The Thomistic Institute

Dr. R. Jared Staudt argues that the problem of our time is acedia, a spiritual sloth manifested through frenetic activity and distraction. He proposes leisure, defined as the freedom to engage in our highest human actions, as the solution to this problem. The talk explores the nature of leisure, its relationship to contemplation, and how it can lead us to a deeper understanding of ourselves, reality, and ultimately, God.This lecture was given on February 29h, 2024, at University of North TexasFor more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Dr. R. Jared Staudt servers as Director of Content for Exodus 90 and an instructor for St. John Vianney Seminary. He earned his BA and MA in Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas and his PhD in systematic theology from Ave Maria University, writing his dissertation on the virtue of religion in St. Thomas Aquinas's thought. He has taught at the Augustine Institute and the University of Mary and has authored and edited many books including How the Eucharist Can Save Civilization and The Beer Option: Brewing a Catholic Culture Yesterday & Today. Dr. Staudt has worked in various capacities in Catholic education, as a catechist, professor, administrator, associate superintendent, and founder of schools. As a Benedictine oblate, he works to foster the renewal of Catholic culture by helping Catholics to live out their faith more robustly. He works from his homestead in rural North Carolina, where he and his wife, Anne, homeschool their children.

Fr. John Mark Solitario discusses the dignity of the poor as being made in God's image, emphasizing the Catholic perspective on poverty, human dignity, and the theological insights of St. Thomas Aquinas regarding the image of God in humanity.This lecture was given on April 12th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Fr. John Mark Solitario is a coordinator for campus outreach at the Thomistic Institute. He met the nuns and friars of the Order of Preachers at the Dominican Monastery of the Mother of God in his hometown of West Springfield, MA. Their lives of Christian totality, marked by sacrifice, prayer, and preaching but above all, a supernatural goodness and joy, made a huge impact on him. After studying the liberal arts and philosophy at Christendom College and teaching high school theology as a member of Providence College’s PACT program, Father entered the Dominican novitiate in Cincinnati, OH, and went on for theological studies at the Dominican House of Studies. Following the solemn profession of religious vows, he was ordained a priest of Jesus Christ in 2019. Focusing on the Universal Call to Holiness in the theology of the Spanish Dominican Juan Arintero, Fr John Mark earned his licentiate in sacred theology in 2020. He is delighted to be working with students and professors as they seek to know better the truth about God and his creation through the patronage of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Fr. Andrew Hofer discusses St. Leo the Great who was pope from 440 to 461 AD. St. Leo preached extensively on the importance of almsgiving and caring for the poor, emphasizing Christ's presence in them. His teachings united doctrine and pastoral practice, encouraging both rich and poor to practice charity while recognizing the dignity and humanity of those in need. His sermons countered allegations of dehumanizing the poor, instead promoting a view of deification that perfects humanity through God's mercy and the incarnation.This lecture was given on April 13th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P., (Ph.D. Notre Dame) is professor of patristics and ancient languages at the Pontifical Faculty of the Dominican House of Studies where he serves as the director of the doctoral program. He authored Christ in the Life and Teaching of Gregory of Nazianzus (Oxford University Press, 2013) and The Power of Patristic Preaching: The Word in Our Flesh (Catholic University of America, 2023). He co-authored A Living Sacrifice: Guidance for Men Discerning Religious Life (Vianney Vocations, 2019). Editor-in-chief of the academic journal The Thomist, Hofer is editor or co-editor of several volumes including The Oxford Handbook of Deification, The Cambridge Companion to Augustine's Sermons, and Thomas Aquinas and the Greek Fathers. He enjoys speaking with students about their theological and spiritual questions.

Professor Candace Vogler explores the concept of the highest good in philosophy, comparing views from John Stuart Mill, Immanuel Kant, and Thomas Aquinas, and examining how humans can orient themselves towards this ultimate goal.This lecture was given on April 8th, 2024, at University of Rochester.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Candace Vogler is the David B. and Clare E. Stern Professor of Philosophy at the University of Chicago. Her primary area of research is moral philosophy, with special emphasis on virtue and practical reason. She draws extensively from work by G. E. M. ('Elizabeth') Anscombe, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Immanuel Kant, and sometimes she teaches work by John Stuart Mill.  She also works on psychoanalysis (primarily Freudian work and the work of Jacques Lacan), and at the intersections of philosophy and literature and philosophy and film.  Vogler is interested in questions about the highest good, about sin, and about moral self-improvement.  

Join Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. of Aquinas 101, Godsplaining, and Pints with Aquinas for an off-campus conversation with Prof. Brad Gregory about intellectual genealogy, what virtues are needed for historians, the unintended consequences of the Reformation, and the theological implications of history.You can watch this interview on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/NWOCOBsDw_UAbout the speaker:Brad S. Gregory is Henkels Family College Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame, where he has taught since 2003. From 1996-2003 he taught and received early tenure at Stanford University; prior to that he was a Junior Fellow in the Harvard Society of Fellows and earned his Ph.D. from Princeton as well as two degrees in philosophy from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. His first book, Salvation at Stake: Christian Martyrdom in Early Modern Europe (Harvard, 1999) received six book awards, and he has won teaching awards at both Stanford and Notre Dame. In 2005, he was named the inaugural winner of the first annual Hiett Prize in the Humanities, a $50,000 award from the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture given to the outstanding mid-career humanities scholar in the United States. His book The Unintended Reformation: How a Religious Revolution Secularized Society (Belknap, 2012) garnered over 100 reviews internationally and has been translated into Italian, Spanish, Polish, and Arabic, with forthcoming translations into Chinese and Romanian. The working title of his current book project is The Way of the World: Power, Wealth, and Civilization from the Last Ice Age to the Anthropocene.

