At the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year, Vice-Chancellor of St Mary’s University, Twickenham Prof Anthony McClaran welcomed the establishment of the first gifted chair in the University’s 175-year history, The Wolfgang Smith Chair in Philosophy.
Catholic businessman and philanthropist Mr Mark Bruce-Smith personally funded the new chair in Philosophy, which will oversee the development of philosophical programmes within the University’s School of Theology and the Arts. Dr Sebastian Morello, a Catholic scholar and author, has been appointed to the new chair.
Dr Morello has lately been focusing on what he calls “the growing ‘re-enchantment’ debate”, which he says, “is really a debate about feasible worldview options amid the observable collapse in confidence in the hitherto prevailing reductionist account of the world that shaped modernity”.
Professor Anthony McClaran commented, “It is good to welcome the first externally funded Chair in the year in which we are celebrating the 175th anniversary of the founding of St Mary’s. The appointment of Dr Morello is excellent news, which will further strengthen our growing School of Theology.”
Mr Bruce-Smith proposed naming the chair in honour of Professor Wolfgang Smith, a mathematician, scientist, philosopher, and Catholic mystic who died last year.
