The Institute for the Study of Man and Woman explores the thought of Gertrud von le Fort with October 14 event.
STEUBENVILLE, OHIO—Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Institute for the Study of Man and Woman will celebrate the life and thought of influential Catholic writer Gertrud von le Fort with a special evening of reflection on Wednesday, October 14, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pope St. Paul VI Event Center, Christ the Teacher Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
A Celebration of the Timeless Work of Gertrud von le Fort will bring together three scholars to explore von le Fort’s insights into womanhood and the “eternal feminine,” with particular attention to her classic work The Eternal Woman.
The event comes during a worldwide celebration marking the 150th anniversary of von le Fort’s birth. Born October 11, 1876, in Minden, Germany, von le Fort became one of the important Catholic literary voices of the 20th century. The Eternal Woman, first published in German in 1934, remains among her most enduring reflections on the nature and vocation of woman.
The evening will feature a panel discussion involving Dr. Deborah Savage, professor of theology at Franciscan University and director of the Institute for the Study of Man and Woman; Dr. Margaret Harper McCarthy, associate professor of theological anthropology at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at The Catholic University of America; and Dr. Jennifer S. Bryson, fellow in Catholic studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.
Savage has devoted much of the past two decades to developing a scientifically, philosophically, and theologically grounded account of man and woman, their identity, genius, and mission. She is also a recognized scholar of the work of Pope St. John Paul II and his philosophical anthropology.
McCarthy’s teaching and scholarship focus on theological anthropology, particularly questions surrounding sexual difference, the imago Dei, personhood, equality, gender, and the nature of love. She also serves as editor of Humanum: Issues in Family, Culture, and Science and on the editorial boards of Communio and The New Ressourcement.
Bryson is currently translating works by 19th-century and 20th-century Catholic authors from German into English. Her recent work includes a translation of Ida Görres’ What Binds Marriage Forever, published this year by The Catholic University of America Press.
The three scholars will give voice to von le Fort’s reflections on the nature of woman and consider the continuing relevance of The Eternal Woman nearly a century after its publication.
The October 14 event will also be livestreamed through Franciscan University. For more information and to watch the livestream, visit franciscan.edu/gertrud.