This is the second of a two-part lecture series. Sister Anna Wray explores the nature of studying, distinguishing it from activities like spectating, memorizing, and puzzling. She explains how consecrated study differs from sacred study and offers guidance on surrendering the work of studying to God's action. She concludes with practical advice on cultivating discipline and delight in studying to facilitate surrender to the Holy Spirit.This lecture was given on June 29th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Sister Anna Wray is a native of Connecticut and a member of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia of Nashville, TN.  Sister received her phD in philosophy from The Catholic University of America, having written her dissertation on Aristotle’s account of the activity of contemplation.  Sister is an assistant professor on the faculty of CUA's School of Philosophy in Washington, DC, where she regularly teaches courses in the history of philosophy, logic, rhetoric, ethics, philosophy of religion, and philosophical psychology.  She is also an adjunct professor for Aquinas College, where she teaches metaphysics and epistemology to her sisters in formation.  When time permits, sister enjoys the occasional trip that allows her to speak to (and with) others who share her loves.

Professor Chris Baglow discusses the relationship between faith and science, focusing on the interpretation of Genesis 1 and its compatibility with modern scientific understanding. By comparing Genesis to ancient Near Eastern creation myths, Professor Baglow demonstrates how the biblical account lays the groundwork for both Christian theology and scientific inquiry.This lecture was given on November 10th, 2024, at College of William and MaryFor more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Dr. Baglow is Professor of the Practice of Theology and the Director of the Science and Religion Initiative of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame. His work is the culmination of 19 years of faith and science scholarship and educational program creation, as well as a lengthy career in Catholic theological education spanning high-school, undergraduate, graduate and seminary teaching. For this work, he was co-recipient of an Expanded Reason Award in Teaching from the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (Madrid) and the Vatican Joseph Ratzinger Foundation (Rome).Baglow is the author of Faith, Science and Reason: Theology on the Cutting Edge (2nd edition, Midwest Theological Forum, 2019) and Creation: A Catholic’s Guide to God and the Universe (Ave Maria Press, 2021). He serves as theological advisor to the Board of Directors of the Society of Catholic Scientists and as a contributor to the JTF-funded science and religion programming of the Word on Fire Institute. Most recently, he authored the transcripts for Wonder: The Harmony of Faith and Science, a Word on Fire film series directed by Manny Marquez and narrated by Jonathan Roumie. His work has appeared in That Man is You, Crux, Church Life Journal, Culture and Evangelization, and Joie de Vivre Quarterly Journal.

Father Andrew Hofer examines Saint Augustine's profound connection to Matthew 25:31-46, particularly the phrase "You did it for me," which Augustine considered one of the most moving passages in Scripture. The lecture explores how Augustine applied this passage to interpret the Psalms and understand Christ's hidden presence in various forms, including the incarnation, the Church, the Eucharist, Scripture, and especially the poor. Hofer emphasizes how Augustine's interpretation of this passage shaped his views on love, prayer, and Christian charity, encouraging believers to see Christ in the poor and act accordingly.This lecture was given on April 13th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P., (Ph.D. Notre Dame) is professor of patristics and ancient languages at the Pontifical Faculty of the Dominican House of Studies where he serves as the director of the doctoral program. He authored Christ in the Life and Teaching of Gregory of Nazianzus (Oxford University Press, 2013) and The Power of Patristic Preaching: The Word in Our Flesh (Catholic University of America, 2023). He co-authored A Living Sacrifice: Guidance for Men Discerning Religious Life (Vianney Vocations, 2019). Editor-in-chief of the academic journal The Thomist, Hofer is editor or co-editor of several volumes including The Oxford Handbook of Deification, The Cambridge Companion to Augustine's Sermons, and Thomas Aquinas and the Greek Fathers. He enjoys speaking with students about their theological and spiritual questions.

Professor Joshua Benson explores Mary's role as a model for the Church and believers, focusing on her spiritual transformation and her exemplary reception of God's Word. Drawing from various theological sources, including Franciscan texts and Bernard of Clairvaux's writings, this talk examines Mary's immaculate conception, her response to the Annunciation, and her contemplative nature. Professor Benson also emphasizes how Mary's choices and dedication to God made her "formidable" and set apart, suggesting that followers of Christ may experience similar perceptions from the world.This lecture was given on December 9th, 2023, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Joshua Benson specializes in Medieval Theology. He has taught at The Catholic University of America since 2008 and served as Chair of the Department of Theology and Franciscan Studies at St. Bonaventure University from 2018-2020.

In this first of two lectures Fr. Stephen Ryan explores the concept of Lectio Divina as a uniquely Christian form of meditation, rooted in Scripture and Christ's teachings. He outlines the process of sacred study, which involves reading, meditation, and prayer, highlighting the importance of engaging with Scripture as a means of encountering God. The speaker also emphasizes the transformative power of God's word and the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding prayer, while distinguishing Christian meditation from Buddhist, Hindu, and mindfulness practices.This lecture was given on June 29th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Fr. Stephen Ryan was born and raised in Boston and entered the Order of Preachers in 1987. He was ordained a priest in 1993 and, on completion of doctoral studies in Scripture, was assigned to the Dominican House of Studies in 2000. He teaches Scripture and the biblical languages.

Fr. Thomas Petri provides an overview of Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body, discussing its origins, key themes, and philosophical underpinnings.This lecture was given on March 23rd, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Father Thomas Petri, O.P. is the President of the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies, where he also serves as an assistant professor of moral theology and pastoral studies. Ordained a priest in 2009, he holds a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from The Catholic University of America.

