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Faculty of Divinity Lightfoot Room
Faculty of Divinity, Sidgwick Site, off West Road, Cambridge CB3 9BSDr Tom Ovens explores overlapping narratives of religion, politics and tradition, through the conversion of a Kansas University literature professor, whose trajectory led to the canonically irregular, ultra-traditionalist Society of Saint Pius X.
About
Abstract
Traditionalist (often self-described as “trad”) Catholicism appears to be a growing force, above all, perhaps, in the United States. Here, a much-publicised image of trad Catholicism is as a movement that is substantially composed of increasing numbers of young converts reacting against shortcomings inherent in modern secular life.
To some extent, these perceived shortcomings align with broader conservative critiques of contemporary “liberal” ideologies, particularly on gender issues but also, on a deeper level, in relation to a supposedly rampant doctrine of relativism. In contrast, trad Catholics may embrace traditional gender roles and liturgical rituals, often centred on the pre-Conciliar form of the Mass (colloquially referred to as the Traditional Latin Mass, or TLM). In the US, where trad Catholic discourses are well resourced and strongly present across media channels, these discourses also overlap significantly with images of the nation.
In this paper, I present the biographical example of John Senior, a 20th-century Kansas University literature professor, whose trajectory of conversion to Catholicism and, eventually, into the canonically irregular, ultra-traditionalist Society of Saint Pius X, reveals much about the overlapping narratives of religion, politics and the nation not only in contemporary America but, potentially, beyond, in the wider contexts of globalisation.
About the speaker
Dr Tom Ovens is a postdoctoral researcher active at the intersections between anthropology and theology. His PhD (University of St Andrews, 2025) explored the dynamic relationships between contemporary Benedictine monastic communities and wider secular and religious contexts, with a particular focus on liturgy. Ovens is currently exploring the relationship between ritual and nationalism in Catholic contexts, while also supervising students in the Department of Social Anthropology and the Faculty of Divinity at Cambridge.
Background to this event
This event is part of the Inter-Religious Seminar series, convened by Professor Esra Özyürek.