The Catholic University in the 21st Century
Jon Sobrino, SJ, is a proponent of liberation theology, defined by the WorldWeb Online Dictionary as “a form of Christian theology (developed by South American Roman Catholics) that emphasizes social and political liberation as the anticipation of ultimate salvation.” A native of Spain, Fr. Sobrino entered the Society of Jesus in 1957 when he was 18. He has spent most of his adult life in El Salvador teaching at the University of Central America, a Jesuit institution that he helped found. He was traveling outside the country in 1989 and escaped death when six other Jesuits in his rectory were assassinated during the violent civil war that engulfed El Salvador during the 1980s. He was in the news last year when the Vatican responded to his book Jesus the Liberator (Orbis Books, 1994) and other writings with an official “Notification,” stating that Sobrino’s works “contain notable discrepancies with the faith of the Church.”
Sobrino begins his lecture by saying that although its title refers to the “Catholic University,” he prefers to use the word “Christian” in addressing the topic. “It’s more comprehensive and more inclusive,” he asserts. “The God of Jesus is a more encompassing God. I want to talk about the inspiration of Christianity on the university.” Roberto Goizueta, professor of theology, introduces the program. Following Fr. Sobrino’s lecture, responses are offered by M. Shawn Copeland of the Theology Department and Peter Ireland, Murray and Monti Professor of Economics.
Presenter(s): Jon Sobrino, M. Shawn Copeland, Peter Ireland, Roberto Goizueta
Date: March 13, 2008
Location: Robsham Theater
Sponsor(s): Office of the Provost; Latin American Studies; College of Arts and Sciences
URL: http://frontrow.bc.edu/program/sobrino/
The information on this page is accurate as of March 2008