Dr. Farr Curlin explores the debate over medical practitioners refusing patients' requests for morally contested interventions, comparing two conflicting models of medical practice. He critiques the "provider of services" model, which prioritizes patient autonomy and well-being, and advocates for the "way of medicine" approach, which focuses on preserving and restoring patient health. Curlin argues that conscience is an essential aspect of clinical judgment and that physicians must act according to their consciences to practice ethically.This lecture was given on October 10th, 2023, at University of South Carolina.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Farr Curlin, MD, is Josiah Trent Professor of Medical Humanities in the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities, & History of Medicine and Co-Director of the Theology, Medicine and Culture Initiative (TMC) at Duke University. Dr. Curlin has worked to bring attention to the intersection of medicine, ethics, and theology. In 2012 he helped to found both the University of Chicago’s Program on Medicine and Religion and the annual Conference on Medicine and Religion. Since 2015, through Duke Divinity School’s TMC Initiative, he and colleagues have brought graduate theological training to those with vocations to health care. Starting in 2023, Dr. Curlin also is working with colleagues across North America to develop the Hippocratic Society, an association whose mission is forming clinicians in the practice and pursuit of good medicine. He is co-author, with Chris Tollefsen, of The Way of Medicine: Ethics and the Healing Profession (Notre Dame University Press, 2021), as well as more than 150 articles and book chapters addressing the moral and spiritual dimensions of medical practice. 

Father Innocent Smith explores the theological understanding of beauty as a reflection of God's nature, emphasizing its importance in Christian liturgy and worship. He examines how beauty is expressed through various forms of liturgical art, including architecture, visual arts, and music, highlighting the diversity of aesthetic expressions within the Church. The lecture concludes by discussing how liturgical beauty helps cultivate virtue and deepen faith, even in challenging circumstances.This lecture was given on February 9th, 2024, at Mississippi State University.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Fr. Innocent Smith, O.P. entered the Order of Preachers in 2008 and was ordained to the priesthood in 2015. From 2015 to 2018, Fr. Innocent served as parochial vicar at the Parish of St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Catherine of Siena in New York City. From 2018 to 2021, he lived in Munich while completing a doctorate in liturgical studies at the University of Regensburg. From 2021 to 2023, Fr. Innocent served as Assistant Professor of Homiletics at St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore. In 2023, he joined the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception.Fr. Innocent’s teaching and research interests include liturgy, homiletics, sacramental theology, ecclesiology, and sacred music. His S.T.L. thesis, “In Collecta Dicitur: The Oration as a Theological Authority for Thomas Aquinas,” explored the importance of the liturgy as a source for scholastic theology. His monograph Bible Missals and the Medieval Dominican Liturgy focuses on medieval manuscripts of the Bible that also contain liturgical texts for the celebration of Mass.

Sr. Catherine Joseph Droste explores the human desire for happiness, the impact of original sin, and God's redemptive plan through a theological and philosophical lens.This lecture was given on July 3rd, 2024, at Glencomeragh House.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Sister Catherine Joseph Droste, O.P. is a Professor Straordinaria of theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), where she has also served as Vice Dean, Dean of the Faculty of Theology, and Director of Collaboration. Her areas of research include virtues and the moral life, the ecclesiology of religious life, and the theology of St. Catherine of Siena. She is a native of Iowa and a member of the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, Nashville, Tennessee. Her studies include an MA (history – Middle Tennessee State University), M.Ed (Administration – Marymount University), STB, STL, STD (Angelicum).

Join Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. of Aquinas 101, Godsplaining, and Pints with Aquinas for an off-campus conversation with Fr. James Brent, O.P. about the depth of St. John Paul II's philosophy, specifically focusing on his methodology, metaphysics of love, and understanding of human dignity and freedom.You can watch this interview on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/IDLxEsBuRjM.About the speaker: Fr. James Dominic Brent, O.P. was born and raised in Michigan. He completed his doctorate in Philosophy at Saint Louis University on the epistemic status of Christian beliefs according to Saint Thomas Aquinas, and has articles on natural theology, on God’s knowledge and will, and on the epistemology of theology in Thomas Aquinas. He has a Licentiate in Sacred Theology, taught in the School of Philosophy at The Catholic University of America, and now teaches philosophy at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC. He is the author of The Father's House: Discovering Our Home in the Trinity (December 2023 from Pauline Books and Media).

Fr. Michael Sherwin explores the historical shift from virtue-based ethics to a more voluntarist approach in Catholic moral theology, particularly during the Baroque period. He argues that this shift led to a fragmentation of theological disciplines and a focus on rules and consequences rather than human flourishing. The renewal of virtue ethics is presented as a necessary step to heal this fragmentation and return to a more integrated understanding of moral theology that includes grace, human nature, and the pursuit of happiness in Christ.This lecture was given on July 4th, 2024, at Glencomeragh House.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Michael S. Sherwin, O.P. is Professor of Fundamental Moral Theology and director of the Institute of Spirituality here at the Angelicum. Fr. Sherwin comes to the Angelicum after almost twenty years of teaching at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He has also taught at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, California, where he received his initial formation as a Dominican and was ordained a priest in 1991. Author of articles on the psychology of love, virtue ethics and moral development, his monograph, By Knowledge and By Love: Charity and Knowledge in the Moral Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas (CUA Press, 2005) has become a standard Thomistic reference, while Alasdair MacIntyre has described Fr. Sherwin’s published collection of essays, On Love and Virtue (Emmaus Academic, 2018) as “theological reflection at its best.”Fr. Sherwin also serves as chaplain to the Association nationale des cavaliers catholiques, an equestrian pilgrimage organization, and has collaborated with both Dave Brubeck and his son Chris Brubeck in celebration of the Scriptures at the crossroads between Jazz and classical music.

