The Centre for Cultural Policy Studies is hosting a free public lecture named "Strategic Canonization: Sanctity, Popular Culture and the Catholic Church" from 5:30pm to 6:30pm on Wednesday 3 February in room G50, Millburn House.

Professor Oliver Bennett will give the lecture. There will be a glass of wine/refreshments after the event.

Description

In his 27 year pontificate (1978-2005), Pope John Paul II created not only more saints than any other pope in history, but also more saints than all the other popes put together since Pope Urban VIII centralised control of saint-making in 1634. In this lecture, Oliver Bennett will explore the politics of canonization, its relation to popular culture and the capacity of the Catholic Church to reinvent very old forms of cultural policy for changing times.