About
The Gonzaga University Faith and Reason Institute is dedicated to developing an integrationist understanding of faith and reason particularly as articulated in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition through addressing:
- The dynamic and complementary relationship among science, nature, and philosophical theology both in history and into the present.
- Philosophical theology, especially as it concerns the existence and nature of God.
- Sustained reflection on the problem of evil and suffering.
- The cultural and social impact of Christianity, especially in the light of secularizing trends of the last two centuries.
Among the most important functions of the Institute is the sponsorship of conferences which make available to university students and the general public some of the best current work on the integration of faith and science and dialogue on theological topics. Examples of such events would include conferences on Physics & the God of Abraham, Biology & the God of Abraham, Suffering & the God of Abraham, the Faith, Film, and Philosophy series, The Fides et ratio Anniversary lectures, The Church and Her Scriptures, and Women in the Early Church. The Institute also supports occasional events that promote understanding of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. While the public activities of the Institute were impacted by the COVID pandemic, public events sponsored are starting up again in the 2022-23 academic year.
In cooperation with university faculty and learned societies, the Institute endeavors to provide the opportunity to participate in critical reflection on these crucial contemporary Christian issues concerning the relationship of faith and reason here and abroad.
See the Events page for up-to-date information about upcoming events.
Video recordings of selected Institute events, including Fr. Robert Spitzer's February 2023 talk on God and suffering can be found on the Institute's YouTube channel.