and is committed to the integration of the intellectual and spiritual life. The Institute welcomes seminar participants of all or no religious affiliation, and wants to assure all applicants that the opportunities to participate in devotional activities are optional.
In addition to the travel stipend, are there other funding possibilities? Seminar participation includes an opportunity to give a formal presentation and inclusion in the official program and schedule. We encourage participants to seek funding from their home institutions or other sources to supplement the travel stipend offered by the Lumen Christi Institute.
When do I get my travel stipend? Stipends are distributed as a refund after successful completion of the seminar and seminar evaluations. Exceptions can be made on case by case basis.
Contact us with any further questions.

Modern Science and the Catholic Faith for Graduate Students
2019-06-30 12:00 - 2019-07-06 12:00 | Providence College, 1 Cunningham Square, Providence, RI
Applications are now closed.
The goal of this seminar is to provide students with the background knowledge and conceptual tools necessary to understand and think clearly about the relation of science and faith. This will help them to integrate scientific and theological ways of understanding in their own thinking, and make it possible for them to help others (including their future colleagues and students) to achieve such integration. The overarching goal is to help develop a cadre of people with a broad and informed understanding of these issues who can be the nucleus from which wider outreach efforts might grow.
Among the topics discussed will be the historical relationship of the Church and science; the relation of faith and reason; evidence for God in the existence and order of the cosmos; God and nature; primary and secondary causality; the supernatural and miracles; modern physics and natural theology; creation and providence; the beginning of the universe and modern cosmology; God and time; human origins and human distinctiveness; rationality, freedom, and the soul; physicalist reductionism and the human mind; Genesis and scriptural interpretation; biological evolution; biology and human nature; and the Fall, original sin and concupiscence.
Preparatory readings will include excerpts from:

Modern Physics and Ancient Faith (Stephen M. Barr)
The Believing Scientist (Stephen M. Barr)
Thomistic Evolution (Fr. Nicanor Austriaco et al.)
Science and Belief in a Nuclear Age (Peter E. Hodgson)
God’s Mechanics (Br. Guy Consolmagno)
God and Reason in the Middle Ages (Edward Grant)
Galileo Goes to Jail and Other Myths about Science and Religion (ed. Ronald L. Numbers)
Mind and Cosmos (Thomas Nagel)
The Faith of the Early Fathers (William A. Jurgens)
Confessions (St. Augustine)
City of God (St. Augustine)
On the Literal Meaning of Genesis (St. Augustine)
Summa Contra Gentiles (St. Thomas Aquinas)
In the Beginning (Joseph Ratzinger)
addresses and statements on science and religion by Pope St. John Paul II
Communion and Stewardship: Human Persons Created in the Image of God (International Theological Commission)
sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

This seminar is made possible by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.
LOCATION AND FORMAT

The seminar will take place at Providence College in Providence, RI. Admitted students will be required to arrange their own travel to and from the seminar.
Admitted students will be granted a stipend of $350 to offset travel costs in addition to having their lodging and meals covered for the duration of the seminar.
Participants will arrive at Providence College on Sunday, June 30 and depart on Saturday, July 6. The seminar will take place from Monday to Friday, with a lecture and discussion session each morning and afternoon.
Participants will be required read the assigned materials in preparation for the seminar.
In order to receive the $350 stipend, students must participate fully in all seminar activities and complete a survey at the end of the seminar.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Open to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in STEM fields, medicine, the history of science, philosophy, theology, and relevant fields.
Applicants must submit an online application, including details on their course of study, a statement of interest, and a letter of recommendation (optional).
For full consideration, apply by May 12. After May 12, applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis.
15 applicants will be admitted to the seminar.

This seminar is part of the Lumen Christi Institute’s “Science and Religion: A Dialogue of Cultures” project generously supported by the John Templeton Foundation and is cosponsored by the Society of Catholic Scientists.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I am a PhD student graduating this academic year. Can I still apply? Yes!
I am currently an undergraduate or but have been admitted to a graduate program for the next academic year. Can I still apply? Yes, please indicate this in the statement of purpose in your application.
I have attended a Lumen Christi Institute seminar in the past. May I still apply? Yes!
Do I have to be Catholic to apply? No. The Lumen Christi Institute exists to promotes the Catholic intellectual tradition and is committed to the integration of the intellectual and spiritual life. The Institute welcomes seminar participants of all or no religious affiliation, and wants to assure all applicants that the opportunities to participate in devotional activities are optional.

