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| Image of Ignatius from Jesuits.org |
Today is the feast day for Ignatius of Loyola in the Roman
Catholic Church, and is the day on which the founder of the Jesuits died in
1556. A brief sketch of his life may be found here. My interaction with the Jesuits has been limited but as I think
about the legacy and influence of Ignatius, I cannot help but think of the influence
of two of my Jesuit professors at the University of Notre Dame. Brian Daley, S.J., is an award-winning theologian
and patristics scholar, and Jerry Neyrey, S.J., is a (now retired) New
Testament scholar who was instrumental in bringing social scientific approaches
to the study of the Bible. Aside from their impressive scholarship and influence in their fields, both are tremendous teachers, mentors, and living examples
of “faith seeking understanding.”
During my time at Notre Dame I worked more closely with
Father Neyrey since he served on my dissertation committee, and I have always
deeply appreciated his intellectual generosity in sharing of his time and his
own research findings and source materials. I also appreciate his ability to provide pithy and
incisive critique—a skill of his of which I was often the beneficiary and which I know has greatly influenced my own work.
In a recent interview in America, Father Daley called for
“well-informed, generous moderation” in theological discussions today, in
contrast to the kinds of polarizing and caustic kinds of expression that are
seen in many quarters of our culture today. Such well-informed, generous moderation is what he and Father Neyrey modeled for me at Notre Dame. He explains: “A thoughtful and
sympathetic understanding of tradition…frees us to imagine what the church can best
be today and tomorrow.” This, to me, is a large part of what a university
education, within the context of an institution grounded in a particular faith tradition, can provide to
students. It can help them to understand their tradition in ways that allow
them to appreciate it more fully. And it also gives them the tools to think
critically and creatively about their tradition, the traditions of others, and
the ways in which these traditions can inform the problems and challenges confronting the world around them.
In the interview, Father Daley noted his plans to continue researching and writing and also providing spiritual direction and
pastoral ministry even after he retires in a few years: “For Jesuits, thinking and writing and teaching are all
forms of what St. Ignatius called ‘helping souls,’ which is what we do.” I very
much resonate with that idea and have found that for those called to higher
education--even as other tasks, roles, and responsibilities press in--, thinking
well, writing well, and teaching well remain at the heart of our work.
