“Seminar V: Christian Utopianism” Registration

Over the last decade, the American imagination has taken a dystopian turn. The next generation fears ecological death, pandemics, and the rise of authoritarian nationalism. The internet that once inspired technological optimism seems to fuel cultural and political decline. Some respond by projecting a nostalgic past; others escape to a fantastic alternative present. Political leaders disagree over how much change we should imagine. 

These are all real fears. But in the Catholic imagination, the future is not dystopian. Understandings of salvation differ, but all are overwhelmed with hope. Our bodies will be resurrected to live with God forever, and every tear will be wiped away. When St. Augustine faced the decline of the Roman empire, he lowered Catholic expectations about the virtuous potential of earthly cities. Yet the Catholic martyr St. Thomas More invented the politics of Utopia, urging a bolder use of imagination as a form of social critique. Both saints, and both philosophical impulses, speak to our dystopian quandary today.

How does Catholic tradition imagine communal life with God? What are the limits of human communities in achieving virtue? What is a Catholic spirituality of hope, and how does it avoid both illusion and despair? How should Catholics imagine a future-oriented politics of the common good?

Readings for the Spring seminar sessions will come from Utopia by Thomas More. We ask that all participants reference the following reading guide to get the most out of each meeting.

The fifth seminar in Nova Forum’s 2021-2022 Utopia series will have two sessions:

Session 1: Junior Fellow Presentation

Session 2: Vincent Lloyd (Villanova University)

Nova Forum’s Reading Guide for Utopia.