This year’s lecturer, Rowan Williams, the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, will be awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters, honoris causa.

Orthodoxy in America Lecture and Honorary Degree Ceremony
Tuesday, Sept. 30
6:30 p.m.
University Church | Rose Hill Campus

One of the most preeminent theologians of the past 40 years, Archbishop Williams is a leading expert on Orthodox Christianity, especially on the works of contemporary Orthodox theologian Vladimir Lossky. His scholarship, which has been influential across denominations, and his leadership within the Anglican Communion is proof of the “ecumenical character of his life,” said Aristotle Papanikolaou, Ph.D., co-founder of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center and the Archbishop Demetrios Professor in Orthodox Theology and Culture.

“He has attempted to build bridges with other Christians—especially Catholic and Orthodox Christians—through his leadership and scholarly writings,” Papanikolaou said. “His scholarship includes writings on the patristic tradition, contemporary Orthodox theology, and his recent critically acclaimed book on Fydor Dostoyevsky.”

Archbishop Williams was born in Wales and studied theology at Cambridge and Oxford Universities. He served as Archbishop of Canterbury for ten years before stepping down in 2012 to become Master of Magdalene College.

Fordham’s Orthodoxy in America Lecture series is the largest annual lecture of its kind and is the only one housed within a university setting. In addition, it is the only one to explore how the Orthodox tradition intersects with the American religious experience.