A Special Research Project
Understanding the Signs of Our Times:
Philosophical and Theological Perspectives
in collaboration with
Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy
University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
The current pandemic felt by the entire globe has brought not only deep anxieties and fears but also profound quests and search for root causes and answers for our challenging situations -- socio-political, cultural, ecological, etc.. In order to understand the uniqueness and specificity of our times and to look for some resources that may help us deepen our understanding, this special research project intends to explore the philosophical-theological writings of a special fiture, Romano Guardini, one of most important Catholic intellectuals in the 20th century.
The goal is not just to focus on Guardini himself or one particiular religion but to look into urgent issues and challenges the entire humanity is facing today. His philosophical and theological insights may provide us with a specific perspective to study and diagnose the contemporary conundrums and to inspire us to develop new insights and thoughts compatible and corresponding to the complex and globalized world in our times.
This special research project will focus on four important issues: the crisis of the modern world, the impact of technology, morality and spirituality. Hence, a set of online seminars will study four most important works written by Guardini: (1) The End of the Modern World, (2) The Letter from Lake Como, (3) The Virtues: On Forms of Moral Life, and (4) Spirity of Liturgy. (Further bibliography related to each topic will be provided during each seminar.)
The Project is being coordinated by
William A. Barbieri, Professor of Ethics, Catholic University of America, Washington DC, USA
Yvonne Dohna Schlobitten, Professor of Theological Aesthetics, Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy
João J. Vila-Chã, Professor of Philosophy, Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy
Holger Zaborowski, Professor of Philosophy, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
Online Seminar
The Meaningfulness of Romano Guardini's Thought in the Contemporary World
Saturday January 15, 2022 (10.00am-12.30pm Washington DC Time--EST)
This is part of a series of online/in-person meetings under the general theme "The Space of Knowlege: Grounding Cross-disciplinarity and Cross-culturality in Romano Guardini's Threefold Seesing of the World." This is an joint project of Pontificia Università Gregoriana, Pontificia Facolt à di Teologia Teresianum, Libera Univesit à Maria Santissima Assunt, Istituo Universitario Sophia, Virgina Theological Seminary and the CUA McLean Center for the Study of Culture and Values.
Speakers include:
- Michael Rutz (President, Guardini Stiftung, Berlin)
The Story of 'Weltanschauug' for the Guardini Chair
- Giuseppe Fraticello (President, Center for the Study of the Catholic Comprehension of the World, Rome)
The Role of 'Weltanschauung' in the Contemporary Scientific Thinking
- William A. Barbieri (Professor of Ethics, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC)
Views of the World: Guardini and Visual Ethics
- Yvonne Dohna Schlobitten (Professor of Theological Aesthetics, Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome)
The Origin and Nature of Guardini's Polar Opposition
- João J. Vila-Chã (Professor of Philosophy, Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome)
From Guardini to Levinas: On the Meta-Ontological Dimension of the Problem
- Holger Zaborowski (Professor of Philosophy, University of Erfurt, Erfut)
The Look and Call of the Beautiful: Art in a Technological Age
Schedules for Online Seminars
Seminar I. The Crisis of the Modern World
October 18 and November 1, 2021 (6.00-7.30pm Germany Time)
The End of the Modern World
(directed by Holger Zaborowski)
Seminar II. Aesthetics
April 2 and 9, 2022 (6.00-7.30pm Rome Time)
(directed by Yvonne Dohna Schlobitten)
Seminar III. Power and Responsibility and the Challenges of Technologies
October, 2022
Power and Responsibility; The Letter from Lake Como
(directed by João J. Vila-Chã)
Seminar IV. Morality
January, 2023
The Virtues: On Forms of Moral Life
(directed by William A. Barbieri)
Seminar V. Spirituality
March, 2023
Spirit of Liturgy
(directed by Holger Zaborowski & Yvonne Dohna Schlobitten)
Schedules for In-person Conferences
November 2023
Modernity, Culture and Person
University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
March 2024
Spirituality and Religious Experience
Gregorian University, Rome, Italy
Those who are interested in this research project, please click the link under each seminar above for further information and application.