About Us
Mission Statement
The Dionysius Circle is a community committed to philosophical engagement with Christian Platonism. We emphasize the Christian appropriation of Platonic philosophy (highlighting figures such as St. Dionysius the Areopagite, St. Maximus the Confessor, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Nicholas of Cusa) while also exploring Platonism itself and its impact on Jewish and Islamic intellectual traditions. Our annual symposium gathers scholars for dialogue, and our podcast brings those conversations to a wider audience.
Through workshops, reading groups, and collaborations with journals, we promote (1) Christian Platonism, (2) philosophical engagement with Plato and the Platonic tradition, and (3) reflection on how non-Christian religious traditions have drawn from Platonism. Blending in-person gatherings with digital platforms, we aim to contribute to the ongoing integration of Platonic philosophy and Christian thought.
Members of the Dionysius Circle
• Sam Bennett, PhD student, University of Georgia; Instructor at Western Governor's University
• Jack Boczar, MA student, Dominican House of Studies
• Dominic V. Cassella, PhD student, Catholic University of America
• Marcus Hines, PhD, University of Georgia
• Alex Newell, MA, University of Georgia
• Carson Shaw, PhD, Boston University
• Dimitrios A. Vasilakis, Assistant Professor, University of Ioannina
• Miklós Vassányi, University Professor, Károli Gáspár University
Advisory Board
• Dimitrios A. Vasilakis, Assistant Professor, University of Ioannina
• Justin Willson, Assistant Professor of Medieval Art at Yale University
Leadership Team
President: Sam Bennett
Vice President: Carson Shaw
Secretary: Jack Boczar
Treasurer: Dominic V. Cassella