Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies >Lecture Series

Lecture Series

All events will be held at the USC Davidson Conference Center
4:30 pm Reception -- 5:00 pm Lecture
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heftReligion and Science - February 23, 2010
presented by
Fr. James L. Heft, S.M., Alton Brooks Professor of Religion
and President of the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies
at USC

To what extent are there inevitable conflicts between religion and science? More specifically, what sort of religion and what sort of science most typically lead to major conflicts? Speaking primarily but not exclusively, from the Catholic tradition, Fr. Heft will draw upon historical studies that help us understand some famous cases of “conflict,” such as the claim that the medieval Church opposed science, that the Catholic Church tortured and sent Galileo to jail, and that it opposed vivisection and anesthesia in childbirth on Biblical grounds. He will also offer reflections on how religious people can accept evolution but should oppose intelligent design theorists.

Finally, the talk will explain how the proper framing of the issues of science and religion should instead be a comparison of the approaches that science and theology take to the study of reality. He will conclude his presentation with some suggestions as to the most fruitful ways for scientists and theologians to learn from each other.

noonanA Church that Can and Cannot Change - March 24, 2010
presented by
Judge John T. Noonan, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals
for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco

Drawing on his widely-acclaimed 2005 book, A Church that Can and Cannot Change (Notre Dame Press), Judge Noonan uses historical examples to demonstrate that the moral teaching of the Catholic Church has changed and continues to change without the Church abandoning its foundational commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Specifically Judge Noonan will look at the profound transformations that have occurred over the centuries in Catholic moral teaching on freedom of conscience, lending for a profit, and slavery.

Given that the Catholic Church cannot change its commitment to the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, how then can its moral teachings change? Noonan finds the question unanswerable when asked in the abstract. But in the nitty-gritty of history, drawing upon prayer, meditation on Scripture, new theological insights, the evolution of human institutions and the example and courage of people of good will—he explains how this has been possible and necessary.