CPC³ Lecture: "A Counter to the Culture of Death: Joseph Ratzinger's Theology of Creation" -Kaethler

This lecture was originally delivered at Catholic Pacific College on January 31, 2024.

Description: This paper presents Joseph Ratzinger’s Christocentric theology of creation as a counter to the increasingly popular naturalist movement anti-natalism. Anti-natalism positions humans antagonistically against the created order—humans are seen as a blight on the planet. However, as Ratzinger sets out, affirmation of the cosmos requires affirmation of the human person.

About Dr. Kaethler
Dr. Andrew Kaethler grew up in the Lower Mainland. He received a B.A. in Christianity and Culture from TWU as well as an M.A. in Religion, Culture, and Ethics. Following his MA, Andrew spent a year running (actually sanding, spraying, and brushing) his own painting company before his wife fortunately encouraged him to pursue teaching. Surprisingly, this led Andrew and his family to Eastern Europe, Lithuania to be precise. Here at LCC International University, Andrew taught philosophy, theology, and cross-listed English/theology courses for four years and during this time discovered his love and passion for teaching. After four years and two additional children he moved to St Andrews, Scotland, where he spent four years working on a Ph.D. in systematic theology at the University of St Andrews. Although he did not golf in Scotland, he did participate in the consumption of haggis, drank a few drams of whiskey, and danced at the odd Ceilidh. It was in Scotland, the land of the fiery reformer John Knox, that Andrew and his family were received into the Catholic Church, a ‘conversion’ process that began at TWU almost twenty years earlier.
Find out more about Dr. Kaethler here: catholicpacific.ca/kaethler