Dialogue in Humanities Event Explores “What Can We Expect from an American Pope?”

The School of Arts and Sciences Division of Humanities will continue its ongoing Dialogue in the Humanities series in February with a talk led by Father George Smith, CSB of the Department of Religious Studies, who will present “What can we expect from an American Pope?” The session will take place on Friday, Feb. 20, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Hughes Rotunda of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School of Education and is open to all members of the campus community.

According to Dr. Barb Lowe, professor of philosophy, the Dialogue in the Humanities series began in Fall 2024, born from conversations among philosophy faculty who recognized a growing need to connect ideas from the humanities to the world beyond the classroom. 
Since its launch, the series has aimed to create accessible and meaningful conversations that bring together students, faculty, and staff across disciplines.

Lowe shared that Fr. Smith volunteered to lead this session and proposed the topic, given the interest in the new pope. His presentation and the dialogue draw on multiple perspectives and invite attendees to think deeply about leadership, faith, and cultural identity.

“The Dialogues aim to bring us together across diverse roles, perspectives, and life experiences and encourage us to engage in meaningful conversations about what it means to be human; not about reaching unanimous agreement, but about deepening our understanding of others and of ourselves,” said Lowe.

Upcoming sessions will be led by Dr. Frederick Dotolo, associate professor of history, on March 20 and by Dr. Nancy Rourke, assistant professor of religious studies, on April 24.

This article was written by Hailey Gunther, a senior marketing major, who is working as an intern in the Office of Marketing and Communications at Fisher for the 2025-2026 academic year.