About

James Lewis Heft
Alton M. Brooks Professor of Religion

Contact Information
Office: URC 102
Phone: (213) 740-3055
E-mail: heft@usc.edu

 

Conferences and Other Presentations

Conference Presentations
"A Catholic Approach to the Dialogue with Islam", "Islam and the West", Keynote Lecture, Paper, Cairo, Egypt, Al Azhar University, Invited, 2008-2009   
"Catholic Intellectual Life", Lecture/Seminar, , University of British Columbia, St. Mark's College, Invited, 2008-2009   
"Discipleship and Citizenship", Talk/Oral Presentation, , Pasadena, CA, Holy Family Parish, Invited, 2008-2009   
"Ecclesiology", Roundtable/Panel, , Los Angeles, Archdiocese of LA, Invited, 2008-2009   
"Interfaith Dialogue", Roundtable/Panel, , Pasadena, CA, Polytechnic High School, Invited, 2008-2009   
"Mission and Identity of a Catholic University", Talk/Oral Presentation, , New Rochelle, NY, Paper College of New Rochelle Board of Trustees, Invited, 2008-2009   
"Religion and Politics", Talk/Oral Presentation, , Los Angeles, CA, Alumni Assoc of Loyola Law School, Invited, 2008-2009   
"Religion and Public Life", Legatus of Ventura County, Lecture/Seminar, , Oxnard, CA, Invited, 2008-2009   
"Religious Pluralism and Peace", Lecture/Seminar, , Honolulu, HI, Chaminade University, Invited, 2008-2009   
"Science and Religion", Talk/Oral Presentation, , Newport Beach, CA, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Invited, 2008-2009   
"Spirituality of Leadership", Talk/Oral Presentation, , Los Angeles, CA, Archdioces of Los Angeles, Invited, 2008-2009   
"Teaching Morality to Adolescents", LA Religious Conference, Lecture/Seminar, , Anaheim, CA, Invited, 2008-2009   
"The New Atheism", Lecture/Seminar, , Dayton, OH, University of Dayton, Invited, 2008-2009   
""Contemporary Culture and Catechesis," ", Lecture/Seminar, , LA Religious Education Congress, Invited, 2007-2008   
"A Catholic Approach to Interreligious Dialogue", Roundtable/Panel, , Pasadena, CA, Polytechnic High School , Invited, 2007-2008   
"A Catholic Approach to the Liberal Arts", Lecture/Seminar, , Vancouver, B.C. Canada, St. Mark’s College, University of British Columbia, Invited, 2007-2008   
"Catholic Approaches to Interreligious Dialogue", Talk/Oral Presentation, , IR class at USC, Invited, 2007-2008   
"Catholic Bishops and Catholic Politicians", Lecture/Seminar, , South Pasadena, CA, Holy Family Parish , Invited, 2007-2008   
"Catholic Bishops and Catholic Politicians", Lecture/Seminar, , Moraga, CA, St. Mary’s College, Invited, 2007-2008   
"Catholicism and Science: the Case of Evolution", Talk/Oral Presentation, , Newport Beach, CA, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel , Invited, 2007-2008   
"Faithful Citizenship: Separation of Church and State", Talk/Oral Presentation, , Los Angeles, Alumni Organization of Loyola Law School,, Invited, 2007-2008   
"Leadership in Catholic High Schools", National Conference , Lecture/Seminar, , San Antonio, TX, National Catholic Education Association, Invited, 2007-2008   
"Pro-Choice Catholic Politicians and the Election", Talk/Oral Presentation, , South Pasadena, CA, Holy Family Parish, Invited, 2007-2008   
"Silence and Speech", Fundraiser Luncheon for the Cloistered Carmelite Sisters,, Talk/Oral Presentation, , San Gabriel Country Club , Invited, 2007-2008   
"Two Different Worlds: Academics and Campus Ministries", National conference of Catholic Campus Ministries , Lecture/Seminar, , Vero Beach, FL, Invited, 2007-2008   
"Passing on the Faith to the Next Generation", Lecture/Seminar, , Miami, FL, Catholic Theological Society of America, Invited, 07/07/2008  
"True Wealth of Nations", Organizer, Paper, Davidson Conference Center, Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, Invited, 06/18/2008-06/22/2008  
"Bishops and Politics", National convention of the Catholic Theological Society of America, Chaired one session, , Los Angeles, CA, Invited, 2006-2007   
"Day-long workshop for faculty & staff", Workshop, , St. Monica's High School, 2006-2007   
"Difficulties in Inter-Religious Dialogue.", Talk/Oral Presentation, , University of Michigan,, 2006-2007   
"Director of Fordham University’s Center on Religion and Culture, ", discuss in a small seminar Christian Smith’s Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Am, , 2006-2007   
"Discipleship: New Possibilities", Talk/Oral Presentation, , South Pasadena, CA, Holy Family Parish , 2006-2007   
"Failing America’s Faithful ", A dialogue with Kathleen Kennedy Townsend on the topic of her book, Failing America’s Faithful (Warn, Talk/Oral Presentation, , Santa Monica, St. Monica's Church, 2006-2007   
"Inter-Religious Dialogue", Panel Discussion, , Omar Ibn al Khattab Mosque. , 2006-2007   
"Learned Ignorance in the Abrahamic Religions", Led a three day symposium, , Jerusalem, Israel, 2006-2007   
"on "The Role of Religion and Peacemaking." ", Talk/Oral Presentation, , Leo Baeck Temple, Invited by Lisa Bitel, USC professor of history., 2006-2007   
"Presented a day long workshop to the faculty and staff", Workshop, , West Hills, CA, Chaminade High School , 2006-2007   
"Social Sciences and the Human Person," ", Notre Dame, Talk/Oral Presentation, , Sea Island, Georgia, Templeton Foundation, 2006-2007   
"The Importance of Religious Distinctive Research at a Catholic University", Talk/Oral Presentation, , Chicago, IL, DePaul University , 2006-2007   
"The Roles of the Faculty at a Catholic University", Boston College’s Institute for Leadership in Catholic Higher Education, Talk/Oral Presentation, , Invited, 2006-2007   
"The Vocation Crises in the Catholic Church", the Serra Club International., Talk/Oral Presentation, , Los Angeles, 2006-2007   
"Trinity Sunday", National Convention of the College Theology Society, Preach Sermon, , University of Dayton , 2006-2007   
"USC panel on religious diversity", USC panel on religious diversity, Talk/Oral Presentation, , 2006-2007   
"Vision and Voices Program", At the request of the Provost’s office, led a discussion for 150 USC students with Prof. Thomas Ly, Talk/Oral Presentation, , Mark Taper Theatre, 2006-2007   
 

