Franciscan University Unveils New Video Series Addressing Woke Culture
Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, has started a video series dedicated to exploring “culture, science, politics, the arts, and contemporary issues” through “the lens of reason and faith.”
Presided over by the university’s former president, Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, “In Focus: Confronting the Woke World” draws inspiration from “Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology,” a 2021 work by Catholic author Noelle Mering.
The inaugural series prominently features Mering, who is also an editor for TheologyofHome.com, a mother of six, and a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.
“I can think of no one more suited than Noelle Mering to address the profound challenge posed by the woke movement,” Father Pivonka remarked in a press release from the university.
“We must never retreat from the world; instead, we must seek to engage with it and share the light of Christ, the sole source of true human freedom and flourishing.”
“It is tempting to dismiss woke ideology as excessively political or polarizing for Christian engagement,” Mering stated. “However, this movement arises from something far more fundamental than politics.”
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to delve into this discussion with Father Dave, who consistently prioritizes love for individuals and genuine care for their well-being,” she added.
Pivonka emphasized that most of these ideological differences stem from an understanding of human anthropology. “In many ways, all of this ideology grapples with the fundamental question, ‘What is the human person?'”
Mering pointed out that Catholics must always be “for the person in front of us.”
“One thing we must avoid is reducing the individual to mere ideology,” she said.
“Isn’t it our peril, as Catholic Christians, to mirror exactly what they are doing?” Father Pivonka questioned. “To think, ‘I don’t need to engage with them; I can just ignore them’ — that is not the solution.”
“In Focus” will be featured on Franciscan University’s online platform, FaithandReason.com, offering free videos and podcasts on topics ranging from the Church to culture, politics to philosophy, and morality to the marketplace.
The university plans to release three episodes of the series annually.
