Gerald Glynn O'Collins (2 July 1931 – 22 August 2024) was an Australian
Jesuit
The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...
and academic. He was a research professor and writer-in-residence at the Jesuit Theological College (JTC) in
Parkville, Victoria
Parkville is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, north of Melbourne's Melbourne City Centre, Central Business District, located within the Cities of City of Melbourne, Melbourne and City of Merri-bek, M ...
, and a research professor in theology at
St Mary's University College in
Twickenham
Twickenham ( ) is a suburban district of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...
. For more than three decades, he was professor of systematic and fundamental theology at the
Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome).
In 2006, O'Collins was made a Companion of the General Division of the
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...
(AC), in recognition of his outstanding commitment to theological scholarship and ecumenical initiatives.
Life and career
O'Collins was born in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
, Australia on 2 July 1931, and educated at
Xavier College. His maternal grandfather
Paddy Glynn was a federal government minister, while his sister
Maev O'Collins became a professor at the
University of Papua New Guinea. O'Collins studied at the
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...
, where he took both a first-class honours
baccalaureate degree and a master's degree. He was ordained a
Roman Catholic priest
The priesthood is the office of the ministers of religion, who have been commissioned ("ordained") with the holy orders of the Catholic Church. Technically, bishops are a priestly order as well; however, in common English usage ''priest'' re ...
in 1963 and went on to earn a
Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) at
Heythrop College
Heythrop College, University of London, was a constituent college of the University of London between 1971 and 2018, last located in Kensington Square, London. It comprised the university's specialist faculties of philosophy and theology with soc ...
, Oxfordshire, in 1967. The next year he was made a
Doctor of Theology by
Cambridge University
The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
, where he held a research
fellowship at
Pembroke College. He taught at the Weston School of Theology (
Boston Theological Institute) in
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...
, and the JTC in Melbourne for five years before accepting a professorship at the
Gregorian University in Rome in 1973. He taught there until 2006. Additionally, he served as
dean of the theological faculty for six years. After retiring from the Gregorian he was named research professor at St. Mary's University College.
O'Collins received several honorary doctorates: from the
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco (USF) is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit university in San Francisco, California, United States. Founded in 1855, it has nearly 9,000 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees ...
(1991),
University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a public research university in Guildford, Surrey, England. The university received its Royal Charter, royal charter in 1966, along with a Plate glass university, number of other institutions following recommendations ...
(2003),
Sacred Heart University (Bridgeport, Conn.) (2004);
John Carroll University (Cleveland, Ohio) (2007); and a DD from
Melbourne College of Divinity (2007); Honorary adjunct professor of
Australian Catholic University (2007–2010).
O'Collins organised and co-chaired international ecumenical symposia on the
Resurrection (1996), the
Trinity
The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, thr ...
(1998), the
Incarnation
Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It is the Conception (biology), conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic form of a god. It is used t ...
(2000), the
Redemption (2003), and the legacy of
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005.
In his you ...
(2008), also co-editing their proceedings. He returned to Australia in 2009.
O'Collins was an honorary visitor and a visiting scholar at Pembroke College, and served as an honorary adjunct professor at the
Australian Catholic University. He delivered the Fisher Lecture and the
Margaret Beaufort Lecture at
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
and the
Cardinal Hume Lectures at Heythrop College. Amongst other honours, he was the recipient of the Malipiero Prize, the
Stefano Borgia European Prize, and the
Johannes Quasten Medal given by
Catholic University of America.
O'Collins died in Melbourne on 22 August 2024, at the age of 93.
Selected works
* ''Christology: Origins, Developments'' Baylor University Press, 2015. ISBN 9781481302562.
*
*''Light from Light: Scientists and Theologians in Dialogue'' (ed. with Mary Ann Meyers) Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2011.
*''Rethinking Fundamental Theology'' OUP, 2011.
*''Jesus Our Priest: A Christian Approach to the Priesthood of Christ'' (with Michael Keenan Jones) OUP, 2010.
*''Catholicism. A Very Short Introduction'' OUP, 2008.
*''The Legacy of John Paul II'' (ed. with Michael Hayes) Continuum, 2008.
*''
Jesus: A Portrait'' Darton, Longman & Todd, 2008.
*''Salvation for All. God's Other Peoples'' OUP, 2008.
*''Pope John Paul II. A Reader'' (with D Kendall and J LaBelle) Paulist Press, 2007.
*''Christ Our Redeemer. A Christian Approach to Salvation'' OUP, 2007.
*''The Lord's Prayer'' Darton, Longman & Todd, 2006. (Paulist Press ed.)
*''Living Vatican II. The 21st Council for the 21st Century'', Paulist Press, 2006 (awarded best theology book of 2006 by the Catholic Press Association of the United States and of Canada).
*''Following the Way: Jesus Our Spiritual Director'' Paulist Press, 2000.
*''
Christology: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Study of Jesus'' OUP, 1995 – rev. 2nd ed. 2009.
*''
Jesus Risen: An Historical, Fundamental, and Systematic Examination of Christ's Resurrection'' Paulist Press, 1987.
See also
*
Catholic Church and ecumenism
The Catholic Church has engaged in the modern ecumenical movement especially since the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) and the issuing of the decree ''Unitatis redintegratio'' and the declaration ''Dignitatis humanae''. It was at the Counc ...
Notes
External links
Official Profile on the ''Australian Jesuits'' Website
Accessed 25 October 2012 on ''The Humble Approach Initiative''
Bibliography on ''Good Reads''Gerald O'Collins – Curriculum of published worksInterview with Fr. O'Collins on ''ViasTuas'' (Australia) dated 3 August 2004, at St Thomas More College,
University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Crawley, Western Australia, Crawley, a suburb in the City of Perth local government area. UW ...
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:OCollins, Gerald
1931 births
2024 deaths
Academics from Melbourne
Australian Jesuits
20th-century Jesuits
21st-century Jesuits
University of Melbourne alumni
20th-century Australian Roman Catholic priests
Alumni of Heythrop College
Alumni of the University of Cambridge
Academic staff of the Pontifical Gregorian University
Jesuit philosophers
20th-century Australian philosophers
21st-century Australian philosophers
Academics of St Mary's University, Twickenham
Australian Roman Catholic theologians
Philosophers of religion
People in Christian ecumenism
Christologists
Companions of the Order of Australia
21st-century Australian Roman Catholic priests
People educated at Xavier College