The call for papers is now open (until March 26, 2027)

8th Razón Abierta Conference: Benedict XVI and the University

On the 100th anniversary of Joseph Ratzinger's birth

June 14–16, 2027, Francisco de Vitoria University and San Dámaso Ecclesiastical University.

As part of the international celebrations organized by the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation to mark the 100th anniversary of Joseph Ratzinger’s birth (1927–2027), Francisco de Vitoria University and San Dámaso Ecclesiastical University will host an international conference in June 2027 dedicated to exploring Benedict XVI’s vision of the university and rediscovering the relevance of his thought and his contribution to the dialogue between faith and reason.

The 8th Razón Abierta Congress aims to revive and update this vision by bringing together scholars and researchers from various disciplines to reflect collectively on the mission of the university, the unity of knowledge, and the challenges posed by a culture marked by increasing specialization, scientism, and the fragmentation of knowledge.

VIII Congreso Razón Abierta Benedicto XVI y la universidad 8th International "Razón Abierta" Conference | UFV Study at the Universidad Privada Madrid

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The call for papers is now open.

Deadline: March 26, 2027

We cordially invite faculty and researchers to submit their papers for the 8th Razón Abierta Conference.

Basic Information:

Deadline: March 26, 2027
Scope of the work: 1,000–1,500 words.
Thematic areas:

Benedict XVI and His Vision of the University
What does it mean for a university to be Catholic?
The Relationship Between Truth and Freedom
Faith and Reason in the Search for Truth
The Role of Catholic Universities in the Public Sphere
The Calling of the College Professor
The Meaning of Education and Education in Search of Meaning

Evaluation period: March 26 – April 30, 2027.

I would like to submit a report

More information about communications

Communications

Presentations must address one of the following thematic areas and should preferably be assigned to one of the roundtable discussions, although the Organizing Committee may reassign them if it deems it appropriate:

Benedict XVI and His Vision of the University
What does it mean for a university to be Catholic?
The Relationship Between Truth and Freedom
Faith and Reason in the Search for Truth
The Role of Catholic Universities in the Public Sphere
The Calling of the College Professor
The Meaning of Education and Education in Search of Meaning

Formal Requirements

Extension: between 1,000 and 1,500 words.
Format: PDF file, Times New Roman font, size 12 for the main text and size 10 for the footnotes.
The file must Title the paper with the name of the presentation and do not include the author's name or the institution of affiliation.
Supported Languages: Spanish and English.

Communication Assessment

In the case of joint communications, only the corresponding author should submit the proposal, although all co-authors must register individually for the conference.

To submit a paper and be considered for publication, you must Registration for the conference is required through this link.

Deadline for submitting papers: through March 26, 2027.

Evaluation Period: March 26 – April 30, 2027.

The Scientific Committee will select the papers to be presented orally during the conference, based on the following criteria:

Relevance to the conference's theme and objectives.
Academic significance of the topic.
Originality.
rigour and depth.

You will be notified by email whether your proposals have been accepted or not.

Selected presentations will be allotted a maximum of 10 minutes for the oral presentation.

The highest-rated papers will be published in a prestigious journal or by a prestigious publisher.

programme from Congress

The " programme " at the 8th Razón Abierta Congress will explore some of the major themes that run through the life and thought of Benedict XVI, with a special focus on his university experience and his conception of the university as a community oriented toward

Monday, June 14 (UFV)

9:00 – 10:00 Registration and Credentials.

10:00 – 10:45 Opening Ceremony and Welcome Remarks.

Daniel Sada, president of Francisco de Vitoria University.
Nicolás Álvarez de las Asturias, rector of San Dámaso Ecclesiastical University.
Roberto Regoli, president of the Ratzinger Foundation.

10:45 – 11:45 Joseph Ratzinger's College Years.

Peter Seewald, Joseph Ratzinger's biographer.

11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Break. Coffee.

12:30 – 2:00 p.m. Roundtable Discussion: The Idea of the University: From Newman to Ratzinger

Jennifer Martin, University of Notre Dame.
Response: Manuel Aróztegui, San Dámaso Ecclesiastical University.

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Food

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Roundtable Discussion: What Makes a University Truly Catholic?

Daniel Sada, Francisco de Vitoria University, president.

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Presentations.

Tuesday, June 15 (St. Damasus)

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Benedict XVI and the pursuit of truth as the university's primary mission.

Rémi Brague, Sorbonne University, Paris. 2012 Ratzinger Prize.
Fernando Viñado, Francisco de Vitoria University.

