James L. Heft

Received B.A. (Philosophy) and B.S. (Education) Degrees from the University of Dayton

Received M.A. (Theology) and Ph.D. (Historical Theology) from the University of Toronto

Came to the University of Dayton in 1977 as an Instructor in the Dept. of Religious Studies

Chairperson of Religious Studies: 1983 - 1989

Provost: 1989 - 1996

University Professor of Faith and Culture and Chancellor: 1996 -

President & Founding Director, Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies

Research Interests

• General Issues of the Catholic Tradition, particularly matters of doctrine
• Ecumenism
• Issues in Catholic Higher Education: academic freedom, Catholic identity, and the mission of institutions

Author of over 100 articles and book chapters, he published a book, John XXII (1316-1334) and Papal Teaching Authority (Edwin Mellen Press, 1986), and edited Faith and the Intellectual Life (Notre Dame Press, 1996) and a book based on a lecture by the Catholic philosopher Charles Taylor, A Catholic Modernity? (Oxford, 1999). He is currently working on a book on Catholic higher education. He serves on the editorial board of two journals. His article on "Feminism and the Tradition," which he co-authored with Dr. Una Cadegan of the Department of History, won the first place prize from the Catholic Press Association as the best scholarly article for 1990. Along with 24 other leaders in higher education, he participated, beginning in 1997, in a three-year seminar on religion in higher education, and a second seminar on scholarship and administration in Christian colleges and universities, both funded by the Lilly Endowment. In 1997, he was appointed to the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Education. Since 1997, he has chaired a board which is working to establish an Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies.

Board Memberships

• Member of the Research Board of the Chief Administrators of Catholic Education (CACE), 1989 - 1994
• Member of the Local Board of Trustees of The National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), 1989 - present; Executive Committee, 1994 - present; Chair, 2000-2002
• Member of the Board of Collegium, 1991 - 1995
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), 1993 - present; Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, 1996 - 1998; Chair of the Board of Directors, 1998 - 2000
• Member of the Board of Trustees of St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas, 1995 - present
• Member of the Board of Trustees of Greater Dayton Public Television, 1995 - 1997
• Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies