About the Landregan Lecture

About the Landregan Lecture

About the Landregan Lecture

Lead by example. Serve the Church.

Established in 1999, the Landregan Lecture was created to honor the contributions and legacy of Steve Landregan (1928-2018, MA ’73) – who served the Diocese of Dallas for decades as a catechist, historian, journalist, and dedicated servant of the Church. 

Inspired by the reforms of the Second Vatican Council – especially in its call for a renewal biblical studies in Catholic circles, for optimistic engagement with the modern world, and for broader engagement throughout the Church – the Landregan Lecture brings nationally prominent figures to the University of Dallas to discuss theological issues facing the life of the Church.  This annual lecture is addressed to the university community, those in professional ministry and educated Catholics the Landregan Lecture is the premier Catholic theological lecture in the DFW metroplex.

 

Previous Landregan Lecturers:

Inaugural Landregan Lecture: R. Scott Appleby

Scott Appleby, the Director of the Kroc Institute at the University of Notre Dame gave the 1st annual Landregan Lecture on "Evangelizing Middle America: The Catholic Common Ground". Scott Appleby examines the roots of religious violence and the potential of religious peacebuilding. He teaches courses in American religious history and comparative religious movements.

2nd Annual Landregan Lecture: Toni Craven

Toni Craven, from the Brite Divinity School, gave the 2nd annual Landregan Lecture on "Women in Scripture: A Dictionary of Named and Unnamed Women in the Hebrew Bible, the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books, and the New Testament." Toni Craven, Ph.D., is the I. Wiley and Elizabeth M. Briscoe Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University. She is a member of the Catholic Biblical Association and the Society of Biblical Literature. Her research interests include gender issues and rhetorical/literary study, as well as teaching and learning.

3rd Annual Landregan Lecture: Fr. Robert Barron 

Fr. Robert Barron, from University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, gave the 3rd annual Landregan Lecture on "Church Architecture and Its Role in Spirituality". Father Robert Barron is a sought-after speaker on the spiritual life-from prestigious universities to YouTube to national conferences and private retreats. The prominent theologian and podcasting priest is one of the world's great and most innovative teachers of Catholicism. His global media ministry called Word on Fire has a simple but revolutionary mission - to evangelize the culture. 

4th Annual Landregan Lecture: Most Rev. Michael Sheehan 

Most Rev. Michael Sheehan, the Archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico, gave the 4th annual Landregan Lecture on "Reconciliation and Healing in the Church Today."

5th Annual Landregan Lecture: Fr. Joseph A. Fitzmyer

We were pleased to have Father Joseph A. Fitzmyer, America's pre-eminent Catholic Biblical Scholar, as the 5th annual Landregan Lecture speaker for the University of Dallas. Father Fitzmyer, a member of the Society of Jesus for over 65 years, has a long and distinguished career in service to biblical studies and to the church at large. He was one of the first Americans to have direct access to the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1957-58 and is considered today one of the world's foremost experts in Aramaic. Father Fitzmyer has a lengthy resumé of publications, including co-editor of the Jerome Biblical Commentary, the New Jerome Biblical Commentary, many books in the Anchor Bible Commentary Series including Paul's Letter to the Romans, Paul's Letter to Philemon, Acts of the Apostles, and The Gospel of Luke. Father Fitzmyer has also published a book on the relationship between the Dead Sea Scrolls and Christian Scrolls, bearing that name (The Dead Sea Scrolls and Christian Origins). He was first introduced to the ossuary by Hershel Shanks, editor of Biblical Archeology Review. Father Fitzmyer met the owner of the ossuary and studied the Aramaic inscription when the ossuary was on display in Toronto last year at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. 

6th Annual Landregan Lecture: Dr. Joseph Martos

Dr. Joseph Martos, the former Director of the Russell Institute for Ministry at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky and author of Doors to the Sacred, a standard work on Sacraments; Sacraments: Celebrations of God's Life; and Sacraments: Seven Stories of Growth was the featured lecturer for the University of Dallas Landregan Lecture in 2004. Dr. Martos' lecture, Religion, Ritual and Sacramentality, was well received by the over 150 people who attended the talk. 

