Conference in October
Renewing the Face of the Earth:
The Church and the Order of Creation
St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity
University of St. Thomas
October 29-31, 2009
It would be an understatement to say that stewardship of the natural environment is a current topic of concern in contemporary culture.
While a myriad of practical proposals have been aired in the public sector, this conference emerges from the conviction that more fundamental theological questions lie at the heart of the concern for our care of the earth, questions which the Catholic intellectual tradition is uniquely equipped to address: What is responsible stewardship? What is the meaning, value and destiny of created goods? How does one situate the dignity of the human person vis a vis created things? Are there distinctive Catholic features to any authentic response?
The aim of the conference is to consider the significance of grasping anew the Catholic theological and philosophical principles which may be drawn upon to illuminate the challenge of stewardship. We have selected papers that bring the wisdom of our own intellectual heritage, especially that of St. Thomas Aquinas, to articulate an adequate vision of responsible stewardship, one that is coherent, meaningful and faithful.
The conference will be held at the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul, Minnesota. Feel free to contact Dr. Deborah Savage at pdsavage@stthomas.edu if you need further information about the conference.
This conference is supported in part by National Catholic Rural Life Conference.