The Thought of John Henry Newman
2019-07-06 00:00 - 2019-07-13 00:00 | Merton College, Oxford, Merton St, Oxford OX1 4JD, UK, Oxford, United Kingdom
APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED FOR THIS SEMINAR
Now in its seventh consecutive year, this intensive seminar will examine the achievements of Blessed John Henry Newman as a theologian, philosopher, educator, preacher, and writer. Remarkably, in each of these areas Newman produced works that have come to be recognized as classics: An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, The Grammar of Assent, The Idea of a University, The Parochial and Plain Sermons, and the Apologia Pro Vita Sua. This seminar will approach Newman’s thought through a critical engagement with these texts.
Format: There will be two 2-hour sessions each day. The seminar will include presentations by Professor Ker and by participants on the readings assigned, followed by seminar-style discussion.
Location: The seminar will take place at Merton College at the University of Oxford. Participants will be provided with lodging and most meals for the duration of the seminar, and a travel stipend of up to $700.
Application Information: This seminar is open to PhD students, post docs, and junior faculty in the humanities and relevant fields.
Applicants will be required to submit:

A completed online application form.
An updated CV.
At least one and as many as two letter(s) of recommendation from a member of the program in which the applicant is currently enrolled.
A statement of research interest no longer than 750 words, which includes an explanation of how this seminar might bear on the student’s current or future research plans.
One academic writing sample (30 pages maximum).

All application materials can be submitted via the online application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Fifteen applicants will be admitted to this seminar. Application materials are due March 15.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I apply for more than one seminar? Yes. You may apply for multiple seminars. Please indicate your order of preference in your statement of purpose for each application. Each applicant may only be admitted to one seminar.
I am a PhD student graduating this academic year. Can I still apply? Yes!
I am currently an undergraduate or masters student, but have been admitted to a PhD program for the next academic year. Can I still apply?
Yes, please indicate this somehwere in your application.
I have attended a Lumen Christi Institute seminar in the past. May I still apply? Yes!
Do I have to be Catholic to apply? No. The Lumen Christi Institute exists to promotes the Catholic intellectual tradition and is committed to the integration of the intellectual and spiritual life. The Institute welcomes seminar participants of all or no religious affiliation, and wants to assure all applicants that the opportunities to participate in devotional activities are optional.
In addition to the travel stipend, are there other funding possibilities? Seminar participation includes an opportunity to give a formal presentation and inclusion in the official program and schedule. We encourage participants to seek funding from their home institutions or other sources to supplement the travel stipend offered by the Lumen Christi Institute.
When do I get my Travel Stipend? Stipends are distributed as a refund after successful completion of the seminar and seminar evaluations. Exceptions can be made on case by case basis.
Contact us with any further questions.

The Thought of Rene Girard
2019-07-15 09:00 - 2019-07-21 17:00 | Saint-Michel de Frigolet Abbey, La Montagnette, 13150 Tarascon, France, Saint-Michel de Frigolet Abbey, France
APPLICATIONS FOR THIS SEMINAR ARE CLOSED
One of the most influential 20th century Catholic thinkers, René Girard transformed our understanding of culture, religion, and human behavior. His “mimetic theory” builds on the demystifying power of the Old and New Testaments to illuminate the religious history of mankind. Through an intensive reading of his major works of literary analysis, religious anthropology, and Biblical exegesis, this five-day seminar will explore Girard’s key insights into imitation, conflict, and scapegoating, connecting them to central themes of Christian theology.
Format: There will be two 2.5-hour sessions each day. Each session will include an opening lecture and seminar-style discussion of the text and the issues at hand. Students will be expected to prepare the readings carefully and participate in the discussions of the material.
Location: The seminar will take place at Saint-Michel de Frigolet Abbey near Avignon, France. Participants will be provided with lodging and meals for the duration of the seminar, and a travel stipend of up to $700.
Application Requirements: This seminar is open to PhD students in the humanities and relevant fields.
Applicants will be required to submit:

A completed online application form.
An updated CV.
At least one and as many as two letter(s) of recommendation from a member of the program in which the student is currently enrolled.
A statement of research interest no longer than 750 words, which includes an explanation of how this seminar might bear on the student’s current or future research plans.
One academic writing sample (30 pages maximum).

