Catholic Studies

Catholic studies at VCU explores the world’s oldest and largest expression of Christianity from a perspective that is global, interdisciplinary, and comparative. Study of such a globalized faith as Roman Catholicism is undertaken in a transnational framework within the VCU School of World Studies.

Many students complement their study of Catholicism with foreign language courses, particularly Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian, which are spoken by millions of Catholics.

Courses

Taught by the Bishop Walter F. Sullivan Chair in Catholic Studies, R. Andrew Chesnut, Ph.D., classes adopt a humanistic, comparative approach to understanding Catholicism. Coursework includes discussions of Catholicism as it relates to social justice, Latin America, history and more. Check out the VCU Bulletin for more information about classes in Catholic Studies.

Lecture Series

In addition to classes, the annual Bishop Walter F. Sullivan Lecture Series brings diverse speakers including academics, artists and clergy to speak on a range of issues related to Catholicism. Previous lecture topics have ranged from the Haiti earthquake to Catholicism in Asia.

All lectures are free and open to the public.

Bishop Walter F. Sullivan Chair in Catholic Studies

The Chair in Catholic Studies at VCU’s School of World Studies is unique in central Virginia for offering a global perspective on Catholicism focused through an academic lens. The Chair strives to engage a wide audience regardless of religious affiliation through an interdisciplinary focus by using sociological, historical and anthropological analyses.