Dr. Stephen Meawad, author of “Beyond Virtue Ethics,”  to give opening keynote at University’s Research and Creative Arts Day

Stephen M. Meawad, Ph.D., Caldwell University assistant professor of theology,  will kick-off the University’s annual Research and Creative Arts Day at noon on Wednesday, April  26 in the Alumni Theatre.  

Meawad, author of “Beyond Virtue Ethics: A Contemporary Ethic of Ancient Spiritual Struggle,” will present on the process of researching and writing a book, and how research in the humanities compares with research in the sciences. A book signing will follow his talk. The lecture is free and open to the public. 

Following the lecture, guests are invited to the showcase of undergraduate and graduate student and faculty research presentations in the Student Center gym on campus.  Undergraduate students display their projects from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  Graduate students exhibit their work from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. 

“Research and Creative Arts Day at Caldwell is special for students, faculty, and staff as this day is a culmination of the process that involves designing a research question or wondering about a phenomenon and then working in labs, collecting data on sites, creating art, or making music,” said Ellina Chernobilsky, Ph.D., acting vice president for academic affairs.  “It is the time to showcase what students and faculty learned together over the past year and to share the results of their learning journey with the community. It is an opportunity for the students to practice their research, presentation, public speaking skills and network with other students, faculty, community members, alumni, staff and guests of the University.” 

More on “Beyond Virtue Ethics: A Contemporary Ethic of Ancient Spiritual Struggles”  

As described by publisher Georgetown University Press, “Beyond Virtue Ethics: A Contemporary Ethic of Ancient Spiritual Struggles” offers a distinctive approach to virtue ethics, arguing not simply for the importance of “struggle” to virtue ethics, but that “struggle” itself is a manifestation of virtue. In doing this, Meawad offers a way of thinking about virtue not simply as a perfected state, but as a state that is to a greater or lesser degree a manifestation of the ideal itself, which is not attainable.

Meawad affirms the concept of the unity of virtues—that is, the idea that a virtue is not a virtue unless united with other perfected virtues—which is found in God. Insofar as humans grow in unity with God, they too participate in the unity of virtues, although always to an imperfect extent. Meawad rejects a division between ethics and spirituality and provides two concrete examples of this suggested model. The first is the application of this model to the body and its implications for contemporary sexual ethics. The second is a reintegration of ethics and Scripture through the contemporary application of an ancient Patristic divine reading.

This book establishes for readers a contemporary model of spiritual struggle, defining it as the exertion of effort in all conceivable dimensions—physical, emotional, psychological, and intellectual—with the intent to attain a semblance of, knowledge of, and intimacy with Jesus Christ.” 

Come out and enjoy Caldwell University’s Research and Creative Arts Day 2023!