All application materials can be submitted via the online application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Fifteen applicants will be admitted to this seminar. Application materials are due March 15.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I apply for more than one seminar? Yes. You may apply for multiple seminars. Please indicate your order of preference in your statement of purpose for each application. Each applicant may only be admitted to one seminar.
I am a PhD student graduating this academic year. Can I still apply? Yes!
I am currently an undergraduate or masters student, but have been admitted to a PhD program for the next academic year. Can I still apply?
Yes, please indicate this somehwere in your application.
I have attended a Lumen Christi Institute seminar in the past. May I still apply? Yes!
Do I have to be Catholic to apply? No. The Lumen Christi Institute exists to promotes the Catholic intellectual tradition and is committed to the integration of the intellectual and spiritual life. The Institute welcomes seminar participants of all or no religious affiliation, and wants to assure all applicants that the opportunities to participate in devotional activities are optional.
In addition to the travel stipend, are there other funding possibilities? Seminar participation includes an opportunity to give a formal presentation and inclusion in the official program and schedule. We encourage participants to seek funding from their home institutions or other sources to supplement the travel stipend offered by the Lumen Christi Institute.
When do I get my travel stipend? Stipends are distributed as a refund after successful completion of the seminar and seminar evaluations. Exceptions can be made on case by case basis.
Contact us with any further questions.

Catholic Social Thought: A Critical Investigation
2019-07-20 00:00 - 2019-07-27 00:00 | University of California, Berkeley, S Hall Rd. Berkeley, CA 94720, Berkeley, CA
APPLICATIONS FOR THIS SEMINAR ARE CLOSED
In this seminar, students will read, analyze, and discern continuities and discontinuities in Catholic social thought from the late 19th century to the present. Lectures, seminar reports, and discussion will focus on original sources (encyclicals and other magisterial documents), beginning with Rerum novarum (1892) and concluding with Caritas in veritate (2009) and Evangelii Gaudium (2013). This intensive course is multi-disciplinary, since this tradition of social thought overlaps several disciplines in the contemporary university including political science, political philosophy, law, economics, theology, and history.
Format: There will be two 2.5-hour sessions each day. Each session will include an opening lecture and seminar-style discussion of the text and the issues at hand. Students will be expected to prepare the readings carefully and participate in the discussions of the material.
Location: The seminar will take place at the University of California, Berkeley. Participants will be provided with lodging and most meals for the duration of the seminar, and a travel stipend of up to $350.
Application Information: This seminar will be open to PhD students, JD students, post docs, and junior faculty in the humanities, social sciences, and relevant fields.
Applicants will be required to submit:

A completed online application form.
An updated CV.
At least one and as many as two letter(s) of recommendation from a member of the program in which the student is currently enrolled.
A statement of research interest no longer than 750 words, which includes an explanation of how this seminar might bear on the student’s current or future research plans.
One academic writing sample (30 pages maximum).

All application materials can be submitted via the online application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Fifteen students will be admitted to this seminar. Application materials are due March 15.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I apply for more than one seminar? Yes. You may apply for multiple seminars. Please indicate your order of preference in your statement of purpose for each application. Each applicant may only be admitted to one seminar.
I am a PhD student graduating this academic year. Can I still apply? Yes!
I am currently an undergraduate or masters student, but have been admitted to a PhD program for the next academic year. Can I still apply?
Yes, please indicate this somehwere in your application.
I have attended a Lumen Christi Institute seminar in the past. May I still apply? Yes!
Do I have to be Catholic to apply? No. The Lumen Christi Institute exists to promotes the Catholic intellectual tradition and is committed to the integration of the intellectual and spiritual life. The Institute welcomes seminar participants of all or no religious affiliation, and wants to assure all applicants that the opportunities to participate in devotional activities are optional.
In addition to the travel stipend, are there other funding possibilities? Seminar participation includes an opportunity to give a formal presentation and inclusion in the official program and schedule. We encourage participants to seek funding from their home institutions or other sources to supplement the travel stipend offered by the Lumen Christi Institute.
When do I get my Travel Stipend? Stipends are distributed as a refund after successful completion of the seminar and seminar evaluations. Exceptions can be made on case by case basis.
Contact us with any further questions.

