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Bereavement Notice: Fr. Harry Gensler, S.J., Ph.D.

Harry J. Gensler, SJ (1945–June 8, 2022), was Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Loyola University Chicago. He had a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Michigan (1977, with a dissertation under William K. Frankena), a Master of Divinity from Loyola Chicago, and an MA in Philosophy from Wayne State University. He had taught philosophy at Gonzaga, Scranton, John Carroll, and Marquette, in addition to Loyola Chicago.

Harry was widely published in ethics, logic, and Catholic philosophy, and he did original work on the Golden Rule. He co-edited the Anthology of Catholic Philosophy, and his corresponding historical Christian Thinkers course was especially popular among Jesuit graduate students. He published numerous books, including Ethics: A Contemporary Introduction, Introduction to Logic, and Ethics and the Golden Rule, all with Routledge. His most recent books include Ethics and Religion (Cambridge University Press, 2016) and Reasoning about God (Routledge, 2022), the latter being a text on philosophy of religion for undergraduates. Some of his books have been translated into Chinese, Thai, French, Portuguese, Korean, Persian, and Arabic. His published work, known for its clarity and conciseness, has benefited many scholars, students, and educated laypeople. His teaching of ethics and logic attracted many college students over many years, given his reputation as an engaging teacher who shared with  students his enthusiasm about philosophy and its significance.

Harry was an avid hiker, having hiked from Georgia to Maine (Appalachian Trail) and from Mexico to Canada (Pacific Crest Trail). His grand bicycle trips included LA to NY, Chicago to Newfoundland, and around Lake Michigan by way of New Orleans. He was a tireless fan of all things Michigan.