The Thomistic Institute

Father Thomas Davenport explores how electromagnetic radiation fits into a Thomistic view of nature, discussing the unique properties of light, Aquinas' misconceptions, and the complexities of light-matter interactions from both classical and quantum perspectives.This lecture was given on July 19th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies. This publication was made possible through the support of Grant 63391 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Fr. Thomas Davenport, O.P., is professor of philosophy at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, where he teaches philosophy of nature and epistemology. He has written and spoken on the relationship of faith and science in a variety of venues, including being a main contributor to the Thomistic Evolution project. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2017 and is working on his second PhD in philosophy. 

Professor David Elliot examines the concept of admiratio (wonder or awe) as a species of fear in Thomas Aquinas' philosophy, explaining its taxonomy and relation to other passions. He explores how wonder contributes to moral formation, education, and appreciation of art and culture. The talk concludes by connecting wonder to the gift of fear of the Lord, emphasizing its role in fostering humility and avoiding presumption in the spiritual life.This lecture was given on September 7th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speakers: David Elliot is the Grace P. Hobelman Chair in Catholic Moral Theology, with a specialization in fundamental Catholic moral theology, virtue ethics, and the moral theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. He received his Ph.D. in moral theology at the University of Notre Dame in 2014, and was awarded a 3-year postdoctoral fellowship as Research Associate in Theological Ethics at the University of Cambridge, coming to CUA in 2017. He is the author of one monograph and eighteen journal articles and book chapters invited or already in print.

Fr. Andrew Hofer discusses the theology of joy in the context of Christian life and suffering. He explains how it relates to both natural and supernatural experiences of goodness. He outlines five key points, including joy as an awareness of present good, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, a means to embrace suffering, a connection to the Virgin Mary, and a foretaste of eternal happiness. Finally, he emphasizes the importance of finding joy in God's presence during earthly trials as preparation for the eternal joy of heaven.This lecture was given on April 22nd, 2024, at Georgetown University.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.

Fr. Jordan Schmidt examines how light is used in Scripture to represent God's revelation, starting with the Old Testament's portrayal of God's creative power and wisdom. He then traces the development of this imagery in the New Testament, where light becomes associated with Jesus Christ as the fullness of God's revelation. Finally, he discusses how this light imagery relates to the ultimate union with God in the New Jerusalem, where the saved will dwell in God's unapproachable light.This lecture was given on July 21st, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies. This publication was made possible through the support of Grant 63391 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Fr. Jordan Schmidt graduated with a BA in English and Philosophy from St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN in 2002.  He entered the Order of Preachers in 2005 and after completing his theological studies (STL and Mdiv), he was ordained a priest in 2012. Fr. Jordan initially served as associate pastor of St Mary’s parish in New Haven, CT,  and subsequently returned to the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC to pursue doctoral studies at CUA, ultimately earning his PhD in biblical studies in 2018.  He is currently an assistant professor of Sacred Scripture at the PFIC where he teaches various Old Testament courses, including survey courses on the Pentateuch, Prophets, and Wisdom literature as well as seminar courses on biblical inspiration, eschatology and apocalyptic literature, theological history, and creation theology. 

Professor Catherine Peters discusses the sun's role as a universal cause in Aristotelian-Thomistic philosophy, emphasizing its importance in understanding causality, universal causes, and creation. She examines the four causes in Aristotelian tradition and how the sun exemplifies universal causality. The lecture also delves into Thomas Aquinas's understanding of the sun's attributes and its relationship to God as the ultimate universal cause of existence.This lecture was given on July 20th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies. This publication was made possible through the support of Grant 63391 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Catherine Peters is a tenured associate professor at Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles, California). She specializes in medieval philosophy, with a particular focus on the thought of Thomas Aquinas and Avicenna. She earned her doctorate from the Center for Thomistic Studies at the University of St. Thomas (Houston, Texas) under the supervision of Jon McGinnis in 2019. Peters' research centers on the intersections of natural philosophy, metaphysics, and natural theology.An overarching theme in her work is the consideration of how medieval thought might inform and advance our attempts to answer fundamental questions such as “who am I?”, “what do we know?”, “what should we do?” and “is there a God?” She is passionate about translating medieval philosophy into modern terms and applying its insight to perennial problems and concerns. To this end, she is now engaged in developing a "Thomistic" account of disability.