Sister Catherine Joseph Droste explores St. Catherine of Siena's teachings on virtue, emphasizing her relevance to modern times and her complementary approach to St. Thomas Aquinas. She explains Catherine's metaphor of the "tree of charity" and how virtues are interconnected, with charity as the mother of all virtues. The lecture delves into the importance of humility, self-knowledge, and the practical application of virtues in relation to one's neighbor.This lecture was given on July 4th, 2024, at Glencomeragh House.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Sister Catherine Joseph Droste, O.P. is a Professor Straordinaria of theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), where she has also served as Vice Dean, Dean of the Faculty of Theology, and Director of Collaboration. Her areas of research include virtues and the moral life, the ecclesiology of religious life, and the theology of St. Catherine of Siena. She is a native of Iowa and a member of the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, Nashville, Tennessee. Her studies include an MA (history – Middle Tennessee State University), M.Ed (Administration – Marymount University), STB, STL, STD (Angelicum).

Father Michael Sherwin explores the renewal of moral theology by examining two conceptions of freedom: freedom of indifference and freedom for excellence. He uses analogies from craftsmanship and the arts to illustrate how rules and freedom are interrelated, arguing that true freedom comes from internalizing and creatively applying the rules of a discipline. He then connects this understanding to the Christian life, presenting Christ as the master and Christians as apprentices on "the way," ultimately defining moral theology as the study of human acts ordered towards the loving vision of God.This lecture was given on July 4th, 2024, at Glencomeragh House.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Michael S. Sherwin, O.P. is Professor of Fundamental Moral Theology and director of the Institute of Spirituality here at the Angelicum. Fr. Sherwin comes to the Angelicum after almost twenty years of teaching at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He has also taught at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, California, where he received his initial formation as a Dominican and was ordained a priest in 1991. Author of articles on the psychology of love, virtue ethics and moral development, his monograph, By Knowledge and By Love: Charity and Knowledge in the Moral Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas (CUA Press, 2005) has become a standard Thomistic reference, while Alasdair MacIntyre has described Fr. Sherwin’s published collection of essays, On Love and Virtue (Emmaus Academic, 2018) as “theological reflection at its best.”Fr. Sherwin also serves as chaplain to the Association nationale des cavaliers catholiques, an equestrian pilgrimage organization, and has collaborated with both Dave Brubeck and his son Chris Brubeck in celebration of the Scriptures at the crossroads between Jazz and classical music.

Sr. Anna Wray delves into the philosophical question of whether friendship with a simple God is possible, using Aristotle's teachings as a foundation and comparing them to Thomas Aquinas' perspective. The speaker analyzes Aristotle's concepts of friendship, human contemplation, and divine activity, highlighting the challenges in applying these ideas to a relationship with God. The discussion then shifts to Thomas Aquinas' approach, noting how his views differ from Aristotle's and potentially offer a new understanding of friendship with God.This lecture was given on May 31, 2024, at Mount Saint Mary College.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Sister Anna Wray is a native of Connecticut and a member of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia of Nashville, TN. Sister received her phD in philosophy from The Catholic University of America, having written her dissertation on Aristotle’s account of the activity of contemplation. Sister is an assistant professor on the faculty of CUA's School of Philosophy in Washington, DC, where she regularly teaches courses in the history of philosophy, logic, rhetoric, ethics, philosophy of religion, and philosophical psychology. She is also an adjunct professor for Aquinas College, where she teaches metaphysics and epistemology to her sisters in formation. When time permits, sister enjoys the occasional trip that allows her to speak to (and with) others who share her loves.

Professor Jordan Wales explores the evolution of AI from symbolic to statistical methods, highlighting the capabilities and limitations of modern AI systems. It delves into the concept of personhood, tracing its origins from classical times through Christian theology to modern interpretations, and argues that current AI lacks the consciousness and interiority necessary for true personhood. He concludes by examining behaviorist approaches to AI and intelligence, warning against redefining human consciousness solely in terms of observable behavior.This lecture was given on February 29th, 2024, at Ohio State University.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Jordan Wales is Associate Professor and John and Helen Kuczmarski Chair in Theology at Hillsdale College, where he teaches historical theology. His scholarship—appearing in journals such as Augustinian Studies, the Journal of Moral Theology, and AI & Society—focuses on early Christianity as well as theology and Artificial Intelligence. Holding degrees in Engineering (B.S.), Cognitive Science (M.Sc.), and Theology (Dip.Theol., M.T.S., Ph.D.), he is a member of the AI Research Group for the Centre for Digital Culture, under the Dicastery of Culture and Education at the Holy See; a fellow of the International Society for Science and Religion; and a fellow of the Centre for Humanity and the Common Good.

Professor Jeffrey Brower explores the traditional doctrine of divine simplicity, which states that God is identical to His attributes. He examines the historical context, including perspectives from Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas, and addresses the standard objection raised by contemporary analytic philosophers. Brower proposes a "truth maker" interpretation of divine simplicity as an alternative to the problematic "property" account, arguing that this approach avoids category mistakes while maintaining coherence with traditional understandings.This lecture was given on June 1, 2024, at Mount Saint Mary College.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Jeffrey E. Brower is Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University, where he serves as the faculty advisor for the Thomistic Institute. He specializes in medieval philosophy, metaphysics, and philosophical theology and especially enjoys working at the intersection of all three areas. He is the author of Aquinas’s Ontology of the Material World: Change, Hylomorphism, and Material Objects (Oxford University Press, 2014) and a contributor to The Oxford Handbook on Aquinas (Oxford University Press, 2012). His recent articles include “Aquinas on the Individuation of Substances,” Oxford Studies in Medieval Philosophy (2017) and “Aquinas on the Problem of Universals,” Philosophy and Phenomenological Research (2016).

Professor W. Matthews Grant examines the tension between divine simplicity and divine freedom in Christian theology, particularly in the context of God's act of creation. He presents and analyzes arguments that suggest divine simplicity might preclude God's ability to create freely, including the modal collapse argument. Grant then explores various approaches to resolving this conflict, with a focus on the "identity approach" and its potential drawbacks.This lecture was given on June 1st, 2024, at Mount Saint Mary College.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:W. Matthews Grant is Professor and Chair in the Department of Philosophy at University of St. Thomas (MN), and Associate Editor of the American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly. His articles have focused on Aquinas and the Philosophy of God, particularly issues having to do with the divine nature and God’s relationship to human freedom.

