College of Arts and Sciences Newsroom
In Memoriam: Conrad L’Heureux, professor emeritus of religious studies
By Dave Larsen
Conrad E. L’Heureux, a University of Dayton alumnus and professor emeritus of religious studies, died March 24 at 86.
L’Heureux, a Biblical scholar known for his innovative teaching techniques, joined the UD faculty in 1970. He taught religious studies for more than 30 years, retiring in 2004 with the rank of professor emeritus.
In 1980, he was honored with the Alumni Outstanding Professor Award, the forerunner to UD’s current Faculty Awards in Scholarship and Teaching.
L’Heureux held a doctorate from Harvard University, as well as master’s degrees from the University of Dayton and Catholic University of America.
His books included In and Out of Paradise: The Book of Genesis from Adam and Eve to the Tower of Babel and Life Journey and the Old Testament: An Experiential Approach to the Bible and Personal Transformation.
In 1990, L’Heureux led a group of 14 Dayton-area residents on a two-week journey to Israel, where they visited Biblical sites including Jerusalem and the Sea of Galilee. The group bathed in the hot sulfur springs of the Dead Sea, prayed or reflected in the wilderness of the desert and visited the room where the Last Supper was celebrated.
“We based the trip on scholar Joseph Campbell’s concept of the heroic journey,” L’Heureux said at the time. “In literature, the journey is a metaphor for personal growth and transformation. We structured the visit to include a number of places that would stimulate individuals to go through their inner process of growth. For instance, at Mount Tabor, the mountain of transfiguration, people had the opportunity to reflect on the transformations happening in their own lives.”
Learning materials for L’Heureux’s classes sometimes included running shoes. His students often would sit on the floor, do visualization exercises with their eyes closed and meditate regularly. The running shoes were used for an exercise in which students ran for several minutes to feel what Elijah felt during his run to Mount Horeb (I Kings 19: 7-8).
L’Heureux also had each of his students write their own hero’s journey. In addition, he led them in ecstatic dance and put on performances in collaboration with local artists, for which students created sound sculptures and puppetry.
After he retired from UD, L’Heureux and his wife, Susan, relocated to Oakland, California. There, he enjoyed traveling, hiking, painting, reading, playing piano, watching French films and spending time with his grandchildren. He hiked the Camino de Santiago and several similar pilgrimage trails in France between 2018 and 2023.
L'Heureux is survived by his children David ’94 and Suzanne ’96, who are both UD graduates; grandchildren Lila and Miles; and his partner of five years, Kathleen. He was preceded in death by his wife, Susan, who died in 2019.
A small family service was held April 2 at Fernwood Cemetery in Mill Valley, California.