Lost Virtue of Humility

Christopher M. Bellitto, Ph.D., is Professor of History at Kean University in New Jersey.

The Department of Catholic Studies, along with the Seton Hall University Core Curriculum, proudly presents “Humility: The Secret of a Lost Virtue.” This event will take place at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, October 4, in the Chancellor’s Suite (ground floor of the Bishop Dougherty University Center). Join us for this lecture by the distinguished Christopher Bellitto, Ph.D., who will present a discussion of the most significant themes in his latest book, titled Humility: The Secret History of a Lost Virtue.

About the Lecture:
How can we rescue the ancient and medieval virtue of humility from the modern idea of humiliation? Can we use what Dante called “the first virtue” to fight hybris, arrogance, and narcissism today? Join us as we explore a biography of humility, moving from classical Hebrew and Greek ideas through the medieval Jewish, Christian, and Muslim notion of learned ignorance. When humility became a vice, trouble ensued: ask Faustus or Dr. Frankenstein. Perhaps we can recover the positive notion of humility as a virtue for the common good in service of others.

About the Speaker:
Christopher M. Bellitto, Ph.D., is Professor of History at Kean University in New Jersey, where he teaches courses in ancient and medieval history. A specialist in medieval and Church history, his latest book is Humility: The Secret History of a Lost Virtue (Georgetown University Press, 2023). He has twice won grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities. He has been Visiting Scholar at Princeton Theological Seminary and a Fulbright Specialist in New Zealand and the Netherlands. Dr. Bellitto also serves as series Editor in Chief of Brill’s Companions to the Christian Tradition and Academic Editor at Large for Paulist Press. He offers public lectures frequently and is also a media commentator on Church history and contemporary Catholicism.