Annual lectures, talks and conferences

The Faculty of Theology and Philosophy is delighted to host leading local and international theologians and philosophers from all over the world who deliver a range of public events addressing a diversity of topics.

The Adelaide Annual Public Lecture is one such event, hosted by the ACU Adelaide Campus.

School of Philosophy Seminar Series

Seminars take place on Fridays 12-1:30 PM (Melbourne/Sydney time) over Microsoft Teams or Zoom and, in the case of La Caze’s talk, also in person on Brisbane campus (Room 212-2-19).

To register or ask other questions, please email the organizer at margot.strohminger@acu.edu.au.

ACU Luminaries Series

Throughout the year, we host internationally-acclaimed scholars and experts as part of the ACU Luminaries Series. Our public lectures, seminars, short courses, workshops and research colloquia explore how social, cultural, political and religious issues impact how we understand our world.

Past luminaries have included:

• Professor Francis X Clooney SJ, Harvard University
• Professor Nancy Dubler, New York University
• Professor Thomas Murray, President Emeritus, The Hastings Center, New York.

A core part of the ACU Luminaries series are two annual events, the Simone Weil Lecture on Human Value and the Plunkett Lecture. You can learn more about each of these events below.

Simone Weil Lecture on Human Value

The Simone Weil Lecture on Human Value is hosted by the School of Philosophy. It was first held in 2000, an initiative of Professor Raimond Gaita. It is a free public lecture held annually in Brisbane and Melbourne.

Each year, a distinguished international scholar is invited to give a public lecture and academic seminar at ACU. The lectures are inspired by Simone Weil’s ethical vision that is rooted in attentive compassion and obligation to others, her unstinting desire for the Good, and her non-negotiable commitment to justice.

Past lecturers have included:

• Professor Michael Morgan, Chancellor's Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Jewish Studies
• Professor Mark Alfano, Associate Professor of Ethics and Philosophy, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands and Professor of Philosophy, ACU
• Professor Robert Audi, Professorial Fellow, ACU and John A. O’Brien Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame, Indiana
• Professor Eleonore Stump, Professorial Fellow, ACU and Robert J. Henle Professor of Philosophy at Saint Louis University, Missouri
• Associate Professor Jeffrey Bloechl, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Boston College.

Learn more about the Simone Weil lecture

The Plunkett Lecture

The inaugural Plunkett Lecture was delivered in 1992, initiating a series of annual lectures which address the ethical issues which arise in the allocation and provision of healthcare in Australia.

The lectures are one way in which the Plunkett Centre for Ethics expresses its commitment to intellectual and professional excellence, to fairness and justice, and to the great values of compassion and fellowship in healthcare.

Past lectures have included:

• Professor Daniel Sulmasy MD PhD MACP, Professor of Biomedical Ethics, Georgetown University, Washington DC
• Most Reverend Anthony Fisher OP, Archbishop of Sydney
• Mr Mark Tedeschi AM QC, NSW Senior Crown Prosecutor and author of Murder at Myall Creek
• Associate Professor Justin Oakley, Monash University
• Professor Wendy Rogers, Macquarie University
• Emeritus Professor Greg Craven AO, GCSG, Australian Catholic University

For more information, visit our Plunkett Lecture page or the Plunkett Centre for Ethics.

Learn more about the Plunkett Lecture

Visit the Plunkett Centre for Ethics