Meet the Hinzes: Fordham theologians engage Ateneo faculty and students in radical sufficiency and prophetic obedience

Theology professors Christine and Bradford Hinze from Fordham University visited Ateneo de Manila University last March 2025 to give talks to Ateneo students and faculty on various themes.

On 17 March, Dr Christine Hinze delivered an inspiring lecture on “Radical Sufficiency” to Theology 12 students. She asked, “How do we respond to social injustice today, in a way that is sustainable and inclusive?”  In contrast to socio-economic and political scripts that, “more is better,” radical sufficiency is an important guiding vision for society in response to the social challenges of our time.  She argues for a divine economy where God takes care of, sustains, and provides for all of us.  Thus, radical sufficiency is the ample sufficiency for all, that all have enough, and all can participate.  It offers a perspective of courage, hope, and impact, as we face current ecological and social challenges.

On 18 March 18, Dr Brad Hinze led a session called “The Prophetic Obedience of Missionary Disciples” aimed at Theology 11 students.  He discussed the call and challenge of the baptized to act collectively as missionary disciples amidst social injustice and abusive forms of leadership.  Prophetic obedience is a critical part of being missionary disciples in a synodal and postcolonial Catholic church.

19 March was a whole day session for faculty of the Department of Theology.  Dr Brad’s morning discussion was on “Shifts in Theology and the Synod.” He offered his thoughts on the direction of theology after the recently concluded synod on synodality.  It was a walk-through on major 20^th century theologians who have influenced ecclesial shifts that have led up to the more inclusive and dialogical synodal church today. 

Dr. Christine took the afternoon to speak on “Family and CST.”  She discussed historical trends on women’s work, gendered perspectives of labor, and the need to balance the equally important care economy and wage economy in families.

Christine Firer Hinze is Professor and Chair of the Department of Theology, and emeritus (2010-2020) Director of the Francis and Ann Curran Center for American Catholic Studies at Fordham University.  She holds a BA in religion, an MA in theology from the Catholic University of America, and a PhD in Christian social ethics from the University of Chicago. Her teaching and research focus on foundational and applied issues in Christian social ethics with special emphasis on the dynamics of social transformation, Catholic social thought, and economic and work justice for vulnerable women, families, and groups. She is the author of Comprehending Power in Christian Social Ethics (1995), Glass Ceilings, Dirt Floors: Women, Work, and the Global Economy (2015), and is co-editor (with J. Patrick Hornbeck) of More Than A Monologue: Sexual Diversity and the Catholic Church, vol 1: Voices of Our Times (2014). 

Bradford Hinze is the Karl Rahner SJ Professor of Theology. He received a BA in philosophy from St Thomas University in St. Paul, MN, an MA in theology from Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, and a PhD from the University of Chicago where he studied modern Continental philosophy, hermeneutics, critical theory, and the history of theology. He is the author of Narrating History, Developing Doctrine: Friedrich Schleiermacher and Johann Sebastian Drey (1993), Practices of Dialogue in the Roman Catholic Church: Aims and Obstacles, Lessons and Laments (2006), Prophetic Obedience: Ecclesiology for a Dialogical Church (2016), and Confronting a Church in Controversy (2022). His current research interests are in ecclesiology and leadership, especially in relation to synodality and postcoloniality and decoloniality.