POSTPONED: Catholic Social Teaching and Society: An Introduction to the Tradition and Substance of Christian Social Doctrine
2019-07-21 00:00 - 2019-08-03 00:00 | Abtei Michaelsberg, TBD, Siegburg, Germany
THIS SEMINAR HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO SUMMER 2020
The manifold and deepening social, political, and economic crises that people and their governments face have called forth a strongly renewed interest in the Christian social teaching tradition, and the contributions that insights from the tradition might make to responding to these exigencies. This revival of interest brings several thorny problems in its wake: Why does the Church speak on these matters, and based on what authority? What role does the Church properly have in this context? What contributions can she make to such worldly concerns? What does the Church have to offer in responding to the complexities of the contemporary world situation? These represent particularly important questions given the Catholic Church’s revived role as a transnational, global organization whose views have assumed increasing significance in a post-Cold War world with increasingly diffuse sources of recognized authority.
The first week will provide a fundamental introduction to the history, philosophical currents, and theology that informs the Catholic social tradition. The second week features an interdisciplinary and international conversation between American and European participants concentrated on the meaning of social justice and its principles in light of the Christian tradition; a consideration of the Christian sources that inform the “social market economy” and the institutions of the “social-state”; and the challenges that AI and digitalization pose to human work and well-being.
The seminar will feature lectures, discussions, and working groups, but also opportunities to meet with political, social and Church leaders. The program has the special goal of bringing American and German students into conversation to share their perspectives, to build networks and to seek common approaches to addressing both to contemporary crises and unforeseen developments in a way that will keep the human at the center of all our considerations.
Format: coming soon!
Location: The seminar will take place at Abtei Michaelsberg, Siegburg, Germany.
Application Information: This seminar will be open to MA, MTS, MDiv, PhD, JD, Post Doc, and advanced undergraduates in all disciplines.
Applicants will be required to submit:

A completed online application form.
An updated CV.
At least one and as many as two letter(s) of recommendation from a member of the program in which the student is currently enrolled.
A statement of research interest no longer than 750 words, which includes an explanation of how this seminar might bear on the student’s current or future research plans.
One academic writing sample (30 pages maximum).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I apply for more than one seminar? Yes. You may apply for multiple seminars. Please indicate your order of preference in your statement of purpose for each application. Each applicant may only be admitted to one seminar.
I have attended a Lumen Christi Institute seminar in the past. May I still apply? Yes!
Do I have to be Catholic to apply? No. The Lumen Christi Institute exists to promotes the Catholic intellectual tradition and is committed to the integration of the intellectual and spiritual life. The Institute welcomes seminar participants of all or no religious affiliation, and wants to assure all applicants that the opportunities to participate in devotional activities are optional.
In addition to the travel stipend, are there other funding possibilities? Seminar participation includes an opportunity to give a formal presentation and inclusion in the official program and schedule. We encourage participants to seek funding from their home institutions or other sources to supplement the travel stipend offered by the Lumen Christi Institute.
When do I get my travel stipend? Stipends are distributed as a refund after successful completion of the seminar and seminar evaluations. Exceptions can be made on case by case basis.
Contact us with any further questions.

Undergraduate Seminar: Augustine on Self, God, and Society
2019-07-28 00:00 - 2019-08-03 00:00 | St. Albert’s Priory, 5890 Birch Ct, Oakland, CA
APPLICATION COMING SOON
Augustine is one of the great minds of the Church and of western history. In this week-long intensive seminar, undergraduates and recent graduates will learn how to read, analyze, and discern the theme of the self in relation to God and society across Augustine’s corpus. The seminar is anchored in an in-depth reading of Augustine’s Confessions, one of the great masterpieces of literature that continues to speak across the centuries even as it is rooted in antiquity. This will be supplemented by selections from The City of God and On the Trinity.
Application materials are due March 1.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I apply for more than one seminar? Yes. You may apply for multiple seminars. Please indicate your order of preference in your statement of purpose for each application. Each applicant may only be admitted to one seminar.
Do I have to be Catholic to apply? No. The Lumen Christi Institute exists to promotes the Catholic intellectual tradition and is committed to the integration of the intellectual and spiritual life. The Institute welcomes seminar participants of all or no religious affiliation, and wants to assure all applicants that the opportunities to participate in devotional activities are optional.
In addition to the travel stipend, are there other funding possibilities? Seminar participation includes an opportunity to give a formal presentation and inclusion in the official program and schedule. We encourage participants to seek funding from their home institutions or other sources to supplement the travel stipend offered by the Lumen Christi Institute.
When do I get my travel stipend? Stipends are distributed as a refund after successful completion of the seminar and seminar evaluations. Exceptions can be made on case by case basis.

