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Marie-Jo Thiel

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Marie-Jo Thiel
Born (1957-05-07) 7 May 1957 (age 67)
Etting, Moselle, France
Occupation(s)Theologian, professor, doctor, ethicist, author

Marie-Jo Thiel (born 7 May 1957, Etting) is a French theologian, medical doctor, and professor of ethics.[1] She is a professor of moral theology, specialising in ethics and bioethics, at the University of Strasbourg.[2] Her research focuses on topics such as ageing, death, medical ethics, and sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.[3] She is also the founder and former director of the European Centre for Studies and Research in Ethics and former president of the European Society for Catholic Theology.[4][5][6][7]

Biography

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Thiel was born on 7 May 1957 in Etting, Moselle, France.[7][8][6] She studied Medicine[2] at the University of Strasbourg and became an intern at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nancy in 1980.[citation needed] She obtained her PhD in Medicine in 1983 from Strasbourg, followed by a PhD in Catholic Theology from the University of Metz in 1989. Her second doctoral thesis was called "Au clair obscur de la vie : pour un statut de l'embryon humain" (In the chiaroscuro of life: Status of the human embryo).[9][6][10][2] This was given très honorable avec félicitations by the jury. She then began teaching ethics and bioethics at Metz and Nancy;[citation needed] at Metz, she became a maître de conférence.[10][6] While a lecturer,[citation needed] she finished a diploma in European Health Policies in 1993 at the Seminary in Nancy, followed by a Habilitation in Ethics and Moral Theology at University of Strasbourg in 1998.[6] Her habilitation thesis was called "Atouts de l'éthique systématique" (Assets of Systematic Ethics), which would inform her academic focus moving forward.[citation needed]

Career

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Thiel joined the Faculty of Catholic Theology at Strasbourg in 1999, where she quickly established an interdisciplinary program in ethics.[6][2][11] A Master's degree in ethics was also started, with her serving as Director.[6][11] This research formed the basis for[citation needed] the European Centre for Studies and Research in Ethics (CEERE), which she founded in 2005 in connection to Strasbourg's Faculty of Social Sciences.[11][4]

Her contacts and research activities in collaboration with Yale University in the United States led Thiel to begin a summer school on interdisciplinary European Ethics in the summer of 2013. The summer school drew 41 students from 22 countries over five continents.[citation needed]

Thiel has been studying sexual abuse in the Catholic Church since the 1990s. Her work as a physician and a theologian meant she was approached by sexual abuse victims; this inspired her to look more deeply at the issue.[12][4][11] In 2017, her work led Pope Francis to appoint her a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life as part of the organisation's reform. New statues were introduced to change the lifetime membership into 5-year renewable terms, and to allow appointments to people regardless of religion.[8] She has also advised the French Episcopal Conference for more than 20 years in its efforts to fight sexual abuse within the Church.[12] In 2018, she published a 700-page, in-depth study on sexual abuse of minors within the Catholic Church. This book is called The Catholic Church facing sexual abuse and was published by Bayard Presse.[2][4] Throughout her studies, she has stressed the importance of supporting and believing victims of sexual abuse, and uses their accounts in her writing.[4]

Thiel started the Journées Internationales d'Ethique (International Symposium on Ethics) in Strasbourg in about 2008.[6][11] She also edits the CEERE newsletter.[citation needed] In addition to her books, she has published articles in several international journals.[12] Thiel teaches and writes in English, German, and French. Though she mainly teaches in France, she has also taught in the United States, Canada, and Germany.[12]

Throughout her work at the intersection of ethics and the Church, she has stepped forward to share her beliefs: she has criticised the Church's ban on contraceptives[13] and classifying homosexuality as a sin,[14] and supported vaccines to help prevent the COVID-19 pandemic.[15] Thiel believes the Church has to be adaptive in the face of changing issues and firmly believes the Church does not intend to be "behind the times."[16] She has also expressed support for assisted suicide, for which she was criticised by other Pontifical Academy members.[17]

Honours and awards

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Year Award Issuing body Notes Ref
2003 Maurice Rapin Prize Book: Où va la médecine ? Sens des représentations et pratiques médicales [18][6]
2008 Teaching Ethics in France trophy European Centre for Studies and Research in Ethics This was the first time this honour had been awarded [19][20][6]
2013 Légion d'honneur Knighthood President of France Awarded at the Palais Universitaire by Hubert Haenel [21][22]
2022 Honorary doctorate in Theology University of Fribourg In recognition of her studies on sexual abuse within the Catholic Church [2]

Memberships

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Organization Membership year Position (yrs) Notes Ref
Association Herrade de Landsberg. About Ethics in Alsace President [6]
Association of Theologians for the Study of Morality 2000 Vice-President (2000-?) [6]
Committee of the Wise, Regional Experts Committee 2008 Member (2008-2011)
Ethics Research Group of the Hospital Team of Saint Vincent (Strasbourg) Member [6]
Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Strasbourg Member [6]
European Democracy Forum Member
European Group of Ethics for Sciences and New Technologies 2011 Member (2011-2016) Nominated by the European Commission [23][5]
European Society for Catholic Theology - Europe Member [6]
European Society for Catholic Theology - France 2015 Vice-President (2015-2017), President (2017-2019) [13][7][6]
French Catholic Academy Member
French Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Ethics Committee 2010 Member (2010-?) [6]
Hospital and University Department of Medical Ethics, University of Strasbourg Vice-President [6]
Institute of Social Liaisons Member
Orientation Council of the Regional Space for Ethical Reflection in Alsace, France Member [6]
Pontifical Academy for Life 2017 Member (2017-2022, 2022-2027) Appointed by Pope Francis [24][2][13][7]
Regional Observatory Agency for the Quality of Hospital Facilities Member
Societas Ethica 2006 Member [6]
Society of Friends of the University Academy of Strasbourg Member
Supervisory Board of the Regional Agency for Health in Alsace 2010 Member (2010-2014, 2015-2019) [6]

