Explorations in Catholic Studies: Embracing Constructive Interdisciplinary Conversations

Session II, Virtual Room 1: Catholic Studies Explorations

This panel will explore how the Catholic Intellectual Tradition has benefited from the contributions of contemporary philosophy and literature, and how this has opened up pathways of constructive critique. Chelsea King’s contribution will explore the language of sacrifice in theories of Christian salvation. Particularly, she argues that Christians can re-claim the language of sacrifice through the lens of Rene Girard, while addressing some key feminist critiques of the Cross. Brent Little’s paper deals with questions of Catholic literature. Scholars have long discussed how the Catholic title character of O’Connor’s short-story, “The Displaced Person,” disrupts the racial and economic status quo of the Protestant, southern, segregated farm that forms the setting of the narrative. But O’Connor’s narrative never turns the same critical lens upon white, Catholic identity as it does upon white, Protestant identity. Thus, while it continues to speak powerfully to the current American cultural situation, the story should also be read in dialogue with thinkers who challenge contemporary Catholic consciousness around issues of race. Daniel Rober will explore how the Catholic Intellectual Tradition can learn from the critiques of philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty, who began his career engaging with Catholic philosophy but became disillusioned from the church and its traditions. It particularly examines two of his essays, “Faith and Good Faith,” and “On Christian Philosophy,” both of which revisit these earlier interests, and examining how these critique idealized visions of Catholicism and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.