Theology Without Borders - World Christianities: the Emergence of a Truly Global Church

March 31, 2017 | World-renowned Georgetown professor Peter Phan has spent his career exploring a range of theological questions, and the two-day "Theology Without Borders" event celebrated his influence and legacy. Featured panelists addressed some of the most significant challenges Phan's scholarly work has examined: How should we understand religious pluralism and how does it benefit society? How do we best live out our religious identities and beliefs while engaging in interreligious dialogue and cooperation? What have been the historic contributions of Catholicism to social justice and what are the most pressing challenges facing Church and world alike today? How does religion treat matters of death and the soul? How should we best understand how Christian communities across the globe have emerged as a truly global church of diverse churches?

Phan was born in Vietnam and emigrated as a refugee to the United States in 1975. Presently, he is Ignacio Ellacuría Chair of Catholic Social Thought at Georgetown University and is the founding director of the Graduate Studies Program in Theology and Religious Studies. Prior to his role at Georgetown, he served as president of the Catholic Theological Society of America and taught at a variety of universities. In 2010, Phan was awarded the John Courtney Murray Award for outstanding achievements in theology, and in 2015, he was elected president of the American Theological Society. To date, Phan has authored and edited over 30 books. A range of expert panelists at the "Theology Without Borders" event will discuss this impressive body of work, and the conference will conclude with a response from Peter Phan, followed by audience Q&A.