Fr. Andrew Hofer explores St. Augustine’s City of God where he presents a comprehensive view of human history and destiny, contrasting the earthly city driven by self-love with the heavenly city founded on love of God. He argues that true peace and happiness can only be achieved through faith, humility, and divine grace, rather than human efforts to create happiness. Augustine also discusses just wars, the universal desire for peace, and the various levels of peace, ultimately pointing to the perfect peace found in the heavenly city.This lecture was given on June 13th, 2024, at The Catholic University of America.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.

Dr. Gregory Reichberg examines the viewpoint of Jacques Maritain, a Catholic philosopher, on the concept of just war and Christian engagement in the temporal world. Maritain proposed a hierarchy of means for Christians to effect change, ranging from spiritual practices to carnal warfare, emphasizing the importance of coordinating these approaches. Maritain argued against the notion of holy war, particularly in the context of the Spanish Civil War, asserting that war belongs to the profane domain and cannot be considered a supernatural act in the modern era.This lecture was given on June 11th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: ​Gregory M. Reichberg is Research Professor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). He is a philosopher specializing in military ethics and is currently engaged in a multi-year project on the use of artificial intelligence in armed conflict. He also writes on linkages between religion, peace, and conflict. For the last eight years he has led the Research School on Peace and Conflict, an academic consortium for doctoral students. From 2009-12 he was director of the PRIO Cyprus Centre in Nicosia, where he coordinated research and dialogue activities on the search for a political settlement to the island's division. Over the last fifteen years he has been engaged in religious dialogue on social/political issues in Iraq and other settings. Reichberg is a consultor to the Dicastery for Integral Human Development (appointed by Pope Francis in 2020).

Professor George Corbett presents a comprehensive overview of Thomas Aquinas's approach to ethics and the good life, emphasizing its centrality, goal-oriented nature, and focus on human nature and happiness. He explains how Aquinas's approach combines virtue ethics with an understanding of law and grace, emphasizing the pursuit of happiness through friendship with God. Corbett also highlights Aquinas's realistic view of sin and evil, his common-sense approach to emotions, and the empowering nature of his ethical framework for personal transformation.This lecture was given on July 10th, 2024, at Stonyhurst College.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker:George Corbett is Professor of Theology, School of Divinity, University of St Andrews. Prior to joining the School of Divinity in 2015, he held positions as Junior Research Fellow in Philosophy, Trinity College, and Affiliated Lecturer, University of Cambridge, where he taught English literature, Italian literature, and theology. He received his BA (double first), MPhil (distinction), and PhD (AHRC-funded) from the University of Cambridge. He also studied in Pisa (as an Erasmus-Socrates exchange scholar at La Scuola Normale Superiore), Rome (Institutum Pontificium Alterioris Latinitatis), and Montella (Vivarium Novum).Prof. Corbett directs CEPHAS (a Thomistic Centre for Philosophy and Scholastic Theology), TheoArtistry (a project linking up theologians and artists), and co-directs the collaborative MLitt in Sacred Music.

Sister Catherine Joseph Droste discusses St. Catherine of Siena's teachings on virtue, focusing on charity, humility, patience, and prudence within the context of Catherine's life and writings.This lecture was given on July 11th, 2024, at Stonyhurst College.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).

