The culture of narcissism means that the modern self is empty, not full. How did we get to the contemporary empty self, what does the body have to do with it, and how might we move forward?

Professor, theologian, speaker, writer and mother, Dr. Angela Franks is the Associate Professor of Theology at the Catholic University of America. Her research and scholarly interests focus on themes such as the body, identity, the Trinity, and Christology, areas in which she has spoken and written extensively. Her most recent work Body and Identity: A History of the Empty Self (Notre Dame University Press, 2025) offers an accessible, theological and philosophical analysis of contemporary ideals of human identity, and an intellectual roadmap of how we arrived at liquid bodies and empty selves. You can find an interview of the author on this work here.

This lecture will be held at Regent College’s Chapel (5800 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC  V6T 2E4) from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. As on previous occasions, we will host a pre-lecture reception featuring appetizers, charcuterie, and pastries from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. RSVP recommended by emailing houstoncentre@regent-college.edu.

In addition, it will be recorded and subsequently posted on our YouTube channel and on the Recorded Lectures section of our website.

About the speaker:

Angela Franks, Ph.D., is a theologian, writer, and mother of six. She serves as Associate Professor of Theology at the Catholic University of America and as the President of the Academy of Catholic Theology for 2025-26. She is a Senior Fellow at the Abigail Adams Institute in Cambridge, as well as a Life and Dignity Writing Fellow for Church Life Journal (University of Notre Dame).