Join us for a Virtual Conversation and Discussion with - Miguel H. Díaz, the John Courtney Murray University Chair in Public Service at Loyola University Chicago, and the 9th U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, retired, under Pres. Barack Obama
Zoom link for Lecture and Discussion, Friday December 4 @ 9:30am Pacific Time
Go to https://zoom.us/join and enter:
Meeting ID: 962 2602 7116 and Passcode: 956150
This conversation explores issues of faith, identity, and politics in our land. Our country is highly polarized. In fact, in these last four years, we have dug the political trenches that already separated us deeper and wider. During this time, we have all too frequently seen our elected leaders abuse the constructive power of human words through tweets and speeches, seen unprecedented efforts to undermine our most cherished democratic institutions, and witnessed policies that have threatened human lives and the life of our planet. In the aftermath of our elections, the time is ripe to do some soul-searching that might enable us to better understand the diversity and complexity of the voters of this land and support policies that further advance human rights and democracy. Far too many among us have bought into the ideology of building “walls,” which instead of protecting us and securing our homeland, have alienated us from our neighbors and from the community of nations. Sadly, the promise to “Make America Great Again” has carried adverse consequences for lives already marginalized within and outside our borders. This conversation addresses what Pope Francis has characterized as one of the greatest challenges of our time, namely, the globalization of human indifference. We will examine the diverse and complex reality of voters that comprise our national landscape, highlighting the significance of the Latinx vote in the 2020 election and the impact of various religious perspectives on this election.
Prof. Díaz is a member of the Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA) the American Academy of Religion (AAR), and member and former President of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACHTUS). In 2013, Prof. Diaz was the recipient of the prestigious Virgilio Elizondo Award from ACHTUS. Among his scholarly interests include the study of gender and human sexuality, political theologies, and Latino/a theologies. He is co-editing an upcoming series on Latinx religion. He was recently awarded a grant by the Louisville Institute to work on a project that examines gender- and sex-based oppression from the perspective of Queer and Catholic Voices of Color. Prof. Diaz regularly contributes to efforts that bridge faith and public life, appearing on CNN, CNN en Español, Al Jazeera America, BBC News, Fox News, and MSNBC and in the NY Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Miami Herald, Infobae America, and America Magazine. He writes a regular column for the National Catholic Reporter that explores theology in the public square. As part of his ongoing commitment to advancing human rights globally, he participates in diplomatic initiatives in Washington, D.C., including the Atlantic Council and the Ambassadors Circle at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) chaired by Secretary Madeleine K. Albright.
Presented by Religious Studies, Garrett House, and Hartley House.
