Theologian, writer Feingold to give this year’s Levy Lecture

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Dr. Lawrence Feingold will discuss “Jewish – Christian Dialogue: ‘The Glory of Thy People Israel’” for this year’s Flora Plonsky Levy Lecture at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

The lecture will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 25, at Angelle Hall on campus. It is free and open to the public.

Feingold is a writer and an associate professor at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, Mo.

His scholarly interests are theology and philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Thomistic tradition, the relationship between nature and grace, Christian anthropology, Christology, fundamental theology, the Jewish roots of the Catholic faith, and the relationship between Christian faith and culture.

He is the author of several works, including the three-volume book “The Mystery of Israel and the Church, The Natural Desire to See God According to St. Thomas Aquinas and His Interpreters.”

Feingold earned a bachelor’s degree in comparative arts from Washington University; he also holds a master’s degree in art history from Columbia University.

While working as a sculptor in Italy, Feingold converted from Judaism to Catholicism. He began studying at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, where he earned doctorate in sacred theology.

“Dr. Feingold became a Catholic theologian and philosopher, but he still maintains a great love for his Jewish heritage and its connection to Christianity,” said Dr. Charles Richard, a professor of English who coordinates the Levy Lecture Series.

Feingold’s lecture would likely have been of interest to Dr. Maurice duQuesnay, was instrumental in establishing the lecture series in 1980. The associate professor of English was the University’s longest serving faculty member until his death in June. His tenure began in 1968.

Like Feingold, duQuesnay spent portions of his life practicing both faiths; duQuesnay, however, “was a Catholic who converted to Judaism,” Richard explained. “Maurice also maintained a great love of both faiths, so we thought having Dr. Feingold deliver this year’s lecture would be a good way to honor his memory.”

A 15-minute presentation that serves as a both tribute to duQuesnay and a retrospective of the lecture series he coordinated for more than 40 years will precede Feingold’s lecture. It will include a talk by Richard, complemented by a slide show with images culled from the University’s Special Collections.

The annual Flora Plonsky Levy Lecture Series is hosted by the UL Lafayette English Department through a UL Lafayette Foundation endowment.

For more information, contact Richard at cerichard@louisiana.edu

Photo caption: Dr. Lawrence Feingold will give this year’s Flora Plonsky Levy Lecture. The lecture will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 25, at Angelle Hall on campus. It is free and open to the public. Photo credit: Submitted photo