As part of the Berkley Center's tenth anniversary celebrations, Sister Carol Keehan situates the center's work within Georgetown’s Catholic and Jesuit tradition, one characterized by openness to other faiths and cultures.
The founder of Georgetown University, Archbishop John Carroll, believed strongly in the vision of a new country of, for, and by the people. He was persuaded that Catholics, like other people of faith, would make a significant contribution to the development of the United States. Over more than two centuries Georgetown has in fact educated men—and later women—from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds to contribute to the national welfare, cope with crisis, and address injustice. In our global era, the critical role for a university that is grounded in faith and a commitment to human dignity in advancing the common good can be extended in an international direction. For a decade now, the Berkley Center has spearheaded Georgetown’s efforts to do just that: explore the connections between faith and the great global challenges of our time.
Today faith and its impact take many forms. We live in a world book-ended by rising numbers of “nones” who claim to be guided by no belief system, and by those whose lives are rigidly regimented by a belief system that they are often eager to impose on others. In between these bookends there are many quite varied belief systems and levels of commitment to them. These faith perspectives provide the lenses through which we see ourselves. And they help us to frame our most important decisions—for ourselves, for our families, our nations, and the world.
It should not surprise us that this plurality of perspectives goes hand in hand with a country and a global community that are often very polarized. Add to it the significant economic disparities and no one should be struck by the level of violence we confront within and across our societies. In our struggle to cope effectively with this challenging situation, it is tempting to view faith itself, whatever its form, as the enemy of reason and the adversary of compromise. On reflection, however, we can think of many examples of faith as a positive force, furthering reconciliation and justice. What we often lack is deeper understanding of when and why faith makes a difference, for better or worse.
In its mission and activities over the past decade the Berkley Center has reaffirmed a critical truth that our systems of belief—how we view ourselves, our existence, and its meaning—are essential to understanding and effectively dealing with the most challenging issues in our world today. The two premises that guide its work, “that a deep examination of faith and values is critical to address these challenges” and that “the open engagement of religious and cultural traditions with one another can promote peace” should be touchstones for wider efforts to build a more just social and political order.
Just a glance at the research, teaching, and outreach activities of the Berkley Center reveals the promise of this ambitious mission. The center has helped to build and share knowledge around issues ranging from religion and development to religious freedom and Islam and world affairs. And it has brought together perspectives that are diverse—religiously, culturally, and ideologically. This work grows out of Georgetown’s Catholic and Jesuit tradition while exemplifying that tradition’s openness to other faiths and cultures. The center’s success to date, and its promise for the future, is a vital expression of Archbishop Carroll’s insight into the deep connections between faith, education, and the common good. His legacy is alive and well in its work.
