The Conceptions of Authority in Roman Catholicism (CoARC) seminar aims to (1) speak thoughtfully into ongoing conversations regarding lay and ordained roles in the Church; (2) respond to structural conditions of a priesthood currently stymied in meeting all ministerial needs; and (3) bridge otherwise silo-ed vantage points in social science, history, theology, and practice. The seminar will also serve as a foundation for an edited volume and future public conversations on conceptions of authority in contemporary Roman Catholicism.

Interested participants should submit a curriculum vitae along with an abstract of 500-1000 words by January 30, 2026. View attachment for further details regarding honorariums, travel funding, submission instructions, and important dates.

This project is organized under the aegis of the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California (https://dornsife.usc.edu/iacs/). Sociologist Tricia Bruce, PhD, (Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies) and theologian Natalia Imperatori-Lee, PhD, (Associate Professor, Fordham University) will select seminar participants, serve as co-facilitators, and make final decisions regarding papers included in the resulting edited volume. Questions about eligibility, submissions, the seminar, or other details may be directed to iacs@usc.edu.