Modern Science and the Catholic Faith for Undergraduates
2019-07-28 12:00 - 2019-08-03 12:00 | Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College, 75376 River Road, St. Benedict, LA
Applications are now closed.
The goal of this seminar is to provide students with the background knowledge and conceptual tools necessary to understand and think clearly about the relation of science and faith. This will help them to integrate scientific and theological ways of understanding in their own thinking, and make it possible for them to help others (including their future colleagues and students) to achieve such integration. The overarching goal is to help develop a cadre of people with a broad and informed understanding of these issues who can be the nucleus from which wider outreach efforts might grow.
Among the topics discussed will be the historical relationship of the Church and science; the relation of faith and reason; evidence for God in the existence and order of the cosmos; God and nature; primary and secondary causality; the supernatural and miracles; modern physics and natural theology; creation and providence; the beginning of the universe and modern cosmology; God and time; human origins and human distinctiveness; rationality, freedom, and the soul; physicalist reductionism and the human mind; Genesis and scriptural interpretation; biological evolution; biology and human nature; and the Fall, original sin and concupiscence.
Preparatory readings will include excerpts from:

Modern Physics and Ancient Faith (Stephen M. Barr)
The Believing Scientist (Stephen M. Barr)
Thomistic Evolution (Fr. Nicanor Austriaco et al.)
Science and Belief in a Nuclear Age (Peter E. Hodgson)
God’s Mechanics (Br. Guy Consolmagno)
God and Reason in the Middle Ages (Edward Grant)
Galileo Goes to Jail and Other Myths about Science and Religion (ed. Ronald L. Numbers)
Mind and Cosmos (Thomas Nagel)
The Faith of the Early Fathers (William A. Jurgens)
Confessions (St. Augustine)
City of God (St. Augustine)
On the Literal Meaning of Genesis (St. Augustine)
Summa Contra Gentiles (St. Thomas Aquinas)
In the Beginning (Joseph Ratzinger)
addresses and statements on science and religion by Pope St. John Paul II
Communion and Stewardship: Human Persons Created in the Image of God (International Theological Commission)
sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

LOCATION AND FORMAT

The seminar will take place at Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College in St. Benedict, LA. Admitted students will be required to arrange their own travel to and from the seminar.
Admitted students will be granted a stipend of $350 to offset travel costs in addition to having their lodging and meals covered for the duration of the seminar.
Participants will arrive at Saint Joseph on Sunday, July 28 and depart on Saturday, August 3. The seminar will take place from Monday to Friday, with a lecture and discussion session each morning and afternoon.
Participants will be required read the assigned materials in preparation for the seminar.
In order to receive the $350 stipend, students must participate fully in all seminar activities and complete a survey at the end of the seminar.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Open to all undergraduate students, including those who graduate in 2019 and recent graduates.
Applicants must submit an online application, including details on their course of study, a statement of interest, and a letter of recommendation.
For full consideration, apply by May 12. After May 12, applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis.
15 applicants will be admitted to the seminar.

This seminar is part of the Lumen Christi Institute’s “Science and Religion: A Dialogue of Cultures” project generously supported by the John Templeton Foundation.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I am a college student graduating this academic year. Can I still apply? Yes!
Do I have to be Catholic to apply? No. The Lumen Christi Institute exists to promotes the Catholic intellectual tradition and is committed to the integration of the intellectual and spiritual life. The Institute welcomes seminar participants of all or no religious affiliation, and wants to assure all applicants that the opportunities to participate in devotional activities are optional.

2020 Newman Forum Summer Institute
2020-07-13 11:00 - 2020-07-30 12:30 | ONLINE, World Wide Web, INTERNET
The Newman Forum aims to run a week-long Summer Institute for high school students at Mundelein Seminary every year. Due to COVID-19 concerns, this year’s Institute will run ONLINE, Mondays and Thursdays, from July 13th-30th.
This year’s Summer Institute will be centered on the three transcendentals: Truth, Goodness, and Beauty!
Feelings of wonder point us to transcendental truths and drive some of the most important philosophical and theological pursuits: How do we describe the feeling of seeing a radiant sunset to someone who didn’t see it? How do we explain that feeling of resonance when we learn a lesson in school that really speaks to our lives? Why are we moved when we see someone perform an act of kindness for someone else in need? This is beauty, truth, and goodness. Sometimes they seem quite simple! But they are also deep mysteries, and they relate to some of the biggest mysteries of our Catholic faith. Click here for more about the curriculum!
Monday classes will consist of lectures and brief fundamentals Q&A. Thursdays will consist of discussions of the lectures and short weekly assigned texts. All class meetings will run from 11am-12:30pm.
Mondays (July 13th, 20th, and 27th)
11:00-11:25 Philosophy lecture
11:25-11:35 Philosophy Q&A
11:35-11:45 Break
11:45-12:10 Theology lecture
12:10-12:30 Theology Q&A
Thursdays (July 16th, 23rd, and 30th)
11:00-11:15 Introduction and overview
11:15-11:45 Discussion Groups
11:45-12:30 Large Group Discussion
The program cost is $50 for local, Chicagoland participants (including our broader Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan neighbors!) $125 for non-local participants.
Applications for the 2020 Summer Institute are rolling, and have been extended until July 6th.
All high school students–including incoming freshmen and outgoing seniors–are welcome to apply!
Applicants will be notified within two weeks of submitting their applications whether or not they have been accepted.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY!

