Pope Benedict XVI has reappointed Prof John Haldane to the prestigious role of Consultor to the Pontifical Council for Culture while naming new members and consultors of the Pontifical Council on Saturday 10 December 2011. The status of consultor was renewed for another period of five years for Prof. John Haldane, of the University of St. Andrews.

Reacting to his reappointment, Professor Haldane said;
"One of Pope Benedict's priorities is the re-evangelisation of Western civilisation and bringing Europe back into Christendom. The way to re-evangelise Western civilisation is through cultural dialogue; that is through re-interpreting the arts and philosophy through a Christian perspective. There is a larger issue than declining numbers in churches and that is about convincing at a cultural and intellectual level. As a Catholic intellectual, I am very happy to be associated with this."

Commenting on the announcement, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh said;
“I congratulate John on is reappointment to this most prestigious Council, he is a Catholic intellectual of world rank and a philosopher of great standing. His work embodies the greatest Catholic traditions of cultural and intellectual enquiry often lost in our shallow secular society. I wish him every success and blessing for his forthcoming term.”

ENDS

Peter Kearney
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Notes to Editors:

1. John Haldane, is Professor of Philosophy at the University of St Andrews. He is author of a number of publications, and is a regular newspaper columnist and broadcaster. He was awarded an honorary degree by Glasgow  University in 2008 and elected Chairman of the Royal Institute of Philosophy in 2010.
Professor Haldane’s areas of expertise range from theoretical engagements in the Philosophy of Mind to practical considerations on issues of education. Professor of Philosophy at the University of St Andrews he is a popular communicator and broadcaster often engaging in controversial issues.
He has held a number of prestigious lectureships and fellowships at institutions including Georgetown University, Cambridge University and the Gregorian University in Rome. He has published some 200 academic papers covering areas such as the history of philosophy, philosophy of the mind, metaphysics, and moral and social philosophy.

2. The Pontifical Council for Culture is that department (Dicastery) of the Roman Curia which assists the Pontiff in the exercise of his supreme pastoral office for the benefit and service of the universal Church and of particular Churches concerning the encounter between the saving message of the Gospel and cultures, in the study of the weighty phenomena of: the rift between the Gospel and cultures; indifference in matters of religion; unbelief. It is also concerned with relationships between the Church and the Holy See and the world of culture; in particular it promotes dialogue with contemporary cultures, so that human civilisation may become increasingly open to the Gospel, and so that men and women of science, letters and the arts may know that the Church acknowledges their work as a service to truth, goodness and beauty.