Theology Department Faculty
Andrea Vicini, S.J.
Department Chair
Michael P. Walsh Professor of Bioethics
Professor of Theological Ethics
Andrea Vicini, S.J.
Contact
Stokes Hall 329N
Telephone: 617-552-3572
Email: andrea.vicini@bc.edu
ORCID 0000-0001-5959-8308
Education
- M.D., University of Bologna
- Specialization in Pediatrics, University of Bologna
- B.Phil., Aloisianum Institute, Padova, Italy
- B.Phil., Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome
- S.T.B., Centre Sèvres, Paris, France
- Ph.D., Boston College
- S.T.L., Weston Jesuit School of Theology
- S.T.D., Pontifical Faculty of Theology of Southern Italy, Naples
Research Interests
Theological Bioethics, Global Public Health, Environmental Issues, Biotechnologies, Reproductive Technologies, End of Life Issues, Medical Ethics, Genetics, Fundamental Moral Theology.
Expertise
- Bioethics
- Christian Ethics
- Global Public Health
- Sustainability
Biography
Andrea Vicini, S.J., is an alumnus of Boston College (S.T.L. and Ph.D.) and holds an M.D.from the University of Bologna and an S.T.D. from the Pontifical Faculty of Theology ofSouthern Italy in Napoli. At Boston College, Andrea was Gasson Professor (2009-2010) and taught as the Gloria L. and Charles I. Clough School of Theology and Ministry (2011-2019). He also taught in Italy, Albania,Mexico, Chad, and France. He is co-chair of the international network Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church, as well as lecturer and member of associations of moral theologians and bioethicists in Italy, Europe, and the U.S. His research interests and publications include theological bioethics, global public health, new biotechnologies, environmental issues, and fundamental theological ethics. During the academic year 2015-2016, he had a researchfellowship at the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, NJ, on the Societal Implications of Astrobiology. Since 2021 he is a Fellow of the Collegium Ramazzini.
Selected Publications
Books
Genetica umana e bene comune (Human Genetics and the Common Good), (Cinisello Balsamo: San Paolo, 2008).
Translation: Genética humana e bem comum (São Paolo: Loyola, São Camilo, 2011).
Edited books
The Rising Global Cancer Pandemic: Health, Ethics, and Social Justice, A. Vicini, P. J. Landrigan, and K. Straif, eds., Global Theological Ethics 2, (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications by Wipf & Stock, 2022).
Ethics Challenges in Global Public Health: Climate Change, Pollution, and the Health of the Poor, P. J. Landrigan and A. Vicini, eds., Global Theological Ethics 1, (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications by Wipf & Stock, 2021).
Reimagining the Moral Life: On Lisa Sowle Cahill’s Contributions to Christian Ethics, K.J. Choi, S. Moses, and A. Vicini, eds., (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2020).
Building Bridges in Sarajevo: The Plenary Papers of Sarajevo 2018, J.F. Keenan, K. Heyer, and A. Vicini, eds., Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church Series, Vol. 7, (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2019).
Just Sustainability: Technology, Ecology, and Resource Extraction, C.Z. Peppard and A. Vicini, eds., Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church Series, Vol. 3, (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2015).
The Legacy of Vatican II, M. Faggioli and A. Vicini, eds., (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2015).
Podcasts
"What if We Are not Alone in the Universe?,” Pulled Up Short: Season Two, Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College (November 15, 2021).
“Water: Public Health, Justice, and the Common Good,” Future Frogmen, October 30, 2019, https://www.futurefrogmen.org/conversationseries..
Journal articles
“Indicators of the Dimensions of Trust (and Mistrust) in Early Primary Care Practice: A Qualitative Study” (et al.), BMC Primary Care 24 (2023) art. 150. DOI: https://bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-023-02098-2
“‘Don’t Worry, You Can Trust Me’: Indicators of the Role of Trust in Residents’ ReflectiveWriting” (et al.), Patient Education and Counseling 109, Supplement (April 2023): art. 54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2022.10.131.
“The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health” (et al.), Annals of Global Health 89, no. 1 (2023): art. 23, 1-215. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.4056.
