Pope Francis appointed two Catholic University of America professors, Robin Darling Young, Ph.D., and Reinhard Huetter, Dr. theo. habil., as members of the Vatican’s prestigious International Theological Commission (ITC) on Sept. 29, 2021. Their appointments are for five years.
The Commission was founded in 1969 to advise the Pope and Holy See, through the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, on “doctrinal problems of great importance” for the Church. Members include theological scholars from around the world.
The Catholic University of America is the only institution in the world with two appointees. Its School of Theology and Religious Studies is a pontifical faculty, accredited by the Holy See, and the only pontifical faculty in the United States that is part of a major research university.
“An appointment to the International Theological Commission bestows great honor and recognition of the depth of their research and theological reflection. Professors Robin Darling Young’s work in the Syriac and Armenian traditions and Reinhard Huetter’s scholarship in fundamental and dogmatic theology, will bring a rich dimension to this diverse group of scholars on this Commission. Our academic community rejoices in the nomination of two faculty members from the School of Theology and Religious Studies to serve our Holy Father and the universal church in this way,” said Very Rev. Mark Morozowich, dean and associate professor of liturgical studies and sacramental theology.
Robin Darling Young is an associate professor at Catholic University’s School of Theology and Religious Studies and an expert in early Church history. She has published and lectured widely on scriptural interpretation, the history of asceticism and monastic thought, and the Christian cultures of ancient Syria and Armenia. Young is currently preparing an annotated translation of the "Letters of Evagrius of Pontus" from the surviving Syriac translation for the Fathers of the Church series (CUA Press), and directing a translation team that will produce English translations from the Greek texts and Syriac translations of the same author’s Gnostic Trilogy (Praktikos, Gnostikos, Kephalaia Gnostika) for Oxford University Press.
Reinhard Huetter is a professor of fundamental and dogmatic theology Catholic University’s School of Theology and Religious Studies. His teaching and research focus on fundamental theological questions of the relationship between faith and reason, nature and grace, revelation and faith, theology and philosophy, dogma and history, on questions of theological anthropology (grace and freedom), and the theology and epistemology of faith. He is the author of numerous books and scholarly articles.