October 20, 2010

Writer, editor Joseph Bottom to explore ‘Hope and the Apocalypse’ in free lecture

Archbishop’s Lecture series returns with talk by Joseph Bottum

By Denver Catholic Register

Popular speaker and author Joseph Bottum is set to deliver the kick-off event of the 2010-2011 Archbishop’s Lecture Series the evening of Nov. 1.

Bottum will speak on “Hope and the Apocalypse: Where We Are Today” in Bonfils Hall on the John Paul II Center campus in south Denver. 

A graduate of Georgetown University, with a doctorate in philosophy from Boston College, Bottum is an active contributor to Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic Monthly, Nineteenth-Century Literature, Commenta-ry, National Review and Philosophy & Literature.  He is the former editor of First Things and the former books and arts editor of The Weekly Standard and is host of the nationally syndicated radio show, “Book Talk.”

Bottum recently told the Denver Catholic Register his talk, which is co-sponsored by the Archbishop’s Office and the Augustine Institute, will explore how people react to the opposed themes of progress and tradition, hope and despair, mercy and tradition.

The second lecture in the series is scheduled for Nov. 11, when Robert George, professor at Princeton University and Director of the James Madison program constitutional law, philosophy of law and political philosophy, takes the podium to speak on, “Political Obligations, Conscience and Human Life.”  George is an author of the Manhattan Declaration, a call of Christian conscience which speaks out on the defense of the sanctity of life, traditional marriage and religious liberty.

Rounding out this year’s lecture series on Jan. 18 will be Eric Metaxas, author of “Everything Else You Always Wanted to Know About God (But Were Afraid to Ask)” as well as 30 other books for children.  He is founder and host of Socrates in the City, a monthly lecture series in New York City in which people come together to discuss, “Life, God and other small topics.”

Metaxas is the author of the 2010 book, “Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy,” which will be the subject of his talk.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor and theologian who was put to death by the Nazis for his participation in the German resistance during the Second World War.

All talks in the Archbishop’s Lecture Series are free and open to the public, and each will feature question and answer segment after the presentations.  Lectures begin at 7 p.m. The John Paul II Center is located at 1300 Steele St. 

Audience members will have an opportunity to ask questions of Bottum following his talk. For more information, contact the Office of Communications at 303-715-3123 or e-mail info@archden.org