ONLINE SEMINAR on Dominican Theological Anthropology: Albert the Great and Meister Eckhart
2020-08-03 09:00 - 2020-08-11 17:00 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THIS SEMINAR
On consecutive Mondays and Tuesdays in August (August 3, 4, 10, 11) Bernard McGinn and Fr. Bernhard Blankenhorn will lead a set of young scholars through questions relating to the theological anthropologies of Albertus Magnus and Meister Eckhart. Topics of special interest will include contemplation, Albert on the imago dei, and Eckhart on the ground of the soul.
Applicants should have some background in medieval philosophy and theology. More specifically, they should have a basic familiarity with Aristotelian anthropology, as well as general grasp of the Augustinian theology of the image of God and medieval theories of contemplation.
Intermediate knowledge of Latin is preferred, but not required. Applications who can read German and/or French secondary literature should be given preference.
Required Reading Before Seminar
Simon Tugwell, “Introduction,” Albert and Thomas: Select Writings (Paulist Press, 1988), 3-129.
Edmund Colledge and Bernard McGinn, “Introduction,” Meister Eckhart: The Essential Sermons, etc. (Paulist Press, 1981), 5-81.
Required Reading During Seminar
Texts
Albert the Great, Commentary on Dionysius’s Mystical Theology, in Albert and Thomas, 133-98
Albert the Great, De Intellectu et intelligibili, Book II, chaps. 8-9 (Borgnet ed., IX:514-17)
Albert the Great, Selections from Summa theologica, Pars I (Cologne Edition XXXIV.1), q. 13, chapter 1 (pp. 38-41); q. 13, chapter 4 (pp. 44-48); q. 15, chapter 2, a. 2 (pp. 65-75).
Meister Eckhart: The Essential Sermons, etc.
Meister Eckhart: Teacher and Preacher (Paulist Press, 1986)
Studies
Henryk Anzulewicc, “Anthropology: The Concept of Man in Albert the Great,” in A Companion to Albert the Great, 325-46
Bernard Blankenhorn, “The Mystery of Union with God, 52-90, and 131-48
Bernard McGinn, “Chapter 4. Meister Eckhart: Mystical Teacher and Preacher,” in McGinn, The Harvest of Mysticism, 94-194
Rupert J. Mayer, “The Term ‘Ground of the Soul’ and ‘Sparkle of Reason’ in Eckhart and Aquinas,” Medieval Mystical Theology 22 (2013): 120-38.
Schedule
Mornings will contain two hour-long lecture/discussions of key texts.
Afternoons will have two sessions of 45-minute guided discussion.
The final day (Tuesday, August 11) will be devoted to short student presentations.

2021 Newman Forum Summer Institute
2021-07-08 00:00 - 2021-07-11 00:00 | University of Saint Mary of the Lake, 1000 East Maple Avenue Mundelein, IL 60060, Mundelein, IL
In-person summer experience for high school students exploring truth, goodness, and beauty at Mundelein Seminary
Presented by the Lumen Christi Institute’s Newman Forum. Open to current high school students and incoming college freshman only. This seminar is cosponsored by the University of Saint Mary of the Lake at Mundelein Seminary, and the Archdiocese of Chicago Vocation Office.

