Villanova University Theology and Religious Studies Dept.

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Villanova University Theology and Religious Studies Dept.

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Our academic vision is rooted in the Augustinian and Catholic intellectual traditions of faith engaging culture at Villanova University.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news and information about events hosted by The Department of Theology and Religious Studies, and affiliated departments, at Villanova University.

10/21/2026

Don't forget to join us tomorrow, Thursday, October 22 at 7:00 PM at the Grotto for "Ghost Stories of the Bible," a dramatic storytelling event by the Theology Graduate Student Council.

Did you know the Bible contains a plethora of spine-shivering, spooky ghost stories? Come in costume if you dare and join this seasonal celebration.

7:00 PM- Dramatic re-enactment by candlelight of ten spooky stories straight out of the Bible (The Grotto)

7:45 PM- C***r and Smores by the Firepits

This event is free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Graduate Center.

10/12/2026

TRS students and faculty joined scholars from across the country for the 51st annual PMR Conference which was held last weekend at the Inn at Villanova. This year’s theme, Vita Apostolica: Poverty, Simplicity, the Common Life, and the Mendicant Legacy was delivered by plenary speakers Volker Leppin, Horace Tracy Pitkin Professor of Historical Theology at Yale University and Author of “Francis of Assisi: The Life of a Restless Saint” and Michael Hahn, Dom Gregory Dix Lecturer in Christian Spirituality at Sarum College and Editor of “A Companion to Angela of Foligno.”

It is not too early to mark your calendar for next year’s conference which will be held October 15-17, 2027. We hope to see you there!

10/05/2026

Greg Grimes will be kicking off the fall Positions lecture series tomorrow, October 6 at 7:00 pm in Driscoll 132. His talk, "An Augustinian Pope: Inspiring a Civilization of Love," will contextualize Pope Leo XIV, identify the high points of his papacy thus far, and make some prescient predictions about the likely theological avenues and issues that will occupy his attention in the future.

All Positions lectures are free and open to the public. No registration is required. Approved for ACS Cultural Event Credit.

09/24/2026

Last week Pope Leo XIV welcomed members of an international study center that bears his name to the Vatican, encouraging them to take inspiration from authentic humanism and the Church’s social doctrine to contribute to building a civilization of love.

Massimo Faggioli, Professor of Historical Theology, was honored to be one of the members of the scientific committee of this study center, where he was able to personally present a copy of his book to Pope Leo XIV.

09/21/2026

The Office for Mission and Ministry's Center for Liturgy and Sacred Music is proud to announce the return of world-renowned, Grammy-nominated vocal ensemble VOCES8 to campus for a concert Thursday, October 8, 2026 at 7 p.m. in the St. Thomas of Villanova Church. The 2026 Opus Klassik winner and 2023 Grammy-nominated British vocal ensemble VOCES8 is proud to inspire people through music and share the joy of singing.

This is a ticketed event and is expected to sell out. Tickets are on sale now with separate price points available for Wildcard holders and the public. Click the linktree in our bio to learn more and to purchase tickets.

09/16/2026

What are the contemporary afterlives of the medieval mystical tradition? How do its searching questions about subjectivity, language, time, s*x, bodies, divine love, and divine absence continue to shape theology, literature, history, Black Studies, psychoanalysis, and gender studies today?

In her newly released book, "Mystical Theology: Contemporary Approaches" Dr. Rachel Smith asks not only how scholars interpret medieval mystical theology, but how turning to premodern insights, practices, and struggles can help articulate urgent contemporary concerns.

Offering a thematic overview across disciplines, the book traces how contemporary thinkers have received, reimagined, and transformed Christian medieval mystical texts and tropes. It also returns to the medieval sources themselves—to reveal their complexity, open new paths for analysis, and provide essential background for readers newly encountering these traditions.

Congratulations Rachel! We wish you continued success!

09/10/2026

PMR 2026 Registration is open! Please visit www.villanova.edu/pmr2026 to register for the conference and be sure to reserve your room at the Inn at Villanova, as space is limited.

We hope to post the program next week. Looking forward to seeing everyone next month!

09/09/2026

The Society for Hindu-Christian Studies has announced that Dr. Kerry San Chirico is the winner of the Selva J. Raj Award for the Best Book in Hindu-Christian Studies (History/Ethnography), 2021-2025, for his book Between Hindu and Christian: Khrist Bhaktas, Catholics, and the Negotiation of Devotion in Banaras (Oxford University Press, 2023). The society will hold a panel discussion celebrating the book and its author at its November 2026 Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado.

Congratulations, Kerry!

09/02/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Massimo Faggioli on the release of his latest book!

In "Leo XIV and the Global Church" Faggioli details how the breakdown in the international order stems from the MAGA movement in the United States, in which the relationship between religion and politics, between church and state, is being redefined by the first pope born in the United States and the first from the Augustinian Order.

It was a busy summer for Villanova Theology and Religious Studies!

For an updated list of most recent TRS faculty publications, visit https://linktr.ee/vutheology?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=d03101c7-61c3-43bf-96bb-2b31281c24e4.

08/31/2026

This summer, PhD students Angela Lopez-Egea I Vives and Paola Pruett-Vergara continued their work as Project Coordinators of Global Initiatives with the Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration.

Along with the Mother Cabrini team, they organized a two day symposium in the Canary Islands, gathering academics, legal scholars, NGO representatives, and theologians to discuss the ways higher education can support migrants and refugees as well as help change the narrative around displacement issues.

To volunteer for or get involved in upcoming conferences, contact them at [email protected] or [email protected].

Address

800 E. Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA
19085

Website

https://linktr.ee/vutheology

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