Peter C. Phan (Vietnamese: Phêrô Phan Đình Cho; born January 5, 1943) is a Vietnamese-born American Catholic theologian and the inaugural holder of the Ellacuria Chair of Catholic Social Thought at Georgetown University.


Peter C. Phan
Born (1943-01-05) January 5, 1943 (age 81)
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater
OccupationTheologian
Theological work
Tradition or movementCatholic theology

Biography edit

Phan has earned three doctorates: Doctor of Theology from Salesian University in Rome (1978), Doctor of Philosophy from the University of London (1986), and Doctor of Divinity from the University of London (2000). Phan has also been awarded three honorary Doctorates: Doctor of Theology honoris causa, Catholic Theological Union (2001), Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa, Elms College (2007), and Doctor of Divinity, Virginia Theological Seminary (2017).

Presently the Ellacuria Chair of Catholic Social Thought at Georgetown University, Phan has previously taught at the Catholic University of America and Union Theological Seminary.[1] His many writings have been translated into Italian, German, French, Spanish, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese. His writings have received many awards from professional societies.

Controversy edit

Phan has been under investigation by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Committee of Doctrine of the USCCB, for his 2004 book, Being Religious Interreligiously.[2] He published in 2017 a response to the queries raised by the two church bodies, through the book The Joy of Religious Pluralism.[3]

Honors edit

Phan is the first non-Anglo to be elected President of the Catholic Theological Society of America. In 2010 Phan was given the John Courtney Murray Award, the highest honor of the Catholic Theological Society of America, in recognition for outstanding and distinguished achievement in theology.[4]

A festschrift was published in 2016 in his honor, focusing on the theme of world Christianity.[5] On March 30–31, 2017, Georgetown University hosted an international symposium to discuss Phan's influence and legacy entitled "Theology without Borders: Celebrating the Legacy of Peter C. Phan." This meeting addressed Phan's scholarly work on aspects of theology, including patristics, ecclesiology, eschatology, mission, inculturation, interreligious dialogue, religious pluralism, and World Christianity.[6] He was the Cunningham Lecturer at New College, Edinburgh, in October 2018, with the topic "Migration of Christianity, Christianity of Migration."[7][8]

Works edit

Books authored edit

  • Social Thought. Wilmington, DE: Michael Glazier, 1984.
  • Culture and Eschatology: The Iconographical Vision of Paul Edokimov. New York: Peter Lang, 1985.
  • Grace and the Human Condition. Wilmington, DE: Michael Glazier, 1988.
  • Eternity in Time: A Study of Karl Rahner’s Eschatology. Selingsgrove, PA: Susquehanna University Press, 1988. ISBN 978-0941664837
  • Responses to 101 Questions on Death and Eternal Life. New York: Paulist Press, 1997. ISBN 978-0809137114
  • Mission and Catechesis: Alexandre de Rhodes and Inculturation in Seventeenth- Century Vietnam. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1998. ISBN 978-1608334742
  • The Mission of God: Its Challenges and Demands in Today’s World. Quezon City, Philippines: East Asian Pastoral Institute, 2002. Memperjuangkan: Misi Allah Di Tengah Dunia Dewasa Ini (Indonesian translation).
  • In Our Own Tongues: Perspectives from Asia on Mission and Inculturation. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2003. ISBN 978-1608334728
  • Christianity with an Asian Face: Asian American Theology in the Making. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2003. ISBN 978-1608334711
  • Being Religious Interreligiously: Asian Perspectives on Interfaith Dialogue in Postmodernity. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2004. ISBN 978-1608334735
  • Vietnamese-American Catholics. New York: Paulist Press, 2005. ISBN 978-0809143528
  • Living into Death, Dying into Life: Death and the Afterlife. Hobe Sound, FL: Lectio Publishing, 2014. ISBN 978-0989839778
  • The Joy of Religious Pluralism: A Personal Journey. Mayknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2017. ISBN 978-1626982253
  • Asian Christianities: History, Theology and Practice. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2018. ISBN 978-1626980938

Books edited edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Peter Phan". berkleycenter.georgetown.edu. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  2. ^ Gallicho, Grant (September 12, 2007). "Peter Phan investigated by Rome". Commonweal Magazine. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  3. ^ Phan, Peter C. (2017). The Joy of Religious Pluralism. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books. ISBN 9781608336906.
  4. ^ Phan, Peter C. (2014). Living into Death, Dying into Life: Death and the Afterlife. Hobe Sound, FL: Lectio Publishing. ISBN 978-0989839778.
  5. ^ Tan, Jonathan Y.; Tran, Anh Q., eds. (2016). World Christianity: Perspectives and Insights: Essays in Honor of Peter C. Phan. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books. ISBN 978-1626981690.
  6. ^ "Theology Without Borders". berkleycenter.georgetown.edu. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  7. ^ "Cunningham Lecture Series: Migration of Christianity, Christianity of Migration". The University of Edinburgh. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  8. ^ Chow, Alexander (October 30, 2018). "Recap of Peter Phan's Cunningham Lectures". Centre for the Study of World Christianity. Retrieved November 15, 2018.

Further reading edit

  • Tan, Jonathan Y.; Tran, Anh Q., eds. (2016). World Christianity: Perspectives and Insights: Essays in Honor of Peter C. Phan. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books. ISBN 978-1626981690.