Focolare Movement

First Doctorate at Sophia

Nov 29, 2012

A study on the foundations and perspectives of a culture of unity based on the interreligious experience of Chiara Lubich

Paolo Frizzi, a history graduate from the University of Padua, has now become the first candidate to receive a doctorate degree at Sophia University Institute of Loppiano, in “Foundations and perspectives of a culture of unity”.

The topic is a demanding one: “Christianity and religions in the 1900’s: The intuitions and the matter of Chiara Lubich. History, Theology, Society”. The doctorate delves into the interreligious experience of the Focolare founder, offering an initial reading of what was brought about thanks to her charism of communion.

The young academic institute of the Focolare Movement has not only offered a novel topic, but also a novel way of working which, faithful to the spirit of IUS, takes an interdisciplinary approach, linking theology, history and dialogue among the religions.

These are the keys to understanding what the doctoral student who, like Chiara Lubich is from Trent, has used to examine a century of history and socio-political events, along with philosophical-theological reflection, tracking their internal relationships that Chiara and the Focolare with her, have established on the various continents with people of different faiths.

Within these processes of transformation, the figure of Chiara Lubich emerges precisely as that of a prophet who is able to join spirituality, dialogue and thought. It is a proposal that is still to be discovered that the work of Frizzi has opened to further studies.

And so IUS has its first doctor in “foundations and prospectives of a culture of unity”. It is a milestone. Last 7 November is a day that will be remembered as a step forward for IUS, foward in an academic and intellectual challenge that was desired by Chiara Lubich before she left this earth.

Source: Roberto Catalano on Città Nuova online

___

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to Newsletter

Thought of the day

Related post

Don Foresi: the years of work for the incarnation of the charism

Don Foresi: the years of work for the incarnation of the charism

Ten years ago, on 14th June 2015, the theologian Don Pasquale Foresi (1929-2015), whom Chiara Lubich considered a co-founder of the Movement, died. He was the first focolarino priest and the first Co-President of the Focolare. A few months ago, the second volume of Foresi’s biography, written by Michele Zanzucchi, was published. We spoke about it with Prof. Marco Luppi, researcher in Contemporary History at the Sophia University Institute in Loppiano (Italy).

Reborn from the Darkness: A Call to Unity

Reborn from the Darkness: A Call to Unity

During the days of the Pentecost celebration, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is observed in countries of the Southern Hemisphere. Mayara Pazetto, a young Brazilian Pentecostal theologian, shares the story that led her to commit to and promote dialogue among the Christian Churches.