“Theory Building as Integrated Reflection: Understanding Physician Reflection Through Human Communication Research, Medical Education, and Ethics” (et al.), Journal of Health Ethics 18, no. 2 (2022): http://dx.doi.org/10.18785/jhe.1802.05.
“When Social Justice Meets CRISPR,” Sojourners 51, no. 11 (December 2022): 14-15. 2022 Award of Excellence of The Associated Press Church Awards for: Science Writing for the World of Faith: Short Format.
“Ethical Considerations of Telehealth: Access, Inequity, Trust, and Overuse,” (et al.), Journal of Health Ethics 18, no. 1 (2022).
“The Coronavirus Pandemic: Ethical Challenges in Global Public Health,” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 42, no. 1 (Spring/Summer 2022).
“Artificial Intelligence and Social Control: Ethical Issues and Theological Resources,” Journal of Moral Theology 11, no. 1 (2022): 41-69.
“Artificial Intelligence and Moral Theology: A Conversation” (et al.), Journal of Moral Theology 11, no. 1 (2022): 13-40.
“Pope Francis, Vaccines, and Global Health,” La Civiltà Cattolica English Edition 5, no. 12 (December 2021), [translations in Italian and Spanish].
“Mártires de la Protección de Nuestra Casa Común,” La Civiltà Cattolica Edición en Español (Noviembre 5, 2021).
“Healthcare Practice at the End of Life: Addressing Opposite Attitudes and Diverse Contexts,” Concilium: The End of Life: Making Sense of Our Finitude, M. Gruber, L. Hogan, and S. Knauss, eds., no. 5 (2021): 45-55 [translations in German, Italian, and Spanish].
“Correcting the Genome with CRISPR: Ethical Challenges,” La Civiltà Cattolica English Edition (September 28, 2021) [translations in Italian and French].
“La Colaboración y la Promoción del Bien Común como Estilo de Vinculación de los Eticistas Teológicos en América Latina (Collaboration and Promotion of the Common Good as a Linking Style of Theological Ethicist in Latin America),” Journal of Moral Theology 10, no. 2 (2021): 100-109.
“Posthumanism in Popular Culture: Ongoing Challenges,” Concilium: Posthumanism and the Incarnation in a Post/Human Age, S. Abraham, B. Caero Bustillos, and Po Ho Huang, eds., 57, no. 3 (2021): 54-63 [translations in German, French, and Italian].
“COVID-19: A Crisis and a Tragedy–What’s Next?,” Theological Studies 82, no. 1 (2021): 116- 137.
“Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Bioethical Challenges and Approaches,” Asian Horizons: Dharmaram Journal of Theology 14, no. 3 (2020): 615-627.
“Preserving the Earth and Promoting Health: Challenges for the Common Good,” Studia Moralia 58, no. 1 (2020): 97-122.
“Life in the Time of Coronavirus,” La Civiltà Cattolica English Edition 4, no. 4 (April 2020) [translations in Catalan, Italian, and Spanish).
“Reflecting on CRISPR Gene Editing,” Health Progress 101, no. 1 (January-February 2020): 5- 9. 2021 Catholic Press Awards, honorable mention for Best Writing–Analysis in the magazine division.
“Human Trafficking and the Dignity of Work,” (with B. O’Neill, S.J.), La Civiltà Cattolica English Edition 4, no. 1 (2020): 40-52 [translations in Catalan, Italian, and Spanish].
“Prophetic Solidarity for Our Common Home,” La Civiltà Cattolica English Edition 3, no. 9 (2019): 92-104 [translations in French, Italian, and Spanish].
“Social Justice and the Promotion of the Common Good in Medical Missions to Low-Resourced Countries,” Annals of Global Health 85, no. 1 (2019): 83-84.
“Astrobiology and Us: Social and Political Implications of a ‘New’ Science,” La Civiltà Cattolica English Edition 1, no. 5 (2017): 29-41 [translations in Italian and Spanish].
“Cultivating the Inner Life of a Physician Through Written Reflection” (et al.), Annals of Family Medicine 15, no. 4 (2017): 379-381.