Professor George Corbett examines St. Thomas Aquinas as an exemplary model of holiness, focusing on his intellectual gifts, indomitable will, and dedication to God. It explores Aquinas' life, from his childhood to his academic career, highlighting his vast scholarly output in theology, philosophy, and biblical studies. The talk also touches on Aquinas' personal virtues, including his humility, chastity, and devotion to prayer, presenting him as a multifaceted saint whose example remains relevant for modern students and scholars.This lecture was given on July 10th, 2024, at Stonyhurst College.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: George Corbett is Professor of Theology, School of Divinity, University of St Andrews. Prior to joining the School of Divinity in 2015, he held positions as Junior Research Fellow in Philosophy, Trinity College, and Affiliated Lecturer, University of Cambridge, where he taught English literature, Italian literature, and theology. He received his BA (double first), MPhil (distinction), and PhD (AHRC-funded) from the University of Cambridge. He also studied in Pisa (as an Erasmus-Socrates exchange scholar at La Scuola Normale Superiore), Rome (Institutum Pontificium Alterioris Latinitatis), and Montella (Vivarium Novum). Prof. Corbett directs CEPHAS (a Thomistic Centre for Philosophy and Scholastic Theology), TheoArtistry (a project linking up theologians and artists), and co-directs the collaborative MLitt in Sacred Music.

Professor Joshua Benson explores the historical development doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, tracing its origins from early liturgical practices to its formal definition in 1854. It examines the theological arguments of influential figures such as St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Bonaventure, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Duns Scotus, highlighting their varying perspectives on Mary's sanctification.This lecture was given on December 9th, 2024, 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.

Are you becoming a moral zombie? Join Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. of Aquinas 101, Godsplaining, and Pints with Aquinas for an off-campus conversation with Fr. Anselm Ramelow, O.P. about artificial intelligence, why ChatGPT is damaging personal relationships in the classroom, how AI could be destroying virtue, and the eschatological implications of artificial intelligence.You can watch this interview on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg8a_6nJzVA.About the speaker: Fr. Anselm Ramelow, O.P., a native of Germany, teaches philosophy at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, California, where he is also currently the chair of the philosophy department. He is also a member of the Core Doctoral Faculty at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley and the Academy of Catholic Theology. He obtained his doctorate under Robert Spaemann in Munich on Leibniz and the Spanish Jesuits (Gott, Freiheit, Weltenwahl, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1997) and did theological work on George Lindbeck and the question of a Thomist philosophy and theology of language (Beyond Modernism? - George Lindbeck and the Linguistic Turn in Theology, Neuried: Ars Una 2005). Other works include Thomas Aquinas: De veritate Q. 21-24; Translation and Commentary (Hamburg: Meiner, 2013) and God: Reason and Reality (Basic Philosophical Concepts) (Munich: Philosophia Verlag, 2014), as editor and contributor. Articles appeared in Historisches Wörterbuch der Philosophie, Archiv für Begriffsgeschichte, Nova et Vetera, American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly and Angelicum. Areas of research and teaching include Free Will, the History of Philosophy and Philosophical Aesthetics. He has worked on a philosophical approach to Miracles and other topics of the philosophy of religion, and more recently the philosophy of technology. This project/publication was made possible through the support of Grant 63391 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

Professor Vicenzo Tamma delves into the fascinating world of quantum optics, explaining key concepts such as wave-particle duality, quantum superposition, and interference through experiments like the double-slit and beam splitter. He discusses how these quantum phenomena challenge classical physics and lead to intriguing effects like photon bunching and quantum beats. The lecture also touches on the practical applications of quantum optics in emerging technologies, including quantum sensing, computation, and communication.This lecture was given on July 19th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies. This publication was made possible through the support of Grant 63391 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Prof. Vicenzo Tamma is founding Director of the Quantum Science and Technology Hub (QSTH). He Received his Masters degree in physics from University of Bari in 2006. He received a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Bari and in Applied Physics from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2010 under the International Cooperation Program Award awarded by the Italian Ministry of Research. His research was recognized with the “Giampietro Puppi Award” for the best Ph.D. thesis in Physics and Astrophysics in Italy in the academic years 2007-2009. After a one-year postdoctoral fellowship issued by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, he moved as a group leader and lecturer to the Institute of Quantum Physics at Ulm University, Germany directed by Prof. Wolfgang Schleich, before joining the University of Portsmouth in 2016.

