The Education of a Historian: Discussing the Life, Work, & Education of John W. O’Malley, S.J.

Please join us for a panel discussion on the life, work, and education of Fr. John W. O’Malley, S.J., and his new memoir, The Education of a Historian: A Strange and Wonderful Story.

“In this autobiographical memoir, John W. O’Malley recounts how his life-story is unintelligible apart from his craft as an historian and from the passion his craft inspired. The narrative is the straightforward story of how a young man of modest background from a small town in Ohio achieved international eminence as a historian of the religious culture of modern Europe. In some detail, therefore, this book tells how four of the twelve monographs that O’Malley published during his career had field-changing influence: Praise and Blame in Renaissance Rome (1979), The First Jesuits (1993), Trent and All That (2000), and What Happened at Vatican II (2008). The book is, however, much more than a tedious review of scholarship. It teaches the reader lessons in historical method and lessons in what good history does for us. They are lessons easy to digest because they are taught not by abstract principles, but by following a historian in action as he learns in fits and starts how to interpret the past in ways that do less injustice to it than other ways.” (from SJU Press, publisher of The Education of a Historian: A Strange and Wonderful Story)

Joining Fr. O’Malley in this conversation will be Prof. James Keenan, S.J. (Canisius Professor, Boston College), Prof. Peter Phan (Ellacuria Chair, Georgetown University), and Prof. David Collins, S.J. (Associate Professor of History, Georgetown University).

Introductory and welcome remarks will be offered by Georgetown’s Vice President for Mission & Ministry, Fr. Mark Bosco, S.J., and by the President of Georgetown University, Dr. John J. DeGioia.

This event will be held in person in Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart on Main Campus. All attendees are asked to please register for this event.

If you are not a GU student, faculty, or staff – and you wish to attend this event in person – you are required to complete Georgetown’s COVID-19 Vaccination Attestation by (1) submitting your proof of vaccination via the online portal and (2) completing an attestation on the day of the event (the confirmation of which will need to be shown at the entrance to Dahlgren Chapel for access to this event). All steps in this process must be completed, or entry to the event will not be permitted. Here is the link you will need to upload your proof of vaccination and begin Georgetown’s COVID-19 Vaccination Attestation process.

A livestream option here on the Jesuit Heritage Month Facebook page will also be available for those interested in joining this event virtually.