Fons Vitae is an initiative of Duke Divinity School that seeks to make more available the wisdom of the Catholic intellectual tradition in the Duke University community. Inspired by the model of the Lumen Christi Institute at the University of Chicago, Fons Vitae aims to stand as a testament to the enduring relevance and transformative power of the Catholic intellectual and spiritual tradition for learners from diverse fields and backgrounds.

Our Mission

Our goal is one of collaboration, complementing the missions of our home and local institutions and initiatives while enriching the academic and spiritual fabric of our community. We desire to harness the rich space for conversation, scientific rigor, and innovative thinking characteristic of Duke as a premier research university.

Fons Vitae hosts public lectures, master classes, summer seminars, a fellowship program, and community events that highlight our tradition as a means for fostering greater love of learning and the desire for God. We see this as our contribution to Duke’s history as an institution committed to “eruditio et religio.”

Significance of Name

Drawing inspiration from the Scriptures (cf. Psalm 36:10; John 4:14) and the wider spiritual and theological tradition of the Christian faith, the center of which is the person of Jesus Christ, the initiative has assumed the name “Fons Vitae.” This name signifies our effort to sponsor programs that advance the knowledge and love of God as the “Fountain of Life” (“Fons Vitae”) and thereby help Catholic and non-Catholic learners grow in the wisdom that deepens faith and bears great intellectual fruit.

Partners

Fons Vitae is a member of the In Lumine Network and has partnerships with Duke Catholic Center, Ecclesia in America Network, and Trinitarian Ontology.

Founding Vision Statement

Professors Peter Casarella and Reinhard Huetter collaborated to author Fons Vitae's founding vision statement in 2022. It contains a brief history of the inspiration for the initiative and a summary of the many principles that guide its efforts today. 

Faculty & Staff

Peter Casarella in white button-down shirt with trees in background
Peter Casarella, Ph.D.

Professor of Theology
Executive Director, Fons Vitae
Duke Divinity School

Peter Casarella, Ph.D., M.A. is professor of theology and Executive Director of Fons Vitae at Duke Divinity School. Dr. Casarella’s primary field of study is systematic theology followed by world religions and world church. Read full bio.

Troy Kassien headshot in suit
Troy Kassien, M.A., M.T.S.

Program Coordinator, Fons Vitae
Duke Divinity School

Troy Kassien is the program coordinator for Fons Vitae. He leads efforts to make the life-giving wisdom of the Catholic intellectual tradition more accessible in the Duke community in a way that contributes to conversations happening in the church, the academy, and the wider culture today. He holds a B.A. in theology and philosophy from Loyola Marymount University and M.A. and M.T.S. degrees in theology from the University of Notre Dame. He has taught at the high school and postsecondary levels and has also served in the spaces of catechesis, event planning, and—curiously—recycling and waste management. He is passionate about engaging students, faculty, and scholars in conversations at the nexus of theology, philosophy, spirituality, and education.