Georgetown’s Jesuit heritage has found a new forum for discussion: the Tombs. During the “Theology on Tap” event Monday night, Rev. Otto Hentz, S.J., and Jes Sauer, S.J. discussed the relationship between diversity, the Jesuits and the University as part of this week’s celebration of Jesuit heritage.
As students, staff and residents of Georgetown conversed over appetizers, the two Jesuits spoke informally about what had caused them to join the Jesuit order and why they believe the Jesuit heritage is integral to the University.
“We are lucky to have so much pluralism here-just look at the wide variety of scholarship in the Theology Department,” Hentz said. “We have professors doing work on Islam, Judaism and Buddhism, as well as Christianity. But it is important to have an identity around which to center that pluralism. The Jesuit tradition provides that center.”
The weeklong series of events was planned by a coalition of student groups, including the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Students Association and the Catholic Daughters.
“You don’t have to be Catholic to appreciate the Jesuit tradition,” John Coghlan (CAS ‘06), a member of the Knights of Columbus, said. “This is a great chance for everyone to get to know the Jesuits through events like Theology on Tap and the Fireside chats, where you can talk to them one on one. It’s important to understand what the Jesuits have encompassed for so many years here at Georgetown.”