7th Annual Landregan Lecture: Margaret O'Brien Steinfels

Margaret O'Brien Steinfels, co-director of the Fordham Center on Religion and Culture, spoke on "The Emerging Realignment in American Catholicism," on November 5, 2005 at the 7th annual Landregan Lecture presented by the Neuhoff Institute of the University of Dallas. Steinfels is the former editor-in-chief of Commonweal magazine and editor of American Catholics in the Public Square. She was one of two lay people to address the United States Catholic Bishops at the 2002 meeting in Dallas. She co-directs the Fordham center with her husband Peter Steinfels, New York Times religion columnist, and author most recently of A People Adrift: The Crisis of the Roman Catholic Church in America. The Fordham Center on Religion and Culture seeks to explore questions arising at the intersection of religious faith and contemporary culture. 

8th Annual Landregan Lecture: John L. Allen, Jr.

John L. Allen, Jr. delivered the 8th annual Landregan Lecture at the University of Dallas on Saturday, November 4, 2006, at 7:30 p.m. in the Church of the Incarnation. He spoke on "The Cross and the Crescent: The Relationship between the Church and Islam under Benedict XVI." John Allen, Jr. is a journalist who specializes in news about the Roman Catholic Church. He is the Vatican analyst for CNN and NPR. He has a reputation for objectivity and an ability to obtain key information and news about the Vatican. Allen received his master's degree in religious studies from the University of Kansas and has worked for the National Catholic Reporter. He is also the author of several books, including two on Pope Benedict XVI, one written when he was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, and one written after his election, as well as a book on Opus Dei. Today, Allen is one of the few Catholic journalists who is greatly respected by Catholics of both "liberal" and "conservative" persuasions. 

9th Annual Landregan Lecture: Dr. Miguel Diaz 

The Neuhoff Institute at the University of Dallas presented Dr. Miguel Diaz, associate professor of theology at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minn., at the ninth annual Landregan Lecture. The lecture, titled "Seer of the Word: The Sacramental Imagination and the Human Vision of God," took place on Saturday, November 3, 2007, in the University's Lynch Auditorium. At the talk Dr. Diaz discussed the Saint John's Bible, commissioned by a Benedictine Monastery as the first handwritten, illuminated Bible to be produced in approximately 500 years. Its construction parallels that of its medieval predecessors, written on vellum, using quills, natural handmade inks, hand-ground pigments and gold leaf, while incorporating modern themes, images and modern technology. The last complete handwritten, illuminated Bible was commissioned shortly after the introduction of the printing press at the end of the 15th century. Although Judaism continues the practice of the handwritten Torah and Islam does so with the Qu'ran, Western Christianity has virtually discontinued the practice of handwritten Bibles since the invention of the printing press. Before moving to Saint John's University, Dr. Diaz served as academic dean at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida. He was elected to the Steering Committee of the Association of Theological Schools and is a member of Chief Academic Officers Society of the United States and Canada, the board of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians in the United States and the board of the Catholic Theological Society of America.  

10th Annual Landregan Lecture: Amy-Jill Levine

 Amy-Jill Levine delivered the 10th annual Landregan Lecture at the University of Dallas on Saturday, December 6, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. at Lynch Auditorium at the University of Dallas. Her presentation was on "Dangers on the Road from Jerusalem to Jericho: Hearing the "Good Samaritan" through Good Jewish Ears". Amy-Jill Levine, is the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, Department of Religious Studies, and Graduate Department of Religion. Levine holds a B.A. from Smith College, an M.A. and Ph.D. from Duke University, and an honorary Doctor of Ministry from the University of Richmond, Levine has been awarded grants from the Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Council of Learned Societies. She has held office in the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association, and the Association for Jewish Studies. Her most recent publications include The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus (Harper San Francisco, 2006), the edited collection, The Historical Jesus in Context (Princeton University Press, 2006) and the fourteen-volume series, Feminist Companions to the New Testament and Early Christian Writings (Continuum). She has recorded "Introduction to the Old Testament," "Great Figures of the Old Testament," and "Great Figures of the New Testament" for the Teaching Company. 