Sister Jane Dominic Laurel explores the concept of vocation, highlighting its connection to holiness and the cross. She discusses the cruciform nature of marriage, using the example of a Croatian village with a zero percent divorce rate, and outlines pitfalls in discerning one's vocation.This lecture was given on June 28th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Sr. Jane Dominic Laurel is a member of the St. Cecilia Congregation of Dominican Sisters of Nashville, Tennessee. She has been active in her religious community’s teaching apostolate for over fifteen years and assists with the theological formation of the newest members of her religious congregation, serving as Associate Professor of Theology at Aquinas College. In addition to contributing articles to a number of journals and magazines, including the Vatican newspaper (L’Osservatore Romano), The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly, The Linacre Quarterly, and the Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, her favorite projects have been serving as editor-in-chief of her Congregation’s book, Praying as a Family, directing a television series of the same title with EWTN, co-directing the documentary Undivided Heart, and serving as the creator and founding Director of the University of Dallas Studies in Catholic Faith & Culture Program.

This panel discussion between Fr. Ambrose Little and Professor Jonathan Lunine explores the relationship between science and faith. They specifically highlight the historical contributions of religious scientists, challenging the mistaken notion that there is intrinsic conflict between the Catholic faith and science. They emphasize the importance of philosophy as a bridge between theology and science and discuss efforts to promote collaboration between scientists, philosophers, and theologians. 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 Speakers: Fr. Ambrose Little is the assistant director of the Thomistic Institute.  He is originally from Connecticut and entered the Dominican Order in 2007 and was ordained a priest in 2013. Before entering the Dominican Order, he graduated from The Catholic University of America with a BA in philosophy. After ordination, he completed a Licentiate in Philosophy at The Catholic University of America and then taught for two years at Providence College. After completing his Ph.D. in philosophy in the summer of 2021, he started teaching at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception. He specializes in the philosophies of Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas, with an emphasis on their study of nature and the soul. He also studies topics at the intersection between philosophy and science.Jonathan Lunine is the David C. Duncan Professor in the Physical Sciences and Chair of the Department of Astronomy at Cornell University. Lunine is interested in how planets form and evolve, what processes maintain and establish habitability, and what kinds of exotic environments (methane lakes, etc.) might host a kind of chemistry sophisticated enough to be called "life".  He pursues these interests through theoretical modeling and participation in spacecraft missions.  He is co-investigator on the Juno mission now in orbit at Jupiter, using data from several instruments on the spacecraft, and on the MISE instrument for the Europa Clipper mission.  He is on the science team for the James Webb Space Telescope, focusing on characterization of extrasolar planets and Kuiper Belt objects.  Lunine has contributed to concept studies for a wide range of planetary and exoplanetary missions. Lunine is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and has participated in or chaired a number of advisory and strategic planning committees for the Academy and for NASA.

Dr. Jennifer Frey discusses St. Thomas Aquinas's understanding of sin as a privation of good and a failure to achieve one's proper end. Aquinas attributes the causes of sin to human nature's fallen state, resulting in a darkened intellect, disturbed passions, and a disordered will, which can lead to sins of ignorance, weakness, or malice.This lecture was given on February 15th, 2024, at The University of Tulsa.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Jennifer Frey is the inaugural Dean of the Honors College and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tulsa. Prior to joining Tulsa, Frey previously was an associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of South Carolina and fellow of the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America. She also has been a Collegiate Assistant Professor of Humanities at the University of Chicago, where she was a member of the Society of Fellows in the Liberal Arts. She has published widely on virtue and moral psychology and she has co-edited three volumes on Self-Transcendence and Virtue, Practical Wisdom, and Practical Truth. Her writing has been featured in Breaking Ground, Evangelization and Culture, First Things, Fare Forward, Image, Law and Liberty, The Point, and USA Today.

This lecture was given on February 3rd, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-eventsAbout the Speaker: Michael Root is Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology at the Catholic University of America, Washington, DC. Earlier in life, he was a Lutheran, teaching at various Lutheran seminaries and serving ten years as a Research Professor at the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg, France. He was received into the Catholic Church in 2010. His particular theological interests lie in grace and justification, eschatology (death, heaven, hell, etc.), and Protestant-Catholic relations.

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.