<i>Laudatio</i> in Honor of Prof. Dr. Ludger Honnefelder Twenty-First Recipient of the Franciscan Institute Medal 20 October 2007

Our celebration during this first conference has been about intersections: intersections among scholars from a variety of nations, intersections among old friends and colleagues, intersections among junior and senior scholars. This first conference in honor of Duns Scotus and Allan Wolter has sought to widen the circle of discourse and to bring many people together. During this weekend, we have been celebrating the scholarly intersection at the first session of our Scotus Quadruple Congress. And yet, we celebrate not merely the past, for we stand this evening very close to the intersection of two millennia. In our time and in each of our countries, we witness the intersection of cultures and, in our world, the unfortunately violent intersection of political, cultural and religious worldviews. Intersections open to transcendence only when a focus, a meeting point can be determined and mined. As we look at our time and place, we can affirm the power of intersections and the life that can come when we bring ideas, people and viewpoints together. The scholar whom we honor this evening is no stranger to intersections. His academic life has been the focal point for a number of important intersections. Of modern philosophy with medieval; of theology with philosophy; of Innsbruck, Bonn, Trier, Berlin; of critical editions and scientific conferences; of national and international debates and discussions; of scientific inquiry and everyday practical decision making, of the highest and noblest of human intellectual ambitions with the smallest, most precious gift we have: the gift of life. These intersections form the pattern for our celebration this evening. On behalf of the faculty of the Franciscan Institute, I am pleased to be able to give this brief tribute to our honoree, Professor Dr. Ludger Honnefelder, the 21st recipi461 Franciscan Studies 66 (2008)