Catholicism in Arts and Letters
Making a Difference
In the College of Arts and Letters, the distinctively Catholic identity of the University of Notre Dame flourishes. An unconstrained search for truth, one that welcomes diverse perspectives and arguments, is intrinsic to that identity. At the same time, matters of meaning, of faith, and of moral commitment are not simply left at the door in deference to an empty ideal of critical reflection.
Faculty who represent a wide variety of religious faiths, as well as no faith at all, are welcomed and valued members of the community, even as the University seeks to maintain a preponderance of faculty who are Catholic. In this way, the University can be a place where the Church does its thinking, where Catholic teaching and Catholic intellectual traditions engage with the broader culture and with the issues of the day.
Students in the College of Arts and Letters have a wealth of opportunities to study not just Catholic theology, but the broader living heritage of Catholic intellectual reflection and cultural achievement, and to do so in the context of the study of other world religions and cultural heritages. In response to Catholic social teaching, the College of Arts and Letters fosters research and study that furthers social justice and serves the common good. And the College, in conjunction with the University as a whole, seeks to nourish and integrate the spiritual as well as intellectual lives of students and faculty.
"How often are we, as scholars, asked to be accountable to larger issues of social justice, the integrity of the human spirit, and responsible innovation? In a world as defined by poverty, political violence and global profiteering, as by creativity, development, and altruism, Notre Dame seeks to take up this challenge." Brad Gregory, Associate Professor, Department of History, authority on Christian martyrdom in early modern Europe
"What I most value is that the Notre Dame community converses openly about cultivating a life of faith and reason. We co-create our community in light of the Imago Dei each carries. We support one another in the call to social justice, concern for the disadvantaged and care for God's creation. We prepare students for future leadership by helping them cultivate lives of compassion. What place could be better?" Darcia Narvaez, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
"How often are we, as scholars, asked to be accountable to larger issues of social justice, the integrity of the human spirit, and responsible innovation? In a world as defined by poverty, political violence and global profiteering, as by creativity, development, and altruism, Notre Dame seeks to take up this challenge." Carolyn Nordstrom, Professor of Anthropology
How Does Catholicism Make a Difference in Arts and Letters?
Intellectual Traditions: Notre Dame is a place where the Church does its thinking, drawing on a wealth of reflection and cultural expression from the tradition in order to engage dynamically with the issues of the day.
Service and Social Justice: Both within and beyond the classroom, Notre Dame students and faculty strive to advance social justice and to serve church, community, and world.
Spirituality and Ministries: The University of Notre Dame offers a wealth of opportunities to nourish the life of the spirit as well as the mind.
From Our Faculty and Students: Individuals express how faith and reason are integrated in the College.