Professor Gregory Doolan discusses how Aquinas reconciles his understanding of participation with divine simplicity. He discusses the meaning of participation, its types, and how God can be present in all things while remaining transcendent.This lecture was given on May 31, 2024, at Mount Saint Mary College.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Gregory T. Doolan received his B.A. in political theory from Georgetown University in 1993 and his Ph.D. in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in 2003. He taught philosophy at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. from 2004–05 and joined the faculty of the School of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America in 2005. Dr. Doolan’s research interest is in the area of Aquinas’s metaphysics; in recent years, his focus has been on Aquinas’s semantic theory and his account of the Aristotelian categories of being. A native of Philadelphia, Dr. Doolan currently lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife and three children.

Aquinas contends that although we cannot know God's essence, we can meaningfully ask and answer the question of His existence. Professor Doolan employs Aristotelian scientific methodology to reason from observable effects to a first cause, which he identifies as God.This lecture was given on April 5th, 2024, at New York University.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Gregory T. Doolan received his B.A. in political theory from Georgetown University in 1993 and his Ph.D. in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in 2003. He taught philosophy at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. from 2004–05 and joined the faculty of the School of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America in 2005. Dr. Doolan’s research interest is in the area of Aquinas’s metaphysics; in recent years, his focus has been on Aquinas’s semantic theory and his account of the Aristotelian categories of being.  A native of Philadelphia, Dr. Doolan currently lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife and three children.

Are Aquinas' Five Ways for proving the existence of God still relevant today? Join Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. of Aquinas 101, Godsplaining, and Pints with Aquinas for an off-campus conversation with Prof. Robert Koona & Prof. Daniel Bonevac about new insights that contemporary scholars glean from these arguments after 750 years.You can watch this interview on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzPv-zo7R68.About the speakers:Robert C. (“Rob”) Koons is a professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin, M. A. Oxford, Ph.D. UCLA. He is the author or co-author of five books, including The Atlas of Reality with Timothy H. Pickavance (Wiley-Blackwell, 2017) and Is Thomas’s Aristotelian Philosophy of Nature Obsolete? (St. Augustine Press, 2022). He is the co-editor of four anthologies, including The Waning of Materialism (OUP, 2010) and Classical Theism (Routledge 2023). He has been working recently on an Aristotelian interpretation of quantum theory, on defending and articulating hylomorphism in contemporary terms, and on interpreting and defending Thomas's Five Ways.Prof. Daniel Bonevac is a professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. He works mainly in metaphysics, philosophy of mathematics, semantics, and philosophical logic. His book Reduction in the Abstract Sciences received the Johnsonian Prize from The Journal of Philosophy. The author of five books and editor or co-editor of four others, Professor Bonevac's articles include “Against Conditional Obligation” (Noûs), "Sellars v. the Given" (Philosophy and Phenomenological Research), "Reflection Without Equilibrium," (Journal of Philosophy), "Free Choice Permission Is Strong Permission" (Synthese, with Nicholas Asher), "The Conditional Fallacy," (Philosophical Review, with Josh Dever and David Sosa), “The Counterexample Fallacy” (Mind, also with Dever and Sosa), and “The Argument from Miracles” and “Two Theories of Analogical Predication” (Oxford Studies in the Philosophy of Religion). He was Chairman of the Department of Philosophy from 1991 to 2001.

This lecture was given on March 13th, 2024, at University of Washington. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. (Dominican House of Studies) is from Pennsylvania and graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville. He previously served as the Assistant Director of Campus Outreach for the Thomistic Institute in Washington, DC, and associate pastor of St. Louis Bertrand Catholic Church in Louisville, KY where he also taught at Bellarmine University. He currently serves as an adjunct professor of dogmatic theology at the Dominican House of Studies and an Assistant Director of the Thomistic Institute. He is a contributor on the Pints with Aquinas show and a co-host of the Catholic Classics podcast.Fr. Gregory is the author of Prudence: Choose Confidently, Live Boldly (Our Sunday Visitor, 2022) and co-author with Matt Fradd of Marian Consecration With Aquinas: A Nine Day Path for Growing Closer to the Mother of God (TAN Books, 2020).

This lecture was given on March 20th, 2024, at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Dr. Chad C. Pecknold earned his PhD in Systematic Theology at the University of Cambridge in England. He is a Catholic theologian and for the last 16 years he has been a professor of theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington DC, teaching in the areas of fundamental theology, Christian anthropology and political theology. Since 2022, he has been named by The Catholic Herald as one of the most influential Catholic thought leaders and authors in the United States. An internationally recognized scholar of Augustine’s theological and political thought, Pecknold has authored or edited five books — including Christianity and Politics: A Brief Guide to the History and The T&T Clark Companion to Augustine and Modern Theology —and authored dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles. He edits the Sacra Doctrina series for CUA Press with Fr. Thomas Joseph White O.P. He has served the public by educating thousands of students at the Institute of Catholic Culture, and also through his many columns at First Things, National Review, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, and The Catholic Herald. He has been an invited guest on NPR's "All Things Considered," Fox News, ABC News, and has been a frequent guest on EWTN News Nightly, World Over Live with Raymond Arroyo, and various other EWTN programs, such as the celebrated series on Heresies. Pecknold has also led institutions, serving as Chair of the American Academy of Catholic Theology from 2015-2020, expanding and professionalizing a guild of theologians faithful to the Magisterium. He also serves in non-profit board leadership as Board Director for Americans United for Life, Board Member for Pro-Life Partners, Board Member for the Classical Learning Test, Fellow of the Institute for Human Ecology, and as Resident Theologian at the Institute for Faith and Public Culture at the Basilica of Saint Mary — the oldest Catholic Church in the Commonwealth of Virginia. While currently finishing a short book on the Catholic understanding of Augustine’s Confessions, Pecknold continues to work on a long term project on Augustine’s City of God and the Christian order of things.He and his wife Dr Sara Pecknold (who teaches Music History at Christendom College) have five children, including adorably identical twin toddler girls whose names they frequently confuse!