“On the Inner Life of Physicians: Analysis of Family Medicine Residents’ Written Reflections” (et al.), Journal of Religion and Health (2017):1-10.
“The Role of Emotions at the End of Human Life,” Studia Moralia 55, no. 1 (2017): 99-119.
“Learning to See Beneath the Surface: A Qualitative Analysis of Family Medicine Residents’ Reflections About Communication” (et al.), Journal of Health Communication 20, no. 12 (2015): 1441-1448.
“Longing for Transcendence: Cyborgs and Trans- and Posthumans” (with A. Brazal), Theological Studies 76, no. 1 (2015): 148-165.
“Le Neuroscienze e la Bioetica (Neurosciences and Bioethics),” La Civiltà Cattolica II, no. 3932 (2014): 143-158.
“Mapeamento do Cérebro: Uma Questão Ética? (Mapping the Brain: An Ethical Issue?),” Bioethikos 7, no. 4 (2013): 426-430.
“Bioethics: Basic Questions and Extraordinary Developments,” Theological Studies 73, no. 1 (2012): 169-187.
“Ethical Challenges of Human Genetics Today: From the Lab, through the Clinic, to the Pews,” Studia Moralia 50, no. 1 (2012): 145-174.
“Imaging in Severe Disorders of Consciousness: Rethinking Consciousness, Identity and Care in a Relational Key,” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 32, no. 1 (2012): 169-191.
“La Loi Morale Naturelle: Perspectives Internationales pour la Réflexion Bioéthique Contemporaine (The Moral Natural Law: International Perspectives for Today’s Bioethical Reflection),” Revue de l’Institut Catholique de Paris – Transversalités 122 (2012): 125-151.
“Le Cas de la Grippe Aviaire H5N1: La Recherche en Biologie entre Questions, Pauses et Limites (The Case of the H5N1 Avian Flu: The Research in Biology between Questions, Pauses, and Limits),” Études 417, no. 4 (2012): 317-327.
“New Insights in Environmental and Sustainable Ethics,” Asian Horizons: Dharmaram Journal of Theology 6, no. 2 (2012): 309-328.
“Allocazione delle Risorse Sanitarie: Come Promuovere la Giustizia e il Bene Comune? (The Allocation of Health Care Resources: How Can We Promote Justice and the Common Good?),” Rivista di Teologia Morale 43.169, no. 1 (2011): 69-78.
“Etica Teologica, Pratica Medica e Sanità: Per una Maggiore e Migliore Giustizia (Theological Ethics, Medical Practice, and Healthcare: To Promote a Greater and Better Justice),” Studia Moralia 49, no. 2 (2011): 439-463.
“O Futuro da Bioética (The Future of Bioethics)” (with J.F. Keenan), Bioethikos 5, no. 1 (2011): 10-20.
“Oncofertility and the Boundaries of Moral Reflection” (with P. Lauritzen), Theological Studies 72, no. 1 (2011): 116-130.
“La Riforma Sanitaria negli Stati Uniti (The Health Care Reform in the USA),” La Civiltà Cattolica II, 3839 (2010): 466-478.
“The Search for a Universal Ethic: The International Theological Commission’s 2009 Document on Natural Law,” Concilium: Human Nature and Natural Law, L. Sowle Cahill, H. Haker, and E. Messi Metogo, eds., 3 (2010): 111-117.
Book chapters
“The Legacy of Paul Farmer for Theological Ethics,” in A Prophet to the Peoples: Paul Farmer’s Witness and Theological Ethics, J. Weiss Block, M. T. Lysaught, and A. A. Martins, eds., Global Theological Ethics 3, (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications by Wipf & Stock, 2023), 299-312.
“Neuroscience and Theological Bioethics: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue,” in Neurowissenschaften in der Diskussion – Anregungen zum Weiterdenken / The Moral Brain: – Stimuli for Further Reflection, S. Müller and P.J. Morciniec, N. Polgar, eds., Bioethik in der Diskussion / Bioethics in Discussion 4, (Wien: Facultas, 2022), 25-44.