11th Annual Landregan Lecture: Dr. Richard R. Gaillardetz

The Neuhoff Institute at the University of Dallas is honored to have Dr. Richard R. Gaillardetz as the 12th annual Landregan Lecture presenter. Gaillardetz currently holds the Margaret and Thomas Murray and James J. Bacik Endowed Chair in Catholic Studies at the University of Toledo in Ohio. Prior to comng to Toledo, Dr. Gaillardetz taught at the University of St. Thomas Graduate School of Theology in Houston from 1991 to 2001. He received a B.A. in Humanities from the University of Texas, an M.A. in Biblical Theology from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, and both an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame in Systematic Theology. He has published numerous articles and authored seven books while co-editing an eighth. Dr. Gaillardetz was a Catholic delegate on the U.S. Catholic?Methodist Dialogue, 2000-2005. He served on the Board of Directors of the Catholic Theological Society of America from 2006 to 2008. He has received numerous awards from the Catholic Press Association for articles he has written and is a past recipient of the Sophia Award (2000), offered annually by the faculty of the Washington Theological Union in Washington D.C. in recognition of a theologian's contributions to the life of the church. Dr. Gaillardetz is a popular speaker at theological and pastoral conferences. He is married to Diana Gaillardetz and they are the parents of four boys: David, Andrew, Brian and Gregory. 

12th Annual Landregan Lecture: Barbara Reid, O.P., Ph.D.

The University of Dallas Neuhoff Institute featured Dr. Barbara Reid, O.P., Ph.D., on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010, as she presented the 12th annual Landregan Lecture on "Reading the Scriptures with the Mind, Eyes, and Heart of a Woman." She linked Scriptures to the lives of women throughout the world. Dr. Reid, a Dominican Sister of Grand Rapids, Mich., is a professor of New Testament Studies at the Catholic Theological Union. She was recently selected by the school's Board of Trustees to become the new vice president and academic dean. She has authored many books and journal articles, including a weekly column on "the Word" for America magazine. 

13th Annual Landregan Lecture: Br. Guy Consolmagno, S.J.

On Saturday, December 3, 2011, the 13th Annual Landregran Lecture featured Br. Guy Consolmagno, S.J., Ph.D., Curator of the Vatican Meteorite Collection, Research Astronomer, and Planetary Scientist at the Vatican Observatory. Brother Guy, spoke on the topic  "Why the Vatican Studies Meteorites" and brought some of the Vatican Meteorite Collection all the way from Rome to show the lecture attendees. Br. Guy used his expertise in the field of astronomy to give an overview of why the Vatican is interested in this scientific topic. He also explained to the audience how his research helps him to understand and believe in God. 

14th Annual Landregan Lecture: Fr. James Martin

Jesuit priest, New York Times bestselling author, journalist and culture editor of America magazine, Fr. James Martin gave the 14th annual Landregan Lecture on Saturday, December 1, 2012. Martin spoke about joy and humor in one's spiritual life, which is the topic of his book, "Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life," published in October 2011. Martin is the author of several books including a best-selling memoir "My Life with the Saints", which received a 2007 Christopher Award, was named one of the "Best Books" of 2006 by Publishers Weekly and also received a first place award from the Catholic Press Association. 

15th Annual Landregan Lecture: Dr. Miguel Humberto Diaz

Former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Dr. Miguel Humberto Diaz was scheduled to give the 15th annual Landregan Lecture on Saturday, December 7, 2013, on the topic: "Hearer of the World: The Search for God, Diplomacy, and the Common Good." Unfortnately, due to a significant ice storm in North Texas that weekend, the annual lecture was canceled for the first time in its history. Dr. Miguel Diaz planned to highlight the call for Catholics to listen to the world's needs, to offer a wealth of Catholic resources for the benefit of all, and to welcome human diversity along with what is good, beautiful and truthful to advance the common good. 

16th Annual Landregan Lecture: Rev. John W. O’Malley, S.J.

Rev. John W. O’Malley, S.J., professor, lecturer and world-renowned author, delivered the University of Dallas Neuhoff Institute’s 16th annual Landregan Lecture on "Vatican II: The Crisis, The Resolution, The Impact." The event was held Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014. O'Malley is university professor in Georgetown University’s Theology Department in Washington, D.C. A native of Ohio, he is a specialist in the religious culture of early modern Europe, especially Italy, and he earned his doctorate in history from Harvard University. He is past president of the American Catholic Historical Association and of the Renaissance Society of America. O’Malley’s best known book is “The First Jesuits.” Translated into 12 languages, it received both the Jacques Barzun Prize for Cultural History from the American Philosophical Society and the Philip Schaff Prize from the American Society for Church History.  O’Malley’s book, “What Happened at Vatican II,” which has been published in six languages, was the backdrop for the lecture. He discussed how Vatican II met to deal with possibly the greatest crisis in the history of Christianity, the solution the council provided and the immense impact that solution has had on the Church ever since. 

