Photo by Lee Pellegrini.
Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., who served as president and professor of history at Fairfield University from 2004 to 2016, has joined the University community as the Thomas I. Gasson, S.J., Professor for 2018-19.
Fr. von Arx will be affiliated with the School of Theology and Ministry, where he taught History of Western Christianity III as a visiting professor in the spring. He will teach the same course, which covers the history of the Catholic Church from the late-18th century to mid-20th century, again during the Spring 2019 semester.
Fr. von Arx is a historian specializing in modern European history, particularly British and Irish history and the Roman Catholic Church in 19th-century Britain. He is the author of the book Progress and Pessimism: Religion, Politics and History in Late Nineteenth Century Britain and editor and contributor to聽Varieties of Ultramontanism.
Prior to assuming the presidency of Fairfield, Fr. von Arx served as dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill and associate professor of history from 1998 to 2004. He previously was a member of the history department faculty at Georgetown University from 1982 to 1998, serving as department chair from 1991 to 1997 and founding director of its Center for Australian and New Zealand Studies from 1995 to 1998.
鈥淚t is a real pleasure to have Jeff von Arx back here at Boston College as the Gasson Professor after a stellar career in academic leadership at Fordham, Georgetown, and Fairfield,鈥� said Canisius Professor of Theology James F. Keenan, S.J., director of the Jesuit Institute.聽鈥淛eff is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a formidable scholar and compelling speaker.鈥�
Fr. von Arx will present the fall Gasson lecture, 鈥淭wo Cardinals: Conflict and Controversy in the Victorian Catholic Church鈥濃�攁bout John Henry Newman and Henry Edward Manning鈥攐n Nov. 14 at 5:30 p.m. in the Cadigan Center Atrium. He will deliver the spring Gasson lecture on Feb. 13, 2019.
鈥淚t is wonderful to be here as the Gasson Professor and to participate in the vibrant intellectual community that is Boston College and the School of Theology and Ministry,鈥� said Fr. von Arx, who served as a Boston College trustee from 1998 to 2006 and now serves as a trustee associate.
In addition to teaching and offering two public lectures, Fr. von Arx is working on scholarly projects as Gasson Professor. A main focus is his book project on Cardinal Manning, archbishop of Westminster and head of the English Roman Catholic Church in the second half of the 19th century.
Fr. von Arx praised the collections at the Theology and Ministry Library and Burns Library, particularly the British Catholic Authors Collection. 鈥淭hey have been very helpful and very useful.鈥�
Fr. von Arx聽entered the Society of Jesus in 1969 was ordained in 1981. He holds a bachelor's degree from Princeton University and M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. degrees from Yale University. He received his master of divinity degree from Weston Jesuit School of Theology, now 精东影业鈥檚 School of Theology and Ministry.
Fr. von Arx is currently the superior and director of John LaFarge House in Cambridge, an independent Jesuit community and house of studies for Jesuits doing graduate work in the Boston area.
Funded by a gift from the Jesuit Community at Boston College, the Gasson Chair is held by a distinguished Jesuit scholar in any discipline and is the oldest endowed professorship at Boston College.
鈥�Kathleen Sullivan | University Communications