By Chainarong Monthienvichienchai
BANGKOK, Thailand – The Initiative for the Study of Asian Catholics (ISAC) marked its fourth anniversary on Oct. 1 with an online roundtable exploring how academics can influence public conversations about Catholicism in an era of social media debates, religious nationalism, and political polarization.
The event, titled “Shaping Public Conversations about Catholicism & the Role of Academics,” gathered four speakers from diverse backgrounds. While each offered insights, a comprehensive intervention came from Dr Fr Anthony Le Duc, SVD, executive director of the Asian Research Center for Religion and Social Communication (ARC), based at St John’s University in Bangkok.
Fr Le Duc emphasized that while Catholicism often surfaces in the public eye through headlines, controversies, or celebrity comments, the quieter contributions of academics are vital to how faith is understood and discussed. He outlined six roles academics can play in shaping more informed, compassionate, and forward-looking conversations.
Prophetic voices
Drawing on the biblical tradition of prophets like Amos and Isaiah, Fr Le Duc said Catholic scholars are called to highlight uncomfortable truths about systemic injustice, inequality, and environmental degradation.
Unlike activists or politicians, they can ground their interventions in research, theological depth, and Catholic social teaching. “Catholic ethicists raising questions about the dignity of migrant workers or theologians collaborating with climate scientists show how scholarship can act as a prophetic voice—courageous but also deeply responsible,” he noted.
Faithful and creative interpreters
Academics, he stressed, must remain disciples first, faithful to Christ and Church teaching while interpreting Catholic thought in ways that resonate with contemporary questions on technology, globalization, or mental health.
Continue reading in LiCAS.news.