This lecture was given on February 8th, 2024, at Catholic University of America. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Dr. Baglow is Professor of the Practice of Theology and the Director of the Science and Religion Initiative of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame. His work is the culmination of 19 years of faith and science scholarship and educational program creation, as well as a lengthy career in Catholic theological education spanning high-school, undergraduate, graduate and seminary teaching. For this work, he was co-recipient of an Expanded Reason Award in Teaching from the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (Madrid) and the Vatican Joseph Ratzinger Foundation (Rome).Baglow is the author of Faith, Science and Reason: Theology on the Cutting Edge (2nd edition, Midwest Theological Forum, 2019) and Creation: A Catholic’s Guide to God and the Universe (Ave Maria Press, 2021). He serves as theological advisor to the Board of Directors of the Society of Catholic Scientists and as a contributor to the JTF-funded science and religion programming of the Word on Fire Institute. Most recently, he authored the transcripts for Wonder: The Harmony of Faith and Science, a Word on Fire film series directed by Manny Marquez and narrated by Jonathan Roumie. His work has appeared in That Man is You, Crux, Church Life Journal, Culture and Evangelization, and Joie de Vivre Quarterly Journal.

This lecture was given on November 12th, 2023, at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, OP, received his PhD in Biology from MIT and his S.Th.D. in Moral Theology from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. He currently serves as Professor of Biological Sciences and Professor of Sacred Theology at the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines. He returns to the USA several times during the year when he is available to give lectures for the Thomistic Institute (TI). Fr. Austriaco moved his laboratory to the Philippines in 2022 to help his homeland prepare for the next pandemic. In biology, his research team is developing an inexpensive, oral vaccine delivery system using probiotic yeasts and bacteria. In ethics, Fr. Austriaco writes on a diverse range of topics in bioethics. He is also interested in the faith and science dialogue and has written and spoken extensively on the engagement of evolutionary thought with the Catholic faith. 

This lecture was given on November 2nd, 2023, at University of California, Santa Barbara. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Karin Öberg is Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University. Her specialty is astrochemistry and her research aims to uncover how chemical processes affect the outcome of planet formation, especially the chemical habitability of nascent planets. She did postdoctoral work at Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics as a NASA Hubble fellow, focusing on millimeter observations of planet-forming disks around young stars. 

This lecture was given on May 16th, 2024, at University of Oregon.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Jane Sloan Peters is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, NY. Her dissertation explored Thomas Aquinas's reception of Greek patristic and Byzantine biblical interpretation for his four-volume commentary on the Gospels, the Catena Aurea. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two sons.

This lecture was given on February 2nd, 2024, at Brown University.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Mariusz Tabaczek, O.P., is a Polish Dominican and theologian. He holds Ph.D. in philosophical theology from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA and Church Licentiate from the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland. After his studies at the GTU and a fellowship at the Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Studies he returned to Poland. For three years he worked as a researcher at the Thomistic Institute in Warsaw (Poland), a lecturer at the Pontifical Faculty of Theology in Warsaw and the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Krakow, and a director of Studium Dominicanum in Warsaw. He then moved to Rome where he became a professor of theology at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. He is also a researcher at the Thomistic Institute at the same University.

This lecture was given on May 7th, 2024, at University of California, San Diego.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Dr. Baglow is Professor of the Practice of Theology and the Director of the Science and Religion Initiative of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame. His work is the culmination of 19 years of faith and science scholarship and educational program creation, as well as a lengthy career in Catholic theological education spanning high-school, undergraduate, graduate and seminary teaching. For this work, he was co-recipient of an Expanded Reason Award in Teaching from the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (Madrid) and the Vatican Joseph Ratzinger Foundation (Rome).Baglow is the author of Faith, Science and Reason: Theology on the Cutting Edge (2nd edition, Midwest Theological Forum, 2019) and Creation: A Catholic’s Guide to God and the Universe (Ave Maria Press, 2021). He serves as theological advisor to the Board of Directors of the Society of Catholic Scientists and as a contributor to the JTF-funded science and religion programming of the Word on Fire Institute. Most recently, he authored the transcripts for Wonder: The Harmony of Faith and Science, a Word on Fire film series directed by Manny Marquez and narrated by Jonathan Roumie. His work has appeared in That Man is You, Crux, Church Life Journal, Culture and Evangelization, and Joie de Vivre Quarterly Journal.

This lecture was given on February 17th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Fr. Irenaeus Dunlevy was born in Columbus, Ohio and grew up in the southeast suburb of Canal Winchester. The youngest of four children, his parents would drive everyone on Sunday to Mass at St. Mary’s Church. However, after leaving the area for college, his family joined the parish of St. Patrick’s in Columbus. While home on Christmas and summer breaks, Fr. Irenaeus would join his family to hear the holy preaching of the friars. He received a Bachelor and Masters of Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and practiced for a religious architecture firm in the DC area. After meeting the student brothers and reading about the life of St. Dominic and the Order, he began to consider a religious vocation with the Province of St. Joseph. “I find the balance of contemplative and apostolic life, the charism of study, the reverence of the liturgy and the fraternal community all things that lead to a happy life fulfilled by giving people knowledge of salvation.”

