Institute For Advanced Catholic Studies

THE INSTITUTE'S MISSION IS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH ON KEY ISSUES FACING SOCIETY TO HELP BOTH THE CHURCH AND SOCIETY DEAL THOUGHTFULLY WITH THE MAJOR ISSUES THEY FACE GLOBALLY. THE INSTITUTE ALSO SPONSORS AND CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE CATHOLIC TRADITION, CULTURAL/ECCLESIAL HERITAGE OF CATHOLICISM, AND DISSEMINATE THE RESULTS OF SUCH RESEARCH.

THE INSTITUTE DEVELOPS DISTINCTIVE INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL BY STUDYING THE LONG AND RICH CATHOLIC INTELLECTUAL TRADITION. THAT TRADITION INCLUDES NOT ONLY BRILLIANT THEOLOGIANS AND PHILOSOPHERS, BUT ALSO SCIENTISTS, SOCIAL SCIENTISTS, HISTORIANS, POETS, WRITERS, ARTISTS, ARCHITECTS AND MUSICIANS. THE INSTITUTE PROMOTES UNDERSTANDING, CRITIQUING, AND DEVELOPING CATHOLIC INTELLECTUAL LIFE FOR THE SERVICE NOT ONLY OF THE CHURCH, BUT ALL RELIGIONS, ESPECIALLY AS IT DEDICATES ITSELF TO THE COMMON GOOD. THE INSTITUTE DRAWS UPON AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF SCHOLARS, ALL OF WHOM, WHATEVER THEIR RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND OR SCHOLARLY DISCIPLINE, SEEK TO UNDERSTAND CATHOLICISM AND ITS VALUE FOR THE WORLD TODAY. THE INSTITUTE'S RESEARCH, PUBLICATIONS, CONFERENCES, AND ARTICLES ARE INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS THOUGHTFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNDERSTANDING, CLARIFICATION AND RESOLUTION OF MAJOR ISSUES FACING THE CHURCH, RELIGIONS AND GLOBAL SOCIETY. SINCE 2007, THE INSTITUTE HAS ORGANIZED AN ANNUAL LECTURE SERIES AT USC WHICH PROVIDES A VENUE FOR EXAMINING RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE BY FEATURING THE WORK OF SCHOLARS, JOURNALISTS, ARTISTS, AND LEADERS. THROUGH A RANGE OF MEETINGS, COLLOQUIA, CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS, THE INSTITUTE COORDINATES AND SPONSORS SCHOLARSHIP ON A NUMBER OF CORE THEMES AS FOLLOWS: THE TRUE WEALTH OF NATIONS; CATHOLIC SOCIAL THOUGHT AND ECONOMICS .EDUCATION; CATHOLIC AND INTERRELIGIOUS; CATHOLIC TRADITION AND THE EXERCISE OF AUTHORITY; THE GENERATIONS IN DIALOGUE; INTERRELIGIOUS AND ECUMENICAL TOPICS.