Center on Religion and Culture
Welcome to Fordham’s Center on Religion and Culture
At a time when religion’s role in American life is both praised and contested, Fordham’s Center on Religion and Culture (CRC) explores the complex relationship between faith and contemporary life.
Through public events and conversations with experts and artists, scholars and faith leaders, the CRC seeks to engage and elevate the public dialogue about religion and culture, the mind and the soul, inclusion and identity, politics, and the arts.
The CRC is hosting a full slate of in-person and online events in the 2026-2027 academic year.
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Praying for a Non-Nuclear World
November 30, 2026 | 6:00 p.m.
University Church | Fordham University | Rose Hill
441 E Fordham Rd | Bronx, NY 10458Join American and Japanese Catholic leaders as they celebrate Mass on the occasion of the U.N review of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
The liturgy will be followed by a discussion with the audience about critical efforts by Pope Leo XIV and the Catholic Church around the world to push for nuclear disarmament amid rising global tensions.
A relic from the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, the head of the virgin known as Our Lady of Nagasaki, or Hibaku no Maria, will also be on display in Fordham’s University Church. This will be one of the rare occasions the cherished fragment has been out of Japan since the atomic bombing of Japan by the U.S. in 1945.
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Christmas Screening: Merchants of Joy
December 3, 2026 | 6:00 p.m.
McNally Amphitheatre | Fordham University | Lincoln Center
140 W 62nd Street | New York, NY 10023Join Academy Award-winning filmmaker and Fordham grad Celia Aniskovich for a screening and discussion of her acclaimed documentary, “Merchants of Joy,” about the high-stakes New York sidewalk Christmas tree trade.
Celia Aniskovich’s film, “Merchants of Joy,” premiered last Christmas on Amazon and follows the “five families” of New York City tree sales as they source, bargain and hustle, blending street smarts and holiday spirit. Watch the trailer here.
She will join in a discussion with the audience after the screening.
Free hot chocolate and cookies — first come, first served!
Stay tuned for details on the CRC’s growing schedule of programs and follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter) for updates. You can also join our email list to receive CRC news and event invitations.
In the meantime, you can check out our YouTube channel for curated videos of our past events, or learn more about our past programming below.
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