Join Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. of Aquinas 101, Godsplaining, and Pints with Aquinas for an off-campus conversation with Prof. Thomas Hibbs about the transformative power of beauty and friendship, how art, beauty, and morality fit together, and the role of beauty in theological contemplation.Links referenced:https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/michelangelo-merisi-da-caravaggio-the-supper-at-emmaus https://www.gardnermuseum.org/experience/collection/10953 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5y99rpk8toYou can watch this interview on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBIWVvveB_g.About the speaker: Thomas Hibbs is currently J. Newton Rayzor Sr. Professor of Philosophy at Baylor where he is also Dean Emeritus, having served for 16 years as the inaugural Dean of the Honors College. At Baylor he was also the inaugural director of Baylor in Washington, D.C. where he currently runs a summer program on Religion and Social Life. He has served as department chair at Boston College and as president of the University of Dallas.Hibbs has published more than thirty scholarly articles, the most recent of which is “Aquinas and Black Natural Law.” He has published eight books, the most recent of which is Theology of Creation: Ecology, Art, and Laudato Si’ (University of Notre Dame Press, 2023). He has also published two books on film and philosophy and one book on art. He has published more than 100 reviews and discussion articles on film, theater, art, and higher education in a variety of venues including First Things, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Wall Street Journal, and National Review. He writes regularly for The Dallas Morning News.Hibbs’ lectures have been protested by nihilists at Boston University and by communists in Palermo, Sicily.

This lecture was given on June 29th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Fr. Dominic Legge is the Director of the Thomistic Institute and Associate Professor in Systematic Theology at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.  He is an Ordinary Member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas, and holds a J.D. from Yale Law School, a Ph.L. from the School of Philosophy of the Catholic University of America, and a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. He entered the Order of Preachers in 2001, after having practiced constitutional law for several years as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice. He has also taught at The Catholic University of America Law School and at Providence College. He is the author of The Trinitarian Christology of St. Thomas Aquinas (Oxford University Press, 2017).

This lecture was given on February 2nd, 2024, at Iowa State University.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Fr. Dominic Langevin, O.P., is dean and assistant professor of dogmatic theology at the Dominican House of Studies, where he teaches courses principally in sacramental theology and liturgiology. He is the secretary/treasurer of the Academy of Catholic Theology. He did his undergraduate degree at Yale University. He entered the Dominican Order in 1998 and was ordained a priest in 2005. He earned his doctorate from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He is the author of the book From Passion to Paschal Mystery and was editor of the journal The Thomist from 2018 to 2021.

This lecture was given on April 27th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Karin Öberg is Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University. Her specialty is astrochemistry and her research aims to uncover how chemical processes affect the outcome of planet formation, especially the chemical habitability of nascent planets. She did postdoctoral work at Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics as a NASA Hubble fellow, focusing on millimeter observations of planet-forming disks around young stars.

This lecture was given on November 11th, 2023, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Fr. Bellamah was born and raised in Washington, D.C. He entered the Order of Preachers in 1991 and was ordained a priest in 1998. He studied at Wake Forest University (B.S., 1982), the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception (M.Div. and S.T.B., 1997; S.T.L, 1999) and the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris, (Ph.D., Section des sciences Religieuses, 2008).He has previously taught at Providence College in the Department of Theology and the Department of the Development of Western Civilization. From 2010 to 2018 he served as editor of the speculative review The Thomist and is a member of the Leonine Commission, a team of Dominican scholars responsible for the production of critical Latin editions of the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. He is also currently preparing a critical Latin edition of the Commentary on John’s Gospel by one of St. Thomas’ Dominican contemporaries, William of Alton.

This lecture was given on June 22nd, 2023, at Stonyhurst College.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Professor Eitel is Associate Professor of Theology at the University of Dallas. Before joining the UD faculty in 2023, he taught for eight years at Yale University, where he held appointments in the Divinity School, the Program in Medieval Studies, and the Humanities Program. His research and teaching bring topics in the history of Christian theology to bear on questions of fundamental moral concern. A specialist in medieval scholasticism, his particular research interests span topics in doctrinal and moral theology, especially in the works of Thomas Aquinas and his contemporaries.

This lecture was given on September 10th, 2023, at Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:John A. Cuddeback is professor of Philosophy at Christendom College, where he has taught for twenty-five years. He lectures widely on topics including virtue, fatherhood, friendship, and household, and his professional writings appear in various academic journals and books. 

This lecture was given on November 2nd, 2023, at Purdue.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Patrick Callahan is director of the Newman Institute for Catholic Thought & Culture as well as Assistant Professor of English and Humanities at St. Gregory the Great Seminary. There he directs and teaches in a Great Books Catholic program for students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and other regional colleges. He did his undergraduate work at the University of Dallas and his graduate work at Fordham University in Classics. He lives in Lincoln, NE with his wife and 5 children.

This lecture was given on April 9th, 2024, at Cornell University.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Professor Eitel is Associate Professor of Theology at the University of Dallas. Before joining the UD faculty in 2023, he taught for eight years at Yale University, where he held appointments in the Divinity School, the Program in Medieval Studies, and the Humanities Program. His research and teaching bring topics in the history of Christian theology to bear on questions of fundamental moral concern. A specialist in medieval scholasticism, his particular research interests span topics in doctrinal and moral theology, especially in the works of Thomas Aquinas and his contemporaries.

