Former School of Education professor Kevin Ryan will fly to Rome in April to attend his first meeting as one of 37 members of the Catholic Church’s Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, after being appointed to the academy by Pope John Paul II.
Ryan, founder and director emeritus of SED’s Center for the Advancement of Ethics and Character, said a letter from the Vatican informed him of his appointment in early October.
Ryan said the academy has “a tremendously varied group of people” who come from countries such as the Philippines, South Africa, India and Belgium.
“I am really excited to meet them all,” he said.
Ryan said his colleagues nominated him for the position more than a year ago, but he did not expect to be appointed.
“I didn’t think there was any chance, and I sort of forgot about it,” he said. “I was very surprised and enormously grateful and humbled by it.”
Established by the Pope in 1994, the academy acts as an advisory board for the Church and honors scholars in the areas of social science, economics, law and politics.
Current academy members nominate scholars to serve 10-year terms and attend regular meetings, according to the group’s website. A committee reviewed nominations and made three recommendations to the Pope, Ryan said.
Although Ryan said he practices Catholicism, members are not required to follow the faith.
Ryan, who retired from BU in 1999, said he looks forward to putting his energy toward the Church.
“My view on the whole thing is that there are two great institutions that keep the world from barbarism and are important for human growth and stability,” he said. “One is the university and the other is the church – all churches, not just the Catholic Church. And I gave the first part of my life to the university and hope I can have a few more years to give my energy to the Church.”
The academy helps the Church identify areas that need greater attention and study, Ryan said.
“The Church is here to serve the world, whether it is poverty or ignorance,” he said.
Ryan said he is particularly concerned about the transmission of values around the world.
“Parents are having a difficult time passing on what they believe is a good and worthy life,” he said. “The whole problem of the transmission of values is becoming increasingly difficult as the entertainment industry and commercial interests get more powerful in the lives of everyone.”
Since his retirement, Ryan has been writing books and speaking around the world, and he remains involved with the Center for the Advancement of Ethics and Character at BU.
“He has remained a loyal supporter and friend to the center,” said Bernice Lerner, the center’s director. “He is a wonderful human being.”
Karen Bohlin, a former director of the center, said Ryan is admired and highly respected.
“A consummate scholar and teacher, Kevin is one of the most well-loved and well-remembered teachers I have ever known,” she said in an email. “In addition to his wonderful sense of humor, personal warmth and genuine humility, one of the singular qualities of his teaching and scholarship is his regard for the promise and potential of the human person.”
The other American academy members include 1972 Nobel Prize recipient Kenneth Arrow and Harvard Law School professor Mary Ann Glendon.
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