The Theology Club is now “active again,” as the group presented its first speaker on campus in over three years on Thursday, March 18.

About 170 people settled into the Anheuser-Busch Auditorium in Cook Hall at 7 p.m. to discuss the modern Catholic Church with Catholic Priest, theologian and author James Alison.

“I am kind of in awe of that many people showing up,” Theology Club President Dan Finucane said. “I am extremely proud of our efforts to get people here, and I think the diversity of the crowd is exactly what we wanted to get a great conversation started.”

That conversation began as the audience packed the front of the auditorium. Alison stood in front of the stage, on the same level as the audience, to discuss “the gift of the spirit and the shape of belonging:  meditations on the church as ecclesial sign.”

Alison focused on the crucified and risen lord, Jesus Christ, who is “at the heart of any discussion of the church.” He continually spoke of Christ as the message of the Catholic Church, and discussed how that message is changing in our modern world.

“The whole church structure as we know it is in a huge state of flux at the moment, and it is going to continue to be in a huge state of flux for several years as it gets used to different realities,” Alison said. “That reality, like us, is on the receiving end of the presence of Jesus.”

Alison said that, throughout the past 100 years, there have been two major changes that have affected the whole church structure: the increased discussion of sex and the increasing role of institutions. This “state of flux” sparked discussion regarding the future of the priesthood during the question-and-answer session.

“The reality hits me more and more: that we are going to be a priestless church in many parts of the world within a decade or two,” Kenneth Parker, associate professor in the Department of Theological Studies, said. “We have a responsibility; we are going to have to find a way to function as a church in the absence of priests, and that means that we are going to have to carry forward the spiritual life of the church.”

The decision to present Alison as a Theology Club speaker began after Finucane had an “eye opening experience” while reading Alison’s book “The Joy of Being Wrong.” Finucane said that he wanted him to start a great conversation and attract a diverse audience with his speech.

“I just think it is so great that the Theology Club was able to bring in such an influential theologian and open it up to the greater SLU community,” senior Juliana Heck said. “They put on a really good program and his speech was great.”

The Theology Club’s next event is in April titled the “Theology of Food” as the event will focus on locally growing and what it means theologically when we eat.