This lecture was given on April 4th, 2024, at Indiana University.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.About the Speaker:Dr. Paul LaPenna is a neurologist in Greenville, SC and is a Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Carolinas Campus. Dr. LaPenna completed his neurology residency at Indiana University School of Medicine. His skill set is focused on treatment of neurological emergencies and performing and interpreting electrophysiological studies of the brain and peripheral nervous system. He is currently the Director of Stroke at Bon Secours Mercy Health in Greenville, SC. As an Associate Professor of Neurology, Dr. LaPenna has won numerous teaching awards, including Clinical Medicine Professor of the Neuroscience Curriculum from 2019-2022. For the 2020-2021 academic year, Dr. LaPenna was awarded Preceptor of the Year. For his care towards patients, he was elected to the Arnold P. Gold Humanism Honor Society in 2016. Dr. LaPenna has an interest in the relationship between science and faith—in particular, the relationship between neuroscience and the soul, neuroscience and free will, and the overreaching claims of science. In addition, Dr. LaPenna speaks on the problem of suffering and the dignity of the human person. Saint Thomas Aquinas has been a major influence in Dr. LaPenna’s intellectual and faith journey.

Join Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. of Aquinas 101, Godsplaining, and Pints with Aquinas for an off-campus conversation with Prof. Eleonore Stump about the meaning of suffering, the link between suffering and human flourishing, and the role of stories in understanding the arcs of our lives.You can watch this interview on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/TomdTsBmvDY.About the speaker: Eleonore Stump is the Robert J. Henle Professor of Philosophy at Saint Louis University. She is also Honorary Professor at Wuhan University, the Logos Institute and School of Divinity at St. Andrews, and York University; and she is a Professorial Fellow at Australian Catholic University. She has published extensively in philosophy of religion, contemporary metaphysics, and medieval philosophy. Her books include Aquinas (2003), Wandering in Darkness: Narrative and the Problem of Suffering (2010), Atonement (2018), and The Image of God. The Problem of Evil and the Problem of Mourning (2022). She has given the Gifford Lectures (Aberdeen, 2003), the Wilde lectures (Oxford, 2006), the Stewart lectures (Princeton, 2009), and the Stanton lectures (Cambridge, 2018). In 2021, she was given the award of Johanna Quandt Young Academy Distinguished Senior Scientist by the Goethe University (Frankfurt, Germany). She is past president of the Society of Christian Philosophers, Philosophers in Jesuit Education, the American Catholic Philosophical Association, and the American Philosophical Association, Central Division; and she is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

This lecture was given on March 25th, 2024, at University of Texas at Austin.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Stephen L. Brock is a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei (ordained 1992). He is Ordinary Professor of Medieval Philosophy at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, where he began teaching in 1990.  Since 2008 he has been an Ordinary Member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas.  Since 2017 he has been a visiting professor in the Department of Philosophy of the University of Chicago. He is the author of Action & Conduct: Thomas Aquinas and the Theory of Action (T&T Clark, 1998); The Philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas: A Sketch (Wipf & Stock, 2015); The Light that Binds: a Study in Thomas Aquinas's Metaphysics of Natural Law (Wipf & Stock, 2020); and numerous articles on various aspects of Aquinas’s thought.

This lecture was given on April 3rd, 2024, at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.About the Speaker:Bradley Lewis is associate professor of philosophy at the Catholic University of America. He specializes in political and legal philosophy, especially in classical Greek political thought and in the theory of natural law. He holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland and a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame. He has published scholarly articles in Polity, History of Political Thought, the Southern Journal of Philosophy, Philosophy and Rhetoric, Communio, the Josephinum Journal of Theology, the Pepperdine Law Review, the Oxford Journal of Law and Religion, and the Proceedings of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, as well as chapters in a number of books.  He is currently working on a book project provisionally titled The Common Good and the Modern State. He is also a fellow of the Institute for Human Ecology and serves as associate editor of the American Journal of Jurisprudence. 

This lecture was given on March 11th, 2024, at the University of California, Berkeley.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. (Dominican House of Studies) is from Pennsylvania and graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville. He previously served as the Assistant Director of Campus Outreach for the Thomistic Institute in Washington, DC, and associate pastor of St. Louis Bertrand Catholic Church in Louisville, KY where he also taught at Bellarmine University. He currently serves as an adjunct professor of dogmatic theology at the Dominican House of Studies and an Assistant Director of the Thomistic Institute. He is a contributor on the Pints with Aquinas show and a co-host of the Catholic Classics podcast.Fr. Gregory is the author of Prudence: Choose Confidently, Live Boldly (Our Sunday Visitor, 2022) and co-author with Matt Fradd of Marian Consecration With Aquinas: A Nine Day Path for Growing Closer to the Mother of God (TAN Books, 2020).

This lecture was given on April 12th, 2024, at Florida State University.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:Sister Anna Wray is a native of Connecticut and a member of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia of Nashville, TN. Sister received her phD in philosophy from The Catholic University of America, having written her dissertation on Aristotle’s account of the activity of contemplation. Sister is an assistant professor on the faculty of CUA's School of Philosophy in Washington, DC, where she regularly teaches courses in the history of philosophy, logic, rhetoric, ethics, philosophy of religion, and philosophical psychology. She is also an adjunct professor for Aquinas College, where she teaches metaphysics and epistemology to her sisters in formation. When time permits, sister enjoys the occasional trip that allows her to speak to (and with) others who share her loves.

This lecture was given on November 11th, 2023, at Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.About the Speaker:Fr. John Baptist Ku was born in Manhattan (1965) and grew up in Fairfax, Virginia. After graduating from School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia, he worked in software design at AT&T for five years before entering the Dominican Order in 1992. After obtaining his S.T.B./M.Div. (1998) and S.T.L. (2000) at the Dominican House of Studies, he served for three years in St. Pius Parish in Providence, R.I., before going on to complete his studies doctoral studies at the University of Fribourg in 2009. He was awarded the Thomas Aquinas Dissertation Prize by the Aquinas Center for Theological Renewal at Ave Maria University (2010) for his dissertation on God the Father in the Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. He now teaches at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., where he has also served as book review editor of The Thomist, chaplain to commuter students, and chaplain to the Immaculate Conception Chapter of Third Order Dominicans.