17th Annual Landregan Lecture: David Fagerberg, Ph.D.

David Fagerberg, Ph.D., Professor of Liturgical Studies at the University of Notre Dame College of Arts and Letters presented "A Daughter of Asceticism: Liturgical Glorification of God" on Saturday, February 20, 2016, at 7:30 PM in the Church of the Incarnation.

Fagerberg’s work has explored how the Church’s lex credendi (law of belief) is founded upon the Church’s lex orandi (law of prayer).

The lecture centered on the two purposes of liturgy, among its many benefits: to glorify God and sanctify human beings. The two are interrelated because the former is accomplished by the latter. Man and woman were created as cosmic priests, and after we forfeited our liturgical career in the fall, Christ became Incarnate to restore it to us. His work of redemption was to restore our liturgical capacity. Our individual journey to this new life must go through the cross, and the tradition calls this spiritual discipline asceticism. If liturgy means sharing the life of Christ (being washed in his resurrection, eating his body), and if askesis means training (in the sense of forming), then liturgical asceticism is the discipline required to become an icon of Christ and make his image visible in our faces. Only then can we fully glorify God. This lecture seeks to understand how everything within the liturgy, even the sanctification of man, is oriented toward the glorification of God.

18th Annual Landregan Lecture: Fr. Bruno Cadore, OP, Fr. Gustavo Guiterrez, OP, & Dr. Paul Farmer

United in celebration with the Southern Dominican Province on the occasion of their 800th anniversary, the 18th Annual Landregan Lecture featured three extraordinary individuals: Father Bruno Cadoré, O.P., master of the Order of Preachers; Father Gustavo Gutiérrez, O.P., a noted theologian widely known as the "father of liberation theology"; and Dr. Paul Farmer, an internationally recognized humanitarian physician and the co-founder of Partners in Health. The program was moderated by Sister Barbara Reid, O.P., vice president and academic dean at the Catholic Theological Union.

The panel discussion was based on the best-selling book In the Company of the Poor, which was co-authored by Farmer and Gutiérrez  with a preface by Cadoré.

19th Annual Landregan Lecture: Fr. Michael Patella, OSB

While it may sometimes appear that Catholics lack biblical literacy, especially when compared to other Christian denominations, the truth is that the Catholic Tradition of history, art, and culture have informed both Catholics and non-Catholics alike about the Bible in very exciting ways. Using The Saint John’s Bible as a model, Fr. Michael Patella, OSB, showed how the Catholic Tradition is well-poised for the new evangelization for this century and beyond. 

20th Annual Landregan Lecture: Philip Jenkins  

 

Philip Jenkins, Ph.D., is a distinguished professor of history at Baylor Univesity and “one of America’s best scholars of religion.

Landregan Lecture: THE GHOSTS OF CHURCHES PAST: How ChrIsitian Communities Survive the Destruction of their Faith.

Throughout history, religious communities have been destroyed or have vanished in particular regions, but they rarely leave without a trace. Sometimes older communities survive for centuries as secret or hidden believers — such as the so-called crypto Christians. But remnants of Christian life and practice also live on unmistakably in the religious systems that replace them. These "ghost" traditions are a vital often unrecognized part of Christian history.

21st Annual Landregan Lecture: Hosffman Ospino, PhD 

Hosffman Ospino, PhD is an Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Education at Boston College, School of Theology and Ministry, where he is also the Director of Graduate Programs in Hispanic Ministry. He is the author and editor of 14 books.

 Landregan Lecture: 'And You Welcomed Me: A Catholic Mediation on Immigration and Race for a Changing Community'

Millions of immigrants from various parts of the world are renewing and redefining the core of the American Catholic experience. Immigrants constitute about a quarter of U.S. Catholic population. We live in a complex sociopolitical climate in which frequent anti-immigrant and racist sentiments prevent many from affirming the inherent dignity of every person among us. This lecture is an invitation to reassess what it means to be Catholic today in our country and a call to action to confront dangerous biases that undermine our shared existence as church and society.

 award