The University of Saint Francis will offer a Theology summer camp for current high school students entitled “Beauty Will Save the World!” June 25-30, 2017, on the USF main campus, 2701 Spring Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana. “Beauty Will Save the World!” seeks to broaden and enrich the theological understanding of high school students through the various ways beauty reveals God in our world.

The camp will give students the opportunity to explore how God is revealed through beauty in six areas, including: the beauty in the arts, including icons and icon-making; the beauty of the earth that God created and our need to be good stewards of it; the beauty of serving the poor and suffering; the beauty of the human mind; the beauty of prayer; and the beauty of various religious and lay vocations.

During the camp, participants will learn about and explore different methods of prayer, such as the Liturgy of the Hours, contemplation, Lectio Divina and Sacred Meditation. They will have sessions with an iconographer and gain hands-on experience creating an icon. The students will visit downtown Fort Wayne where they will learn about and volunteer at the Associated Churches Food Bank. Students will explore the beauty of the human mind as they examine theological readings and interact with University of Saint Francis professors from various academic disciplines. The students will also hear Catholic religious men and women and laypersons talk about their vocations. Other activities are planned, such as visiting the St. Felix Catholic Center in Huntington, Ind., learning about solar panels, canoeing, a barbecue with a live DJ, campfires and more.

The fee for the Beauty Will Save The World! Summer Camp is $360 per student and includes room and board, supplies, activities and transportation. Scholarships are available, but an application is required. This camp is made possible by a grant from the Lilly Endowment’s Theology Institutes for High School Youth at Colleges and Universities. The Lilly Endowment grant helps to ensure the registration fee is affordable for families.

Those interested in learning more about the Beauty Will Save the World! Summer Camp may email Director Dr. Adam DeVille at adeville or Coordinator Drew Stuart at dstuart. More information, applications and other registration materials are available by going to http://philosophy.sf.edu/summer-institute.