DRIVING QUESTIONS
“It is through wonder that men now begin and originally began to philosophize; wondering in the first place at obvious perplexities, and then by gradual progression raising questions about the greater matters too…” -Aristotle, Metaphysics 982b
“The Christian remains the guardian of that metaphysical wonderment which is the point of origin for philosophy and the continuation of which is the basis of its further existence. Wonderment is constantly on the point of turning into a marveling at the beauty of existence as a whole…”
-Hans Urs von Balthasar, The Glory of the Lord: A Theological Aesthetics, Volume V, The Realm of Metaphysics in the Modern Age
Philosophy begins in wonder: How can I explain what I see, put words to what I feel, or communicate what seems inexpressible?
Looking out at the world, one wonders: Is there some order to the universe and to my soul? Or is it all random?
We wonder most of all about the true, the beautiful, and the good: Is there such a thing as Truth? Beauty? Goodness? There must be, but so many people disagree! How can one talk about the reality of concepts that seem so hotly contested?
OVERVIEW
In this 4-Day Summer Institute, high school students will be introduced to the disciplines and distinct methodologies of philosophy and theology through college-level lecture and discussion of the three “transcendentals” of truth, goodness, and beauty. Figures under consideration will include Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Bonaventure, Aquinas, Newman, Ratzinger, von Balthasar, as well as relevant biblical texts.
We will balance academic formation with spiritual formation, focusing on themes of discernment, vocation, and the practices that comprise an intellectually informed and responsible life of faith. In addition to a balance of the spiritual and intellectual, we will also balance work and play. Mornings will be devoted to lectures and discussion, with afternoons and evenings filled with excursions and fun programming (including a trip to Six Flags!)
>> CLICK HERE TO APPLY <<
Applications are now closed. Check back next Spring 2022 for information on the 2022 Summer Institute!

SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, JULY 8
Day 1 — Student Arrival
4:00pm Check-In (Building E, Main Entrance)

Room assignments
Time to settle in

5:00pm Welcome Mass (Building E, Chapel)
6:00pm Dinner (Building B, Dining Hall)
7:00pm Icebreakers & House Rules (Building N, Classrooms)
8:00pm S’Mores (Fire Pit)
9:00pm Night Prayer (Building E, Chapel)

FRIDAY, JULY 9
Day 2
7:30am Morning Prayer (Building E, Chapel)
8:00am Breakfast (Building B, Dining Hall)
9:30am Morning Class (Building N, Classooms)

30 min. Philosophy lecture
30 min. Theology lecture
15 min. Q&A each

11:00am Small Discussion Groups (Building N, Classrooms)
12:00pm Leave Mundelein for Six Flags
7:00pm Leave Six Flags to Return to Mundelein
8:00pm Night Prayer (Building E, Chapel)

SATURDAY, JULY 10
Day 3
7:30am Morning Prayer (Building E, Chapel)
8:00am Breakfast (Building B, Dining Hall)
9:30am Morning Class (Building N, Classrooms)
11:00am Small group (Building N, Classrooms)
12:00pm Lunch (Building B, Dining Hall)
12:45pm Break
2:30pm Outdoor Games (Ball Fields)
4:00pm Vocation Talks (Mundelein Grounds)
6:00pm Dinner (Grab-N-Go, Building B, Dining Hall)
9:00pm Night Prayer (Building E, Chapel)

SUNDAY, JULY 11
Day 4 — Student Departure
8:00am Breakfast (Building B, Dining Hall)
8:30am Morning Class (Building N, Classrooms)
10:00am Farewell Mass (Building E, Chapel)
11:00am Brunch (TBD)
12:00pm Small group (Building N, Classrooms)
12:45pm Big group (Building N, Classrooms)
1:30pm Students depart

Safety & Wellness Information:
Mundelein Seminary’s COVID-19 procedures at the time of the Summer Institute will be consistent with State Guidelines for outdoor and indoor group gatherings. Complete information regarding protocol will be circulated to all accepted students as the Institute nears.
Single occupancy accommodations are available to all accepted students. To the extent that you are comfortable, accepted students are encouraged to select “Double Occupancy” come registration time. This will assign each student a roommate to bunk with for the duration of the Institute. Siblings will room together. Male and female students are assigned to separate floors, and there are no communal bathrooms. Nightly curfew will be strictly observed. There will be one adult chaperone for every three students, with a balanced number of male and female chaperones.
Arriving to the Institute late and/or leaving early will not be permitted.
Further information about allergies, medical concerns, dress code, etc. will be made available to accepted students upon registration.

