April 12, 2007

Theologians discuss African-American spirituality

The talk, which is free and open to the public, is at 7:30 p.m. in Krannert Auditorium. It is sponsored by the Aquinas Educational Foundation, St. Thomas Aquinas' Dorothy Day Lecture Series and the Haigerty-Piguet Lecture Fund. Purdue's African American Studies & Research Center and the Religious Studies Program are co-sponsoring the event.

The speakers are Diana Hayes, professor of systematic theology at Georgetown University, and the Rev. Cyprian Davis, professor of church history at St. Meinrad Archabbey.

Hayes is the author of five books and more than 60 articles in journals and edited books. She is currently working on "Forged in the Fiery Furnace: African American Spirituality." Her areas of interest include the intersection of race, class and gender with religion; religion and public life; and African-American religions.

Davis has written numerous books, including "The History of Black Catholics in the United States," and articles in the area of monastic history and the spirituality of African-American Catholics in the United States. In 1994-95 he served as a visiting professor of church history at the Monastic Studium established in West Africa at the Abbey of Dzogb?gan in Togo and the Abbey of Koubri in Burkina Faso. He was a visiting professor at the Abbey of Keur Moussa in Senegal in 1995-96 and at the Benedictine and Trappist monasteries in Nigeria in 1997-98.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Sources: Venetria Patton, director of African American Studies & Research Center, (765) 494-2151, vpatton@purdue.edu

Ann Astell, professor of English and member of religious studies, (765) 494-3720, astell@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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