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Roundtable Discussion: Truth and Freedom in the 21st-Century University.

Alberto Nahum García Martínez, University of Navarra
James Cleary, L.C., Finis Terrae University.
Rudy Albino de Assunção, International University of La Rioja

12:30 – 1:00 p.m. Break.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Presentations.

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Food.

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Roundtable Discussion: Ratzinger and the Reception of “Fides et Ratio.”

Tracey Rowland, Notre Dame University, Australia. 2020 Ratzinger Prize.
Pablo Blanco, University of Navarra. 2023 Ratzinger Prize.

4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Roundtable Discussion: Faith and Reason in Higher Education

Ángel Castaño, San Dámaso Ecclesiastical University
Sameer Advani L.C., Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum
Javier Rubio, Francisco de Vitoria University

7:00 p.m. Mass at the Almudena Cathedral

Wednesday, June 16 (UFV)

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. The Catholic University in the Public Sphere.

(to be confirmed)

10:00 – 11:30 Roundtable Discussion: Educating for a Meaningful Life.

Guillermo Gómez Ferrer, Catholic University of Valencia.
Claudia Vanney, Austral University, Argentina.
Juan Serrano, Francisco de Vitoria University.

11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Break. Coffee.

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Roundtable Discussion: Intellectual Leadership, Integrity, Mentorship, and Purpose in the Work of University Professors.

Joseph Weiler, New York University. 2022 Ratzinger Prize.
Higinio Marín, CEU Cardenal Herrera University.

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Food.

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The Teacher as Witness and Mentor.

Salvador Antuñano, Francisco de Vitoria University.

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Music, an element of theology.

Fabrice Hadjadj, Francisco de Vitoria University

5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Conclusions

Javier Prades, San Dámaso Ecclesiastical University
María Lacalle, Francisco de Vitoria University

6:00 p.m. An Evening of Music: Benedict XVI and Music

Speakers (Coming Soon)

Scientific Committee of the Conference

Conference Scientific Committee (Coming Soon)

Honorary Scientific Committee (Coming Soon)

What is the Instituto Razón Abierta?

The Razón Abierta Institute is a center affiliated with Francisco de Vitoria University dedicated to promoting a form of knowledge open to the totality of reality. Its mission is to foster reflection, research, teaching, and dialogue among different disciplines, thereby promoting a university culture capable of addressing fundamental questions about the human person, the world, and the meaning of existence.

Following Benedict XVI’s proposal, we understand “open reason” to be that which seeks to know reality in all its breadth, without reducing it solely to what can be measured or verified empirically. This requires recognizing the legitimate autonomy of each science and, at the same time, fostering a harmonious synthesis of knowledge in which the individual sciences can engage in dialogue with philosophy and theology in the shared search for truth.

Based on this conviction, the Institute works to overcome the fragmentation of knowledge and restore the university’s mission as a true universitas: a community of diverse fields of knowledge that, without losing their distinctiveness, recognize themselves as part of a broader understanding of reality.

To this end, the Institute promotes and supports teaching and research projects, organizes the Razón Abierta Conferences, as well as seminars and workshops, fosters collaborative networks among professors and universities, and develops initiatives such as the Razón Abierta Awards, in collaboration with the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation.

Learn About the Razón Abierta Institute

razon abierta 8th International "Razón Abierta" Conference | UFV Study at the Universidad Privada Madrid

EntregaPapa1 8th International "Razón Abierta" Conference | UFV Study at the Universidad Privada Madrid

Open Reason Awards

The Razón Abierta Awards are one of the Instituto Razón Abierta’s leading international initiatives. Organized by Francisco de Vitoria University in collaboration with the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation, they recognize and promote academic work that broadens the horizons of rationality and fosters dialogue between the sciences and various disciplines on the one hand, and philosophy and theology on the other.

Intended for university professors and researchers in any field of study, the Awards recognize research projects and teaching programs that, from a perspective of open reason, contribute to a broader understanding of reality and address the big questions about human beings, the world, and transcendence.

The 8th edition of the Razón Abierta Awards will be held in 2027. The deadline for submitting entries is March 10, 2027, and academics from various disciplines and universities are once again invited to participate in this international initiative.

The Razón Abierta Awards and Conferences are two complementary expressions of the same mission: to promote a university culture in which different fields of knowledge can come together and engage in dialogue, overcoming the fragmentation of knowledge and jointly seeking the truth.

Learn About the 8th Annual Razón Abierta Awards