The Edward L. Surtz, S.J. Lecture in the Humanities
FR. EDWARD L. SURTZ, S.J. (1909鈥�1973)
Founded in 1973, the Surtz lecture promotes interdisciplinary and trans-historical humanistic inquiry and honors the memory and scholarship of Father Edward L. Surtz, S.J., a beloved member of the 黑料门faculty and distinguished scholar of early modern literature and renaissance humanism, best known for his work on the writings of Thomas More.
Current Lecture
Jennifer Morgan "On Race & Reinscription: Writing Enslaved Women Into the Early Modern Archive." October 19, 2023
Past Surtz Lectures
Jeremy Chow "Oroonoko & The Interspecies Imaginary." November 16, 2022.
Alexander Beecroft "Texts and the City: Literature and the Longue Dur茅e." March 21, 2022.
Ania Loomba 鈥淲hat is at stake in the study of race in the early modern period?鈥� February 22, 2021
Robert Alter. "The Challenge of Translating the Bible." February 22, 2020.
Robin Fleming. "Living with Little Corpses." October 15, 2018.
Emily Wilson. "Translating the Odyssey: How and Why." April 10, 2018.
Ato Quayson. "Victims of Enchantment: Space and the Education of Desire in Postcolonial Tragedy." March 20, 2017.
W.J.T. Mitchell March 16, 2016.
N. Katherine Hayles. Lecture. October 15, 2014.
Brad S. Gregory. 鈥淏uying In: The Reformation Era and the Makings of Modern Consumerism.鈥� October 22, 2013.
Maggie Kast. 鈥淒ance of the Sacred.鈥� October 5, 2011.
William T. Cavanaugh. October 7, 2010.
Mary Gordon. "Reading Jesus." November 3, 2009.
Michael McKeon. October 21, 2008.
John L. Esposito. "The Future of Muslim-Christian Relations in the Twenty-First Century." October 10, 2007.
Caroline Walker Bynum. "Wonderful Blood: Piety and Practice in Late Medieval Northern Europe." October 5, 2006.
Robert L. Kendrick. "Singing Jeremiah: Exegesis and Music in Holy Week, 1550-1700. October 4, 2005.
Carlos M. N. Eire. "When Mystics Flew: Writing a History of the Impossible." September 30, 2004.
Ronald Murphy, S.J. "The Owl, the Raven, and the Dove: Religious Magic of the Grimms' Fairy Tales." October 14, 2003.
Michael Walzer. 鈥淭he Triumph of Just War Theory (and the Dangers of Success).鈥� October 8, 2002.
David Freedberg. 鈥淧athos at Oraibi: What Warburg Did Not See.鈥� October 18, 2001.
Rev. Dr. John Polkinghorne, KBE, FRS. 鈥淯nderstanding the Universe.鈥� November 2, 2000.
Jean Bethke Elstain. 鈥淪hould We Hope: Cultural Renewal at the Millennium.鈥� November 2, 1999.
Kathleen Norris. 鈥淚ncarnational Language: A Writer鈥檚 Witness.鈥� November 3, 1998.
Francis C. Oakley. 鈥淧opes and Councils: England and the Latin Church鈥檚 Constitutionalist Moment.鈥� October 28, 1997.
Richard Rodriguez. 鈥淭he Curious Indian: Thoughts about Conversion in the Americas." October 22, 1996.
Giuseppe F. Mazzotta. 鈥淭he Circle of Love: Angelo Poliziano鈥檚 Orpheus.鈥� November 1, 1995.
Kenneth L. Woodward. 鈥淭he Feminization of American Religion.鈥� October 25, 1994.
Joseph A. Fitzmayer, S.J. 鈥淭he Dead Sea Scrolls: Discovery and Controversy.鈥� October 28, 1993.
Cyprian Davis, OSB 鈥淏lack Catholics and the Arts in America.鈥� November 11, 1992.
John Guy. 鈥淭homas More and the Opposition to Henry VIII.鈥� November 6, 1991.
Kathleen Weil-Garris Brandt. 鈥淢ichelangelo and the Sistine Chapel: the Conservation and Cleansing of the Frescoes.鈥� November 13, 1990.
Marvin Rosenberg. 鈥淭he Many Faces of Hamlet.鈥� October 26, 1989 (canceled because of the California earthquake).
James McConica. 鈥淭he Divine Word and the Humanist Ideal: Then and Now.鈥� November 17, 1988.
Monika K. Hellwig. 鈥淭heology among the Humanities: What Really is Theology?鈥� October 29, 1987.
Jeroslav Pelikan. 鈥淭he Reformation and the Writing of History.鈥� November 11, 1986.
Quentin Lauer, S.J. 鈥淲hen the French Dream, Think of Tomorrow, and Pray: Faith and Popular Culture in Contemporary France.鈥� October 23, 1984.
James Hennesey, S.J. 鈥淩eligious Liberty in Colonial Maryland: Pragmatism or Principle?鈥� November 1, 1983.
Albert C. Outler. 鈥淭he Second Vatican Council in Perspective.鈥� November 8, 1982.
John T. Noonan, Jr. 鈥淭he Bribery of Francis Bacon.鈥� October 28, 1981.
Walter J. Burghardt, S.J. 鈥淚n His Image: Significant Moments in the History of an Idea.鈥� October 29, 1980.
Louis L. Martz. 鈥淭homas More: The Public Image and the Private Man.鈥� November 7, 1979.
Brian Tierney. 鈥淩eligion and Western Constitutional Thought, 1150-1650.鈥� November 9, 1978.
Avery Dulles, S.J. 鈥淩evelation and Symbol鈥搕he Mythic Dimension of Religious Truth.鈥� November 2, 1977.
