STEUBENVILLE, OH—Franciscan University of Steubenville will host a conference on Man, Woman, and the Order of Creation on October 24–26, 2024. Cosponsored by Franciscan University and the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) in Washington, D.C., this event will explore the nature of the human person, created male and female.

The conference will seek to bring clarity to a widely contested question today: Who is man, and who is woman? To do so, it will address the scientific, philosophical, and theological foundations that allow for a coherent understanding of man and woman. Participants will also benefit from a thorough discussion about the implications of this reality—man and woman’s identities, their differences, and their distinct God-given missions in the world.

“We are excited to host the conference on Man, Woman, and the Order of Creation,” said Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, president of Franciscan University. “At a time in our culture when the very idea of what makes a male and a female is being debated, our conference will offer a conversation illuminated by beauty and reason. All who participate will come to a deeper appreciation of the dignity of the human person.”

“This conference will bring together a stellar lineup of Catholic experts to consider the question of our time: What does it mean to be a human person or, more specifically, what does it mean to be a man or a woman?” said Mary Rice Hasson, the Kate O’Beirne Senior Fellow and co-founder and director of the Person and Identity Project at the EPPC and visiting fellow for Franciscan University’s Veritas Center. “Whether student or professor, mother or father, pastor or ministry leader, Catholics today need more than a quick answer or sound bite to bring clarity to a deeply confused world. We need a deep exploration of what’s true and why it matters, and that’s exactly what this conference will deliver.”

“The question of man and woman, both who they are as persons of equal dignity and who they are in relation to one another, is perhaps the question of our era,” said Dr. Deborah Savage, conference organizer and professor of theology at Franciscan University. “Without a full response to this question, our culture will continue to lose its grip on what is at the foundation of human civilization—the understanding of the human person created male and female.”

Esteemed speakers and panelists will include Francis X. Maier, senior fellow of the EPPC’s Catholic Studies Program; Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, fellow and director of the EPPC’s Bioethics and American Democracy Program; Dr. Paul Vitz, senior scholar emeritus at Divine Mercy University and professor of psychology emeritus at New York University; Dr. Angela Franks, professor of theology at St. John’s Seminary and senior fellow at the Abigail Adams Institute; Father Christian Raab, OSB, professor of systematic theology at St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology; Dr. Greg Bottaro, psychologist and founder of the CatholicPsych Institute; Dr. Hilary Towers, licensed professional counselor; Noelle Mering, author and EPPC fellow; Dr. Maria Fedoryka, professor of philosophy at Ave Maria University; and others.

The conference is made possible by the generosity of the Henkels Family.

For more information and to register, visit franciscan.edu/man-woman-and-the-order-of-creation.