Publications

Book
Heft, James Lewis (Ed.). Catholicism and Other world Religions. Oxford University Press.
Heft, James Lewis (Ed.). Learned Ignorance. Oxford University Press.
Heft, J. L. (2006). Passing on the Faith: Transforming Traditions for the Next Generation of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. New York: Passing on the Faith: Transforming Traditions for the Next Generation of Jews, Christians, and Muslims/Fordham University Press.
 

Book Chapter
Heft, J. L., James, P. (2008). John Paul II and the Just War Doctrine. University of Toronto Press.
Heft, J. L. (2005). US Catholics and the Presidential Election: Abortion and Proportionate Reasons”. (Vol. 259-275). New Blackfriars: A Review 86.
Heft, J. L. (2005). Believing Scholars:. (Vol. 196). pp. p. New York: Ten Catholic Intellectuals/Fordham University Press.
Heft, J. L. (2005). “Presidents and Principals: What Should Be Their Major Focus?”. (Vol. 13-26). Development of the President/Principal Model in Catholic High Schools.
 

Journal Article
Heft, J. L. (2008). The New Atheism: Really?. Origins. Vol. Vol. 38 (No.21), pp. 332-339.
Heft, J. L. (2008). Evolution and Catholicism: A Few Modest Proposals. Horizons. Vol. 35 (2 Fall 2008), pp. 203-227.
Heft, J. L. John Paul II and the Just War Doctrine. USC’s Religion, Identity and Global Governance Conference.
Heft, J. L. Rousing the Sleeping Giant: Notre Dame’s Commitment to Catholic Schools. Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice.
Heft, J. L. (2007). Newman’s Vision of a University: Then and Now. Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice. Vol. 10:3, pp. 357-375.
Heft, J. L. (2006). Religion and Politics: The Catholic Contribution. University of Dayton Law Review. Vol. Vo. 32:1 (2006), pp. 29-46.
Heft, J. L. (2006). “Catholic Universities as Open Circles: Academic Freedom.”. No Journal Defined. Vol. 35, pp. 40 660-663.
Heft, J. L. (2005). “Wisdom for Presidents”. No Journal Defined. Vol. 24, pp. 2 49-51.
Heft, J. L. “Catholic Education and Social Justice.”. No Journal Defined. Vol. 10, pp. 1 6-23.
 

Honors and Awards
Endowed Professorship, Alton M. Brooks Professor of Religion, 8/16/2006-  
Nominated by Gamma Sigma Alpha National Greek Honor Society at USC for Professor of the Year 2007 , 2007-2008   
 

Service to the University

Committees
Member, Serve on Rabbi Susan Laemmle's USC Religious Partners' Group. , 2007-2008   
 

Media, Alumni, and Community Relations
Invited President of the National Endowment of the Arts, Dana Gioia, to speak on "Catholicism and Literature" Video presentation is on our website: www.ifacs.com., 2008-2009   
 

Other Service to the University
Organized Annual Leccture Series on "Film and Religion"., 2008-2009   
We have also launched our first annual USC lecture series, "Catholicism and Other World Religions," which will result in a book published in 2008. Next year, we will organize a year long series on "Film and Religion." , 2007-2008   
 

Service to the Profession

Conferences Organized
Organizer, What Happened at Vatican II?, Davidson Conference Center - USC, The 2-day symposium focused on Historian John O'Malley's book, "What Happened at Vatican II?", 2008-2009   
Organizer, True Wealth of Nations, USC Davidson Conference Center, As president of the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies I helped organize and fully supported an international conference on the "True Wealth of Nations." The papers presented at the conference are being edited submitted to Oxford University Press. , 06/18/2008-06/22/2008  
 

Other Service to the Profession
As President of the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, I have organized for each academic year a lecture series on campus. For the year, 2007-2008, the theme of the lecture series was Catholicism and other World Religions. For the academic year, 2008-2009, the theme is Religion and Film. Both lecture series, held on campus, bring eminent scholars to campus to interact with USC’s scholars and community. I am editing the lectures given at both series so that they may be published as books. I have included USC faculty as respondents to these lectures., 2008-2009   
I invited the President of the National Endowment for the Arts, Dana Gioia, to speak on campus December 3rd on "Christianity and Literature." I have extended invitations to USC’s English Faculty for the lecture and join Mr. Gioia for dinner afterwards, 2008-2009   
 
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