FR. EDWARD L. SURTZ, S.J. (1909鈥�1973)
Founded in 1973, the Surtz lecture promotes interdisciplinary and trans-historical humanistic inquiry and honors the memory and scholarship of Father Edward L. Surtz, S.J., a beloved member of the 黑料门faculty and distinguished scholar of early modern literature and renaissance humanism, best known for his work on the writings of Thomas More.
Current Lecture
Jennifer Morgan "On Race & Reinscription: Writing Enslaved Women Into the Early Modern Archive." October 19, 2023
Past Surtz Lectures
Jeremy Chow "Oroonoko & The Interspecies Imaginary." November 16, 2022.
Alexander Beecroft "Texts and the City: Literature and the Longue Dur茅e." March 21, 2022.
Ania Loomba 鈥淲hat is at stake in the study of race in the early modern period?鈥� February 22, 2021
Robert Alter. "The Challenge of Translating the Bible." February 22, 2020.
Robin Fleming. "Living with Little Corpses." October 15, 2018.
Emily Wilson. "Translating the Odyssey: How and Why." April 10, 2018.
Ato Quayson. "Victims of Enchantment: Space and the Education of Desire in Postcolonial Tragedy." March 20, 2017.
W.J.T. Mitchell March 16, 2016.
N. Katherine Hayles. Lecture. October 15, 2014.
Brad S. Gregory. 鈥淏uying In: The Reformation Era and the Makings of Modern Consumerism.鈥� October 22, 2013.
Maggie Kast. 鈥淒ance of the Sacred.鈥� October 5, 2011.
William T. Cavanaugh. October 7, 2010.
Mary Gordon. "Reading Jesus." November 3, 2009.
Michael McKeon. October 21, 2008.
John L. Esposito. "The Future of Muslim-Christian Relations in the Twenty-First Century." October 10, 2007.
Caroline Walker Bynum. "Wonderful Blood: Piety and Practice in Late Medieval Northern Europe." October 5, 2006.
Robert L. Kendrick. "Singing Jeremiah: Exegesis and Music in Holy Week, 1550-1700. October 4, 2005.
Carlos M. N. Eire. "When Mystics Flew: Writing a History of the Impossible." September 30, 2004.
Ronald Murphy, S.J. "The Owl, the Raven, and the Dove: Religious Magic of the Grimms' Fairy Tales." October 14, 2003.
Michael Walzer. 鈥淭he Triumph of Just War Theory (and the Dangers of Success).鈥� October 8, 2002.
David Freedberg. 鈥淧athos at Oraibi: What Warburg Did Not See.鈥� October 18, 2001.
Rev. Dr. John Polkinghorne, KBE, FRS. 鈥淯nderstanding the Universe.鈥� November 2, 2000.
Jean Bethke Elstain. 鈥淪hould We Hope: Cultural Renewal at the Millennium.鈥� November 2, 1999.
Kathleen Norris. 鈥淚ncarnational Language: A Writer鈥檚 Witness.鈥� November 3, 1998.
Francis C. Oakley. 鈥淧opes and Councils: England and the Latin Church鈥檚 Constitutionalist Moment.鈥� October 28, 1997.
Richard Rodriguez. 鈥淭he Curious Indian: Thoughts about Conversion in the Americas." October 22, 1996.
Giuseppe F. Mazzotta. 鈥淭he Circle of Love: Angelo Poliziano鈥檚 Orpheus.鈥� November 1, 1995.
Kenneth L. Woodward. 鈥淭he Feminization of American Religion.鈥� October 25, 1994.
Joseph A. Fitzmayer, S.J. 鈥淭he Dead Sea Scrolls: Discovery and Controversy.鈥� October 28, 1993.
Cyprian Davis, OSB 鈥淏lack Catholics and the Arts in America.鈥� November 11, 1992.
John Guy. 鈥淭homas More and the Opposition to Henry VIII.鈥� November 6, 1991.
Kathleen Weil-Garris Brandt. 鈥淢ichelangelo and the Sistine Chapel: the Conservation and Cleansing of the Frescoes.鈥� November 13, 1990.
Marvin Rosenberg. 鈥淭he Many Faces of Hamlet.鈥� October 26, 1989 (canceled because of the California earthquake).
James McConica. 鈥淭he Divine Word and the Humanist Ideal: Then and Now.鈥� November 17, 1988.
Monika K. Hellwig. 鈥淭heology among the Humanities: What Really is Theology?鈥� October 29, 1987.
Jeroslav Pelikan. 鈥淭he Reformation and the Writing of History.鈥� November 11, 1986.
Quentin Lauer, S.J. 鈥淲hen the French Dream, Think of Tomorrow, and Pray: Faith and Popular Culture in Contemporary France.鈥� October 23, 1984.
James Hennesey, S.J. 鈥淩eligious Liberty in Colonial Maryland: Pragmatism or Principle?鈥� November 1, 1983.
Albert C. Outler. 鈥淭he Second Vatican Council in Perspective.鈥� November 8, 1982.
John T. Noonan, Jr. 鈥淭he Bribery of Francis Bacon.鈥� October 28, 1981.
Walter J. Burghardt, S.J. 鈥淚n His Image: Significant Moments in the History of an Idea.鈥� October 29, 1980.
Louis L. Martz. 鈥淭homas More: The Public Image and the Private Man.鈥� November 7, 1979.
Brian Tierney. 鈥淩eligion and Western Constitutional Thought, 1150-1650.鈥� November 9, 1978.
Avery Dulles, S.J. 鈥淩evelation and Symbol鈥搕he Mythic Dimension of Religious Truth.鈥� November 2, 1977.