Upcoming Lectures:
February 27, 2012
at University of San Francisco, California
The speaker is Bishop Antje Jackelen,
Lutheran Bishop of Lund, Sweden.
The Paul Wattson Lectures honor the memory of the Rev. Paul James Francis Wattson, S.A. (1863–1940), founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement and pioneer for the cause of Christian Unity. The lectures annually feature national and international leaders in the field of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue to speak on current topics of interest. In 1974, the Reverend Michael Daniel, S.A. Minister General of the Friars of the Atonement, initiated the Paul Wattson Series at the Catholic University of American in Washington, D.C. In 1980, the series was expanded to the University of San Francisco; then, in 1995, to the Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax, and more recently in 1996, to the Toronto School of Theology. In 1998, the lectures began at the Centro Pro Unione in Rome, honoring not only Father Paul but also Mother Lurana White, S.A., foundress of the Sisters of the Ateonement.
Born Lewis T. Wattson on the eastern shore of Maryland, Fr. Paul was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1886. A few years later, Wattson felt a call to create a new religious community within the Episcopal Church that would follow the Franciscan rule of life. In collaboration with an Episcopalian nun, Lurana White, the Society of the Atonement was founded in 1898 at Graymoor, Garrison, New York. Wattson then took as his name in religious life Paul James Francis. After years of advocating corporate reunion between the churches, Father Paul and Mother Lurana decided to enter the Roman Catholic Church. In 1909, the Societyh of the Atonement became the first religious community to be received corporately into the Roman Church since the Reformation. One year later, Father Paul began the Church Unity Octave, an annual periof of prayer in January, Prayer for the unity of the Church is now known as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Up until his death in 1940, he worked tirelessly to further the at-one-ment of all peoples through many social projects like St. Christopher's Inn for homeless and needy men.
The Society of the Atonement is now established throughout the world in North and South America, Europe, and Asia, with friars and sisters working and praying for the realization of Jesus' prayer: "That all may be one" (Jn 17:21).
The Texts
Below is a list of all Paul Wattson Lectures delivered to date.
Some of the Paul Wattson Lecture texts are available by electronic file transfer. Those highlighted below are available for imediate downloading to your browser. It is hoped that all the Lectures will be prepared for electronic transfer in the near future. Please be advised that the copyright for all Paul Wattson Lectures is held by the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, and permission must be obtained from the copyright holder for any publication of the texts, in whole or in part, with the exception of short citations in scholarly works, with proper credit indicated.
Click on a Location below for a History of the Lectures
(Note: Lectures in Bold have corresponding text linked to them)
Rome, Italy — Centro Pro Unione 1998 Enzo Bianchi (text in Italian)
"Ecumenismo: profezia della vita religiosa"1999 Sarah Coakley, Harvard University
"The Trinity, Prayer and Sexuality: A Neglected Nexus in the Fathers and Beyond"2000 Bruno Forte (text in Italian)
"a bellezza: una via per l'unità?"2001 Anna Marie Aagaard, Professor Emerita of Systematic Theology, University of Aarhus, Denmark
"In Defense of the Body: Writings on "Being Church" in Ecumenical Conversation"2002 Robert F. Taft, SJ, Professor Emeritus of Oriental Liturgy, Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome
"Mass Without the Consecration? The Historic Agreement on the Eucharist Between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East"2003 Mary Tanner
"Anglican-Roman Catholic Relations, A New Step to be Taken, A New Stage to be Reached"2004 Dott. Angelo Maffeis (text in Italian)
"Natura e missione della chiesa Il contributo della Commissione "Fede e Costituzione"2005 Eleuterio F. Fortino (text in Italian)
"La preghiera per l'unità da P. Paul Wattson al Concilio Vaticano II e alla collaborazione con il Consiglio Ecumenico delle Chiese"2006 Gillian Kingston
"Methodist / Roman Catholic Relations, Strengthening Each Other's Hand in God"
Washington, DC — Catholic University of America1974 Jan Cardinal Willibrands
"The Ecumenical Dialogue: Problems and Progress"1975 Jarislaw Pelican
"Brother Martin, Pope Martin, Saint Martin: On the Conditions of Christian Reconciliation"1976 Ernest Kasemann
"Compromise or Sacrifice"1977 Raymond Brown
1978 David Tracy
"Ecumenical Theology: Manifestation and Proclamation"1979 Lukas Vischer
1980 Martin E. Marty
1981 James F. Gustafson
"Ecumenism and Ethical Methodology: The Theological Choice"1982 William A. Purdy
"The ARCIC Report: Context and Challenge for Anglican/Roman Catholic Unity"1983 William H. Lazareth
"Ecumenical Consensus on Eucharist, Baptism and Ministry"1985 Avery Dulles
"Doctrinal Agreement: A Condition for Christian Reunion?"1986 Anna Marie Aagaard
"Facing Unity — For What?"1987 E. Glenn Hinson
"The Influence of Fundamentalism on Ecumenical Dialogues"1988 Joseph A. Burgess
"The New Testament Canon as an Ecumenical Issue"1989 J. Robert Nelson
"Ethical Contradictions Within Christian Unity: Are There Limits to Diversity"I
San Francisco — University of San Francisco1980 Bernard Cooke
"Christian Ministry - Sacrament of the Kingdom of God"1982 Cynthia C. Wedel
"Looking toward the Year - 2000"1983 Jose Miguez Bonino
"Freedom Through Unity -- Liberation Through Ecumenism"1984 Joseph Cardinal Bernardin
"The Challenge of Peace: Ecumenical Roots and Relationships"1985 Martin Marty
"New Alignments in Religion and Politics: American Ecumenical Shifts"1986 Nikos Nissiotis
"Toward Restoring Church Communion by the Year 2000: An Orthodox Viewpoint"1987 Letty Russell
"Unity and Renewal in Feminist Perspective"1988 Monika K. Hellwig
"What Can the Laity Do About Ecumenism?"1989 Stanley M. Hauerwas
"The Importance of Being Catholic: Unsolicited Advice from a Protestant Bystander"1990 Joseph Vercruysse
"On the Road to Emmaus...Prospects for Christian Unity"1991 W. Stanley Mooneyham
"Journeying Together Towards Social Justice"1992 Paul A. Crow
"Ecumenism and Spirituality: A Theme for the 90s"1993 Michael von Bruck
1994 Luther E. Smith
"Ecumenism at the Crossroads with Faith and Culture"1995 Seyyed Hossein Nasr
"Understanding Islamic Peace"2003 Myriam Wijlens
"Ecumenical Vision in Need of Structures?"2008 James F. Puglisi, SA
"The Quest of Christian Unity: A Vibrant Past with a Bright Future for all Christians"2009 Dr. Esa Tamez
"Breaking Down Walls in Our Globalized Society: A Relevant Ecumenism."2010 His Eminence Walter Cardinal Kasper
"Hope for the Future of Ecumenism."
Halifax, Nova Scotia — Atlantic School of Theology1995 Susannah Heschel
"Original Shame and Naive Optimism: The Politics of Jewish-Christian Relations"1996 Kosuke Koyama
“I Desire Mercy and not Sacrifice”: An Ecumenical Interpretation"1997 Jean Zaru
"The Demands of Peace and Reconciliation"1998 Konrad Raiser
Toronto, Ontario — The Toronto School of Theology1996 Gilliam R. Evans
"Peace and Justice: An Ecumenical Reflection"1997 Brian A. Gerrish
"The Future for Christology: An Ecumenical Question"
