Professor Luis Rionda honored with posthumous book: "God, the Problem and Enigma of Man"
Guanajuato.- The philosophical reflections on God of university professor and researcher Luis Rionda Arreguín brought together dozens of friends, academics, former colleagues, alumni, politicians, former officials and authorities of the University of Guanajuato at the presentation of his posthumous book "God, Problem and Enigma of Man."
The project created an almost unprecedented situation: the Assembly Hall of the Law, Politics, and Government Division in the university's main building was not only filled, but overflowing. Chairs had to be placed in the central aisle, and many attendees were left standing.
Luis Rionda Arreguín studied Philosophy at the University of Guanajuato and later directed the School of Philosophy at the same institution. “He entered the secondary school that then belonged to the UG in 1950 and never left,” recalled his daughter Ana Fabiola Rionda Ornelas , who described him as “a scholar of Philosophy in all its meanings.”
He passed away on December 17, 2024 , at the age of 88. For many years he had been writing about God.
The book was published thanks to the efforts of two of its former students: Enrique Gómez Orozco , president of the Board of Directors of AM Newspaper , who printed the book at Editorial Martinica ; and Elisa Jaime Rangel, its editor .
Enrique Gómez recalled that he and Elisa Jaime met Luis Rionda at the School of Philosophy. Rionda served as their mentor for many years and one of his qualities was clarity. "He said that philosophy has the primary virtue of seeking the truth."
“Half a century ago, the calm, methodical teacher made us think, leading us along a path to avoid making mistakes, not because we were wrong, but because of the method. We owe our gratitude to the teacher's family, because he made us more human,” Gómez Orozco acknowledged.
Claudia Gómez López , rector general of the University of Guanajuato , emphasized: “There are people who leave their mark on institutions; Professor Luis Rionda is one of them. For 67 years at the University of Guanajuato, he was an outstanding student, a brilliant professor, and director of the institution's longest-running magazine: Colmena Universitaria.”
Martín Picón Núñez , rector of the Guanajuato campus , expressed that with this work they pay tribute to someone who, without a doubt, was a pillar of the University of Guanajuato.
He was a key promoter in the dissemination of the Social Sciences, but his mark was not only left by the positions he held, but by the human mark he left behind."
Regarding the book "God, the Problem and Enigma of Man," he noted that it does not offer absolute certainties, but rather invites us to reflect on the human condition with freedom of thought.
Luis Miguel Rionda, professor and researcher at UG , as well as Luis Rionda's nephew, commented that there is no better tribute to an intellectual than to publish a posthumous text.
He recalled that "he was a great educator, as more than 50 generations have attested." He also explored all types of philosophy, including history and science. As a person, he was grateful to have been the nephew of such a brilliant person who influenced so many people and his entire family.
Historian, researcher, and university professor María Guevara Sanginés described Rionda Arreguín this way: "He was a master in the truest sense of the word: one who mastered what he did." She emphasized that as director of the Center for Humanistic Research, he led many initiatives, and thanks to him, it became one of the most productive centers at the university. He also secured significant donations for the library.
He said the philosopher dabbled in the study of Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism , and various branches of Christianity . "According to Rionda, believing in God is not a matter of faith, but of will."
Edmundo Jacobo Molina , also a graduate and professor of Philosophy at UG, recognized Elisa Jaime and Enrique Gómez for recovering the work.
He listed what he believes are the lessons Luis Rionda left behind: first, the fragility of human life. "You can't imagine God from personal experience," he opined. In a time of war, instead of indifference, solidarity is what must prevail.
“Luis Rionda invites us to reconcile ourselves with the inevitable: death. To those who believe in nothing and mock the certainties of others, Luis Rionda offers a different path.”
One more: the dignity of man, which according to Rionda, "lies in not conforming to what is given to us, but in forming ourselves."
- He was born in Silao on July 6, 1936.
- He was Director of the School of Philosophy and Letters at the UG from 1968 to 1977.
- In 1971, he founded the magazine Colmena Universitaria, of which he was coordinator until 2023, when it reached its 100th issue and ended publication.
- In 1979 he founded the Center for Social Research, of which he was director until 1997.
- He retired in 1997, after which he served as president of the University Retirees Association.
- He received the Academic Merit Award from Soka University, Japan, where he traveled on several occasions.
- He received the Distinguished Guanajuato Citizen distinction awarded by the Guanajuato City Council each year.
DMG
Reporter with 29 years of experience in print media. She specializes in covering political issues: local congresses, political parties, and electoral bodies. Searching for exclusives is her primary work method. She is particularly interested in and enjoys extracting notes from documents, believing them to be more valuable, relevant, compelling, and irrefutable than statements from officials or politicians. She holds a degree in Communication Sciences from UNAM. She also completed a diploma in Investigative Journalism from CIDE and Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity.
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