In Memoriam: Christopher Bruell

Dr. Bruell came to the Boston College faculty in 1969 with a strong background in the early foundations of political thought, as represented by the works of such notable figures as Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, and Xenophon. As an undergraduate at Cornell University, he had studied under Leo Strauss, who was largely credited with sparking a renewed interest in classical political philosophers in contemporary American higher education. Over the next four decades, Dr. Bruell—who served for four years as graduate director for Political Science—shared his knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, classical political philosophy with BC students and other faculty members.

“Chris Bruell was equipped with an extraordinarily powerful—even formidable—intellect,” said Behrakis Professor of Hellenic Political Studies Robert Bartlett, who wrote his doctoral dissertation under Dr. Bruell. “What is more, he brought that intellect to bear on the handful of questions that really matter in a human life: what is just, what is good, what is true. He formed the core of the graduate program in political philosophy for some 40 years, and he leaves behind many students and friends deeply indebted to him. I consider myself blessed to be one among them.”

Professor of Political Science Susan Shell called Dr. Bruell “an extraordinary scholar and teacher who was as responsible as anyone for making our department a center for the serious study of political philosophy and its history.  His unparalleled ability to open up the major political and moral questions set the life course of many, some of whom have become important scholars and teachers in their own right.”  

His 1999 book On the Socratic Education, An Introduction to the Shorter Platonic Dialogues was Dr. Bruell’s attempt to locate classical political philosophy in the modern debate on liberal education, at a time when many intellectuals (“the guardians of our opinions,” he referred to them in the book’s introduction) had concluded that “we ourselves have nothing of importance to learn from the thought of the past.” Dr. Bruell examined 16 Platonic dialogues, considering each on its own while also placing them within the context of Plato's account of the Socratic quest.

Writing in American Political Science Review, Peter Emberley praised the book: “The value of Bruell's portrait of Socrates extends beyond classical Athens and sheds light on contemporary platitudes that range from cultural relativism, legal positivism, and psychological reductionism to how to respond to the seductive appeal of sham teachers and the prolixity of those academics who lack the self-conscious, moderating reluctance to teach and open themselves to learning something from their students.”

Dr. Bruell also published Xenophons Politische Philosophie and contributed chapters to numerous books, among them The Recovery of American Education: Reclaiming a Vision, Political Philosophy and the Human Soul, and Recovering Reason. His writing also appeared in journals such as American Political Science Review, The Review of Politics, and Interpretation: A Journal of Political Philosophy.

In 2014, four years after he retired from BC, Dr. Bruell published Aristotle as Teacher: His Introduction to a Philosophical Science, an account of Aristotle's Metaphysics that attempted to come as close as possible to the original text. “What distinguishes this new effort to understand it,” according to the publisher’s description, “is the working assumption that Aristotle presents in it his most comprehensive reflection on science: its character and aims, its foundations or presuppositions, and the obstacles or objections that constitute a challenge to its possibility.”

Associate Professor of Political Science Nasser Behnegar praised Dr. Bruell’s writing. On the Socratic Education “shows the reader the moral education that is necessary in order to philosophize or to see the world with a free mind,” while Aristotle as Teacher reveals an Aristotle “who is far more skeptical than he has been commonly read, an Aristotle who knew the basic problems of natural science more precisely than perhaps any other scientist or philosopher.

"I have met many outstanding scholars and writers, but no one who pursued knowledge of the great problems facing us with such intensity and determination, who spurned the limelight so completely, who held himself and others to higher intellectual and moral standards than Christopher Bruell. Boston College students know about figures such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, but they may not know that, for 41 years, one of their peers humbly walked through our campus.”

In 1986, Dr. Bruell and Professor of Theology Ernest Fortin, A.A., founded the Institute for the Study of Politics and Religion as a means to examine the intersection of theology and political theory. The pair received funding from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation to support research, provide fellowships for doctoral students, and organize speaking events.

Among the institute’s most successful ventures was the Bradley Lecture Series, which during its 24-year run invited experts in theology, political science, and philosophy to create a mix of practical and philosophical viewpoints. Speakers included Mary Ann Glendon, Allan Bloom, Saul Bellow, Charles Taylor, Francis Fukuyama, and Leon Kass.

“Chris Bruell had extraordinary qualities of mind, heart, and soul,” said Professor of Political Science Marc Landy. “He was relentless in his search for the truth. He let nothing get in his way. He had no interest in, or respect for, fashion or careerism. His laser-like mind allowed him to penetrate to greater depths of understanding than anyone else I have ever known. His legacy includes not only his written work but the excellent students he trained. He was a loving friend and remarkably patient with this friend, who sought to benefit from his wisdom and who peppered him with naïve questions.”

In addition to a bachelor’s degree from Cornell, Dr. Bruell—who also attended Yale University—held master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Chicago. He was a junior fellow at Cornell’s Society for the Humanities during 1972-1973 and a Carl von Siemens Fellow in Munich from 1996-1997.

Dr. Bruell is survived by his wife, Marjorie; his children Harry and Katie; and three grandchildren.