“The Challenging Global Cancer Pandemic,” in The Rising Global Cancer Pandemic: Health, Ethics, and Social Justice, A. Vicini, P. J. Landrigan, and K. Straif, eds., Global Theological Ethics 2, (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications by Wipf & Stock, 2022), iii-ix.
“Cancer in the Context of Global Inequities and Disparities in COVID Times: An Ethical Reflection,” in The Rising Global Cancer Pandemic: Health, Ethics, and Social Justice, A. Vicini, P. J. Landrigan, and K. Straif, eds., Global Theological Ethics – Book Series, vol. 2, (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications by Wipf & Stock, 2022), 143-151.
“Global Public Health and the Promotion of the Common Good,” in Ethics of Global Public Health: Climate Change, Pollution, and the Health of the Poor, P. J. Landrigan and A. Vicini, eds. (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications by Wipf & Stock, 2021), 1-12.
“An Ethical Agenda for Global Public Health” (with P. Farmer), in Ethics of Global Public Health: Climate Change, Pollution, and the Health of the Poor, P. J. Landrigan and A. Vicini, eds. (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications by Wipf & Stock, 2021), 193-198.
“Christian Ethics: Past, Present, and Future,” in T&T Clark Handbook of Christian Ethics, T. Winright, ed., (London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2020), 483-485.
“Transformative Engagement in Dialogue,” in Reimagining the Moral Life: On Lisa Sowle Cahill’s Contributions to Christian Ethics, K.J. Choi, S. Moses, and A. Vicini, eds., (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2020), xi-xxiii.
“Who Are We, Where Do We Come From, and How Did We Get to Sarajevo?,” in Building Bridges in Sarajevo: The Plenary Papers of Sarajevo 2018, J.F. Keenan, K. Heyer, and A. Vicini, eds., Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church Series, Vol. 7, (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2019), 12-14.
“Environmental Ethics as Bioethics” (with T. Winright), in Catholic Bioethics and Social Justice: The Praxis of US Health Care in a Globalized World, M.T. Lysaught and M. McCarthy, eds. (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2018) 377-388.
“Empowered by the Holy Spirit,” in The Holy Spirit: Setting the World on Fire, R. Lennan and N. Pineda-Madrid, eds., (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2017) 162-172.
“Anthropocentric, Theocentric, Biocentric, and Cosmocentric: Ecotheological Visions in Tension,” in M. Patenge, R. Beck, and M. Luber, eds., Schöpfung bewahren: Theologie und Kirche als Impulsgeber für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung (Preserving Creation: Theology and Church as Stimuli for a Sustainable Development), Weltkirche und Mission 7, (Regensburg: Friedrich Pustet, 2016), 164-188.
“A Renewed Hope,” in The Legacy of Vatican II, M. Faggioli and A. Vicini, eds., (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2015), 273-278.
“On Just Sustainability and Its Challenges,” (with C. Z. Peppard), in Just Sustainability: Technology, Ecology, and Resource Extraction, C.Z. Peppard and A. Vicini, eds., Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church Series, Vol. 3, (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2015), 1-8.
“Hope Springs: Shaping the Moral Life,” in Hope: Promise, Possibility, and Fulfillment, R. Lennan and N. Pineda-Madrid, eds., (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2013), 168-181.
“Roman Catholic Commitment to Promoting Sustainability,” in Protecting Nature, Saving Creation: Ecological Conflicts, Religious Passions, and Political Quandaries, P. Gagliardi, A.M. Reijnen, P. Valentini, eds. (London: Palgrave Macmilllan, Fondazione Giorgio Cini, 2013), 253-258.
“Roman Catholic Contributions to Address the Current Ecological Crisis,” in Protecting Nature, Saving Creation: Ecological Conflicts, Religious Passions, and Political Quandaries, P. Gagliardi, A.M. Reijnen, P. Valentini, eds. (London: Palgrave Macmilllan, Fondazione Giorgio Cini, 2013), 113-138.
“Living with Indigenous Communities in Chiapas, Mexico: The Transformative Power of Poverty and Suffering,” in Ethnography as Christian Theology and Ethics, C. Scharen and A.M. Vigen, eds., (London: Continuum, 2011), 161-183.