Initiative for Christian Antiquities
Rev. Richard Rutherford, C.S.C., Ph.D., Emeritus, director
The Initiative for Christian Antiquities is designed to support research projects across the University devoted to study and preservation of the material heritage of ancient Christianity in all its forms.
Currently two projects realize the Initiative’s goals:
- Research and Archaeology @ Pollentia (RAP), is an official Studies Abroad program involving UP faculty/student research teams in collaboration with University of Barcelona archaeologists. RAP is devoted to a joint study of early Christianity in the Balearic Islands, particularly an early Christian cemetery in the ancient Roman city of Pollentia on Mallorca.
- Baptisteries of the Early Christian World is an international collaboration developing a catalog of ancient baptismal architecture with publication projected for 2021-22 by Brill Publishers.
The Initiative maintains research contact with regional scholars and programs through its participation in the annual gathering of the Northwest Early Christian Studies Seminar.
For more information about the program, contact the Initiative for Christian Antiquities at (503) 943-4685 or
ruther@up.edu. For information about past research expeditions to Pollentia, see
sites.up.edu/pollentia.