On the City upon a Hill – at the Abbey upon the Hill

4 July marks not only the adoption of the American Declaration of Independence but also the anniversary of Otto von Habsburg’s passing. In recent years, our Foundation, in cooperation with the Benedictine community of Pannonhalma, has marked this occasion with a series of programmes. The venue has been deliberately chosen as, according to his last will, the Archduke’s heart was laid to rest in the Basilica of the Archabbey, reflecting his deep gratitude to the Benedictine monks of Saint Martin’s Hill, whose formative role in his education during his years of exile left a lasting imprint. This year, Otto von Habsburg’s extensive network of American connections provides a unique opportunity to bring these two above-mentioned commemorative occasions together.

To mark the 250^th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, the event will explore the historical significance and lasting legacy of the United States’ founding document by examining various aspects of the Declaration’s origins and reception, with particular attention to the extent to which it drew upon Christian teaching and the Christian understanding of the human person. It will also investigate how the principles embodied in the document – partly building on earlier Puritan traditions – became woven into the American understanding of liberty and moral order, and how they contributed to shaping the United States’ sense of mission in the world. Special attention will be given to the ways in which these ideas were interpreted by the intellectual and political circles with which Otto von Habsburg himself was associated. The conference, however, will focus not only on the circumstances surrounding the Declaration’s creation but also on its subsequent reception and influence. It will consider how the document exerted a lasting impact on political thought and became an important point of reference in later ecclesiastical and theological debates.

Programme

10:00 – 10:30     Registration (outside the Assembly Hall)

10:30 – 12:30    Lectures and Roundtable Discussion

Welcome Remarks
Rt. Rev. Cirill T. Hortobágyi, OSB, Archabbot of Pannonhalma

Introduction
Gergely Prőhle, Director, Otto von Habsburg Foundation

Opening Lectures
Richard Gamble, Professor, Hillsdale College (USA)
Alvino-Mario Fantini, Editor-in-Chief, The European Conservative

Roundtable Discussion
Fr. John Bayer, O. Cist., Cistercian monk and Adjunct Professor, University of Dallas (USA)
László Gonda, Theologian and Vice Rector, Debrecen Reformed Theological University
Richard Gamble, Professor, Hillsdale College (USA)
Alvino-Mario Fantini, Editor-in-Chief, The European Conservative

Moderator: Bence Kocsev, Research Fellow, Otto von Habsburg Foundation

12:30 – 12:50    Coffee Break

13:00 – 13:30    Hour of Prayer in the Basilica

13:45 –    Lunch at Viator Restaurant

The discussion will be held in Hungarian and English. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided.

We look forward to welcoming you.