Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Agius and Rev. Dr Kevin Schembri from the Faculty of Theology addressed an Expert Colloquium on the theme of 'Abuse of Authority,' held at the University of Bonn from 6 to 7 June 2024.

The Colloquium was convened by Prof. Jochen Sautermeister from the same University and brought together 20 distinguished academics and practitioners from 10 countries. These experts represented a diverse array of fields, including Safeguarding, Ethics, Children's Rights, Theology, Law, and Victim Advocacy.

Agius and Schembri were among the five invited speakers who delivered presentations during the event. Each talk, lasting approximately 40 minutes, was followed by in-depth discussions among the participants. The presentation titles and speakers were as follows: 

• Prof. Karlijn Demasure: 'Abuse of Authority in the Hierarchy: Global Lived Experiences'
• Rev. Dr Kevin Schembri: 'Authority in Religious Life: Perspectives, Abuse, and Challenges'
• Rev. Prof. Patrick Connolly: 'Underculture in the Church'
• Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Agius: 'Attitudes of Leadership in the Church'
• Prof. Hildegard Scherer: 'Authority in Biblical Perspectives: Critique of Abuse and Options for a Healing Ethos' 

The Expert Colloquium in Bonn provided a platform for meaningful dialogue and exchange of ideas on issues related to authority and its abuse, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing such complex and pressing matters.