Author: Lisa Rose-Wiles

Byrnes, J. T. (2002). John Paul II & educating for life: Moving toward a renewal of Catholic educational philosophy. New York: P. Lang.

Most of the book is devoted to the views and work of Karol Wojtla, who served as Pope John Paul II from 1978-2005. Byrnes reviews developments in the Catholic philosophy of education since Vatican II (1962-65, beginning under Pope John XXIII and closing under Pope Paul VI) attempted to reconcile Catholic teaching with modernity. Continue reading “Educating for Life”

Sullivan, R. E. (2001). Higher learning & Catholic traditions. Notre Dame, Ind: University of Notre Dame Press.

This edited volume derives from papers delivered at a 1999 conference sponsored by the Erasmus Foundation, which aims to “build bridges between the apparently disconnected worlds of Catholic thought and secular scholarship” (xi).  Continue reading “Higher Learning and Catholic Traditions”

Gallin, A. (2000). Negotiating identity: Catholic higher education since 1960. Notre Dame, Ind.: University of Notre Dame Press.

This “history” takes up where Gleason (1995) left off with the decline of “Neo-Scholasticism” and the attempts to modernize Catholic education post Vatican II.   The underlying question is “what makes a university Catholic”?  Gallin includes many historical examples from Catholic universities.  These long examples and the political details make this rather a heavy read (I confess I skipped over many of the details) but Gallin clearly shows the origin of many of our current challenges, especially the financial issues and – as indicated in the title – questions of identity. Continue reading “Negotiating Identity”

Gleason, P. (1995). Contending with modernity: Catholic higher education in the twentieth century. New York: Oxford University Press.

This book covers “the historical development of American Catholic higher education since 1900” (vii).  While it is primarily from a Catholic perspective, Gleason places this development in a broader educational and ideological context.  The introduction provides an historical overview that is developed in great detail in later chapters.  Continue reading “Contending with Modernity”

Ward, L. R. (1949). Blueprint for a Catholic university. St. Louis: B. Herder Book Co.

This is a good example of the Catholic response to the growing secularization of higher education and the difficulties that Catholic colleges (particularly in the United States) faced in maintaining their identity and purpose.  Ward argues that “merely trying to keep up, not get behind” (p. 7), particularly in terms of standardized testing and accreditation, has resulted in dismal “mediocracy” along with a siege mentality in which “simply to keep the faith” rather than moving forward became an end in itself.  He observes that “Merely being not non-Catholic, merely saving the faith, merely making not-bad men, is aiming at mediocrity and at best achieving it” (p. 8). Continue reading “Blueprint for a Catholic University”

Newman, J. H. (1931). Select Discourses from the Idea of a University. Cambridge, England: The University Press. Edited with an introduction by May Yardley.

This short book includes Discourses I, V-IX and “Literature: a Lecture” from Cardinal John Henry Newman’s seminal work: The idea of a university defined and illustrated I. In nine discourses delivered to the Catholics of Dublin II, including Discourses I, V-IX and “Literature: a Lecture”).  Continue reading “The Idea of a University”