IDEAS - ACADEMIC BACKGROUND


Gregory is a social philosopher whose teaching, writing and research explore the intersection of religion, culture, and science, particularly the interplay of liberalism, naturalism, and Christianity in our post-secular, post-Christian era.

Social Philosopher

Education

  • Franciscan University

    Steubenville, Ohio (1987-1990)

    BA in Theology, Philosophy, and Politics

    Franciscan University is a vibrant Catholic liberal arts university in Eastern Ohio. The university strongly emphasizes Catholic Personalism, phenomenological realism, and the Catholic Social Thought tradition.

  • International Academy of Philosophy

    Schaan, Liechtenstein (1991-1992)

    M.Phil in Philosophy and Political Economy

    The Academy focused on contemporary continental philosophy, including personalism and phenomenology.

  • Trinity College Dublin

    Dublin, Ireland (1992-1996)

    Ph.D. in Social Philosophy

    Doctoral research focused on social philosophy and political economy. Other areas of concentration included social ethics, Christian social thought, and the philosophical foundations of Liberalism.

Intellectual Influences

  • Philosophical

    Gregory has been philosophically influenced primarily by four overlapping and interwoven scholarly movements.

    Personalism - a philosophical anthropology affirming human dignity and the inherent metaphysical worth of every person. In particular, continental schools of personalist thought, including Catholic personalism.

    Liberalism - the Western political and social philosophy grounded in freedom and respect for human rights. It implicitly calls for a limited state that abides by subsidiarity. Gregory leans toward classical liberalism, influenced by aspects of communitarianism.

    Phenomenological Realism - a philosophical methodology that emerged from Husserl’s early period and developed by Reinach, Scheler, von Hildenbrand, Guardini, Stein, and later, Karol Wojtyla.

    Liberal Naturalism is a form of philosophical naturalism that rejects scientific reductionism and naive supernaturalism. It respects the explanations and results of the successful sciences without supposing that they are the only resource for understanding reality and human life.

  • Theological

    Gregory has also been highly influenced by the following theological movements:

    Catholic Social Thought - the political, social, and economic teaching, particularly the modern popes’ social encyclicals and Vatican II documents.

    Nouvelle Theologie - a 20th Century theological movement motivated by resourcement (a return to Patristic sources) and which sought a reintegration of nature and the supernatural through a sacramental ontology, a renewed understanding of the human person, and the place of the church in modern society.

    Radical Orthodoxy - asserts no separation between the sacred and secular; it promotes a sacred evaluation of all spheres of life. It is considered “radical” because it embraces a wider view of all knowledge and reason as illumination. Still, it is considered “orthodox” because it adheres to credal Christianity and has roots in Anglicanism and Catholicism.

    Historical Jesus Scholarship - an application of historical-critical methods to develop a pre-theological understanding of Jesus and his teachings in cultural and historical contexts.

    Celtic Christianity - while there is no single "Celtic Church" today, Celtic Christianity's enduring appeal lies in its emphasis on a more tolerant, nature-centered, sacramental, and community-oriented spirituality.

Intellectual Engagement

Select Academic Writings