Selected publications

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  • 1992: Avancer en vie. Le troisième âge. ISBN 2220033864
  • 1999: Pratiquer l'analyse éthique. Étudier un cas, examiner un texte. with X. Thévenot. ISBN 9782204062497
  • 2006: Entre malheur et espoir. Annoncer le handicap, la maladie, la mort.[6] ISBN 2868202926
  • 2009: Donner, recevoir un organe. Droit, dû, devoir. ISBN 2868203868
  • 2010: Quand la vie naissante se termine.[6] ISBN 9782868204523
  • 2011: Semences de vie. Trente ans d’expérience en assistance médicale à la procréation with André Clavert. ISBN 9782868204691
  • 2012: Ethical Challenges of Ageing.[23] ISBN 9781853159787
  • 2013: Au nom de la dignité de l'être humain.[23] ISBN 978-2227486263
  • 2014: La santé augmentée : réaliste ou totalitaire?[23] ISBN 9782227487444
  • 2016: Souhaitable vulnérabilité?[23] ISBN 9782868205315
  • 2019: L'église catholique face aux abus sexuels sur mineurs.[2][4] ISBN 9782227496033
  • 2022: Abus sexuels – Ecouter, enquêter, prévenir with Anne Danion-Grilliat and Frederic Trautmann. ISBN 9782868207623

References

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  1. ^ "French Roman Catholic Church wants to regain faith of population". CNE. 2022-11-19. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Page, Maurice (2022-11-04). "Marie-Jo Thiel honorée pour son travail sur les abus dans l'Eglise" (in French). cath.ch. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  3. ^ Zbinden, Raphaël (2022-11-15). "M.J. Thiel: "Il nous faut un nouveau style d'Eglise"" (in French). cath.ch. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Page, Maurice (2019-05-01). "Marie-Jo Thiel: "Les prêtres abuseurs ne sont pas des monstres, ni des fous"" (in French). cath.ch. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  5. ^ a b "Marie-Jo Thiel" (in French). Bayard Éditions. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "prof. Dr. Dr. Marie-Jo Thiel" (in Slovak). Komora pre medicínske právo - MEDIUS. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  7. ^ a b c d "Etting : Marie-Jo Thiel promue au Saint-Siège" (in French). Republicain Lorrain. 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  8. ^ a b "THIEL Marie-Jo" (in French). University of Strasbourg. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  9. ^ Thiel, Marie-Jo; Schmitt, Émile (January 1989). Au clair obscur de la vie : pour un statut de l'embryon humain (These de doctorat) (in French). theses.fr. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  10. ^ a b "Marie Jo Thiel" (in German). Herder Korrespondenz. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  11. ^ a b c d e Daune-Anglard, Geneviève (2015-11-30). "Marie-Jo Thiel, une vie vouée à l'éthique". L'Alsace. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  12. ^ a b c d Hoyeau, Céline (25 March 2021). "The woman who's advising the French bishops on sex abuse". La Croix International. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  13. ^ a b c Page, Maurice (2023-02-13). "Missbrauchs-Expertin Thiel zu Gespräch bei Papst Franziskus" (in French). kath.ch. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  14. ^ Hickson, Maike. "New Pontifical Academy for Life member questions Church teaching on homosexuality, contraception". Catholic Citizens of Illinois. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  15. ^ "Marie-Jo Thiel : " Le vaccin, un bien commun pour l'humanité "" (in French). l'ami hebdo. 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  16. ^ "Genetics: the Vatican Does Not Intend to Be Behind the Times". 2022-10-07. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  17. ^ Pent, Edward (2022-02-21). "Pontifical Academy for Life Members' Support for Assisted Suicide Draws Criticism". National Catholic Register. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  18. ^ "Association Herrade de Landsberg". Centre européen d'enseignement et de recherche en éthique. 2003. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  19. ^ "Les lauréats des Trophées 2008" (in French). Fondation Ostad Elahi. 2008. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  20. ^ "Allocution de Marie Jo Thiel" (PDF) (in French). Fondation Ostad Elahi. 2008-06-11. Archived from the original on 2014-03-24.
  21. ^ "Marie-Jo Thiel, chevalier de la Légion d'honneur" (in French). Republicain Lorrain. 2013-07-28. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  22. ^ "Le 29 juin 2013 - Marie-Jo Thiel a reçu les insignes de Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur!" (in French). European Center for Education and Research in Ethics. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  23. ^ a b c d e "Marie-Jo Thiel" (in French). Rivista europea di cultura. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  24. ^ Scaramuzzi, Iacopo (2023-02-16). "Abusi sessuali, la teologa francese incontra il Papa: "Per Francesco è il sistema che va cambiato: tutto parte da un abuso di potere"" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
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