Civilization on the Brink? Modern Philosophy and the Abolition of Man
2024-10-16 18:00 - 19:30, 2024-10-30 18:00 - 19:30, 2024-11-13 18:00 - 19:30 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
Open to current undergraduate students at the University of Chicago. Registration is capped at 25. Students who register after capacity has been reached will be put on a waitlist. All registrants will be provided with a free copy of the text.
This seminar and the Nicklin Fellows are cosponsored by the First Analysis Institute, and this event is made possible through the support of ‘In Lumine: Supporting the Catholic Intellectual Tradition on Campuses Nationwide’ (Grant #62372) from the John Templeton Foundation.
REGISTER HERE
In 1944, CS Lewis looked upon civilization and was amazed by what he saw:
In a sort of ghastly simplicity, we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.
What was it about 20th century philosophy that horrified Lewis? Was the embrace of relativism a step towards greater social progress, or did it threaten the foundations of society? Did the conquest of nature result in “nature’s conquest over man”, a victory that made man less than human? Was there a source of universal values, such as natural law, that could prevent the abolition of man? How would one know if such a law existed with a seemingly infinite number of traditions and beliefs?
In The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis, from an intentionally non-Christian perspective, delivered a scathing critique of moral relativism and the limitless advancements of science. This seminar will delve into Lewis’s bold arguments and challenge participants to confront uncomfortable questions about the direction of our values, ethics, and what it means to be human.
Professor Erin Walsh, Assistant Professor of New Testament and Early Christian Literature, will join us for the conversation.

Schedule
6:00 PM Dinner | 6:15 PM Discussion | 7:30 PM Close
October 16th: “Men Without Chests” (27 pages)
October 30th: “The Way” (26 pages)
November 13th: “The Abolition of Man” (27 pages)

This event is part of Lumen Christi’s Fundamental Questions seminar, a quarterly reading group designed for undergraduate students at the University of Chicago. By fostering intellectually rigorous conversation around culturally resonant texts, we aim to allow students to experience the force of the deep existential concerns which animate our lives: “Where do my values come from? What is the good life? How can I become happy?” Our aim is not to answer such fundamental questions, but rather to equip students with the intellectual skills needed to recognize and articulate them for themselves. This group welcomes students from all religious and philosophical backgrounds because existential questions of being are of concern to all.
In addition, undergraduate students who participate in this seminar are eligible to become “Nicklin Fellows.” These fellows will have exclusive access to research and development grant funds to pursue their intellectual interests. Grants can be used to do things like the following:

Organize a reading group
Bring a speaker to campus
Organize a movie night
Develop and plan future fundamental questions seminars
Write a paper for a journal
And more!

How to Find Yourself on a Deserted Island: Ibn Tufayl's Philosophical Tale
2025-01-22 18:00 - 19:30, 2025-02-05 18:00 - 19:30, 2025-02-19 18:00 - 19:30 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
Open to current undergraduate students at the University of Chicago. Registration is capped at 25. Students who register after capacity has been reached will be put on a waitlist. All registrants will be provided with a free copy of the text.
The Fundamental Questions Seminar and the Nicklin Fellows are made possible by the First Analysis Institute. “How to Find Yourself on a Deserted Island: Ibn Tufayl’s Philosophical Tale” is presented in partnership with the Seldon Institute.
REGISTER HERE
In the winter quarter, we will discuss Hayy Ibn Yaqzan by Ibn Tufayl (d. 1185). This philosophical tale from medieval Spain tells the story of a child who comes of age on an island, without the influence of any human society. The text explores what a thoughtful human being — with no religious or cultural tradition — might think about God, the world, and the place of humanity in it.
SCHEDULE
6:00 PM Dinner | 6:15 PM Discussion | 7:30 PM Close
The seminar will meet on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7:30 on Jan. 22, Feb. 5, and Feb. 19 (Wednesday evenings in weeks 3, 5, and 7) at Gavin House, the home of the Lumen Christi Institute (1220 E 58th St).

Session 1: Introduction (pp. 95-103, paragraphs 1-20)
Session 2: pp. 103-134, paragraphs 21-90
Session 3: pp. 134-166, paragraphs 91-156

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION SEMINAR
This event is part of Lumen Christi’s Fundamental Questions program, a quarterly seminar designed for undergraduate students at the University of Chicago. By fostering intellectually rigorous conversation around culturally resonant texts, we aim to allow students to experience the force of the deep existential concerns which animate our lives: “Where do my values come from? What is the good life? How can I become happy?” Our aim is not to answer such fundamental questions, but rather to equip students with the intellectual skills needed to recognize and articulate them for themselves. This group welcomes students from all religious and philosophical backgrounds because existential questions of being are of concern to all.
In addition, undergraduate students who participate in this seminar are eligible to become “Nicklin Fellows.” These fellows will have exclusive access to research and development grant funds to pursue their intellectual interests. Grants can be used to do things like the following:

Organize a reading group
Bring a speaker to campus
Organize a movie night
Develop and plan future fundamental questions seminars
Write a paper for a journal
And more!
