RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY / Common Life

In his comprehensive work on epochal intellectual changes in the history of philosophy, Randall Collins points us away from the traditional image of the solitary genius toward the dynamic social interactions of close associates who produce fresh thinking over time through sustained engagement in conversation: “Creativity is not random among individuals; it builds up in intergenerational chains.”* Theological inquiry bears the same collegial character, rooted in communities of faith and study. From the Center’s inception, its common life has helped to nurture a global community of advanced theological inquiry over time. Centered on the Colloquium, which typically convenes twice a month, our common life includes a weekly Members’ Lunch and opportunities for Morning Prayer and afternoon tea, as well as occasional Luce Hall seminars and lectures. The Center’s life together is also enriched by the Director’s receptions for members and their families and by the more informal interactions at Luce Hall and the Templeton Townhouses.

* Randall Collins, The Sociology of Philosophy: A Global Theory of Intellectual Change, Harvard University Press, 6.