Franciscan University to Host Dr. Anthony Esolen Online Lecture on Brotherhood and Masculinity

STEUBENVILLE, OHIO- Franciscan University of Steubenville's Institute for the Study of Man and Woman will host a public lecture by noted author and cultural commentator Dr. Anthony Esolen titled "The Forgotten Icon: Brotherhood" on Wednesday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pope St. Paul VI Event Center, located in Christ the Teacher Hall.

Esolen will remotely present his talk online, allowing both in-person and online audiences to participate. A live question-and-answer session with Esolen will follow the lecture.

In his talk, Esolen will explore why civilization depends on the strength of men and the often-overlooked reality of male brotherhood-particularly the bonds formed among men in pursuit of difficult or dangerous endeavors and in service of the common good.

"I'm going to speak about the characteristically male brotherhood formed for dangerous or difficult enterprises, and for the promotion and the protection of the common good, and for the preservation and the propagation of truth," Esolen said. "We speak about man and woman in marriage-and about mother and child-but we have forgotten the brothers-in-arms."

Esolen will also reflect on themes from his 2022 book, No Apologies: Why Civilization Depends on the Strength of Men, which examines the role of masculine virtue in sustaining family, culture, and civilization.

According to Dr. Deborah Savage, theology professor and director of the Institute for the Study of Man and Woman, the lecture builds upon the institute's ongoing focus on the meaning and mission of men in contemporary society.

"Since the institute's first event in October 2024-a conference on both man and woman in the order of creation-this year we have focused our activities on man and the situation men face in contemporary culture," Savage said. "Dr. Esolen's talk is our second event this academic year on the topic of masculinity. We invited him first, because he is one of the most insightful thinkers and cultural commentators writing today, and second, because his grasp of the significance of masculinity in sustaining the family, the community-indeed, our civilization-is unparalleled. His thinking on this critical issue is essential to addressing it, both in the immediate cultural context and for the future of the West."

The Institute for the Study of Man and Woman at Franciscan University seeks to advance a robust and coherent understanding of the human person, rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition and inspired by the teachings of St. John Paul II. Through interdisciplinary research spanning theology, philosophy, biology, neuroscience, and the social sciences, the institute examines the nature, identity, and mission of men and women-both individually and in relation to one another.

In response to growing cultural confusion surrounding identity and the human person, the institute promotes scholarship and public dialogue that highlights the complementarity of man and woman and the implications of that truth for the family, the Church, and society. Through academic conferences, public lectures, and educational initiatives, it equips scholars, students, and the wider community to engage these questions with intellectual rigor, clarity, and faith.

The event is free and open to the public.

To watch the livestream, visit: https://boxcast.tv/view/dr-anthony-esolen-institute-for-the-study-of-man-and-woman-wftzvic9jcgyzkq6vasg.