The Thomistic Institute

Latest Episodes:

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Canticles: Gregorian Chant and the Joy of the Gospel – Fr. Innocent Smith, O.P. Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

Fr. Innocent Smith’s lecture illuminates how Gregorian Chant, rooted in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, enriches Catholic liturgy by shaping Christian spirituality and expressing the deep joy of the Gospel through sung prayer.

This lecture was given on April 10th, 2025, at Clemson University.

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

About the Speakers:

Innocent Smith, O.P., is Assistant Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. After undergraduate studies in music and philosophy at Notre Dame, he entered the Order of Preachers in 2008 and was ordained priest in 2015. Fr. Innocent served in parish ministry for several years before completing a doctorate in liturgical studies at the University of Regensburg in 2021. After teaching for several years in Baltimore and Washington, DC, he joined the Department of Theology in 2025. His research focuses on the material and musical aspects of medieval liturgical books as well as the relationship between liturgy and theology. His monograph Bible Missals and the Medieval Dominican Liturgy explores medieval manuscripts of the Bible that also contain liturgical texts for the celebration of Mass.

Keywords: Biblical Canticles, Christian Liturgy, Ecclesiastical Music, Eucharistic Thanksgiving, Gregorian Chant, Liturgical Solemnity, Psalms Of David, Sacramental Joy, St. Augustine, Sung Prayer

The Incarnation and the Machine: The Visions of Fra Angelico and Le Corbusier – Fr. Irenaeus Dunlevy O.P. Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

Fr. Irenaeus Dunlevy's lecture contrasts the incarnational vision of Fra Angelico with Le Corbusier’s machine aesthetic, revealing how Christian art and architecture communicate spiritual beauty, theological wisdom, and the presence of Christ through the transformation of physical space.

This lecture was given on March 14th, 2025, at Rhode Island School of Design.

Will you hand on the Faith to those who need it the most? Give by October 31st to film the next season of Aquinas 101! https://aquinas101.thomisticinstitute.org/oct25podcast

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

About the Speakers:

Fr. Irenaeus Dunlevy, O.P. is a Coordinator for Campus Outreach at the Thomistic Institute in Washington, DC. He has served as a parochial vicar at St. Pius V Church in Providence, RI, as well as an adjunct professor and assistant chaplain at Providence College. He originates from Columbus, OH, studied architecture in Virginia and Switzerland, and practiced in the DC area before entering the Order of Preachers in 2013. He was ordained a priest in 2020 at the Dominican House of Studies during the quarantine. In his work with the Thomistic Institute, he has given talks on the virtue of penance, loving God with the mind, and the intersection of theology and architecture. He often travels the country visiting Thomistic Institute Campus Chapters, leading seminars that help students grasp Thomistic concepts. Additionally, he coordinates the TI's intellectual retreat programming, which affords students time to pray and integrate into their lives Thomistic theology and philosophy.

Keywords: Art And Spirituality, Beauty And Incarnation, Christian Architecture, Conceptual Art, Letter To Artists, Marie-Alain Couturier, Minimalism, Religious Pedagogy, Sacramental Presence, San Marco Frescoes

Beyond but Not Against Nature: How Grace Perfects and Transforms Nature – Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P. Oct 17, 2025

Show notes

Fr. Cajetan Cuddy explores the relationship between grace and nature, demonstrating how grace perfects, transforms, and preserves the continuity of human nature without destroying its fundamental reality.

This lecture was given on July 20th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.

Will you hand on the Faith to those who need it the most? Give by October 31st to film the next season of Aquinas 101! Visit aquinas101.thomisticinstitute.org/oct25podcast.

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

About the Speakers:

Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P., is a priest of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph. He serves as the general editor of the Thomist Tradition Series, and he is co-author of Thomas and the Thomists: The Achievement of St. Thomas Aquinas and His Interpreters. He has written for numerous publications on the philosophy and theology of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Thomist Tradition.

Keywords: Accident and Substance, Divine Revelation, Grace and Nature, Human Nature, Obediential Potency, Original Justice, Philosophy and Theology, Prime Matter, Salvation, Supernatural Finality

How the Highest of the Inanimate Touches the Lowest of the Living: A Contemporary Thomistic Approach – Fr. Thomas Davenport, O.P. Oct 16, 2025

Show notes

Fr. Thomas Davenport examines the philosophical and scientific boundaries between the inanimate and the living, highlighting how Thomistic principles, spontaneous generation, and structured homogeneity offer new ways to understand life’s emergence and complexity.

This lecture was given on July 19th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

About the Speakers:

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.

Keywords: Abiogenesis, Aristotle’s Four Elements, Biological Complexity, David Oderberg, Emergence, Homogeneity, Integral Parts, Scala Natura, Spontaneous Generation, Structured Elementarity

The Measure of All Things? Rethinking Constants and Replicability in the Life Sciences – Prof. Santiago Schnell Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

Prof. Santiago Schnell’s lecture examines the challenges of measurement, scientific constants, and replicability in the life sciences, highlighting how philosophical and mathematical models are crucial for advancing biological research.

This lecture was given on July 19th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.

Will you hand on the Faith to those who need it the most? Give by October 31st to film the next season of Aquinas 101! https://aquinas101.thomisticinstitute.org/oct25podcast

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

About the Speakers:

Santiago Schnell, is a Venezuelan-born mathematical biologist and academic leader known for his pioneering work in quantitative biology and enzyme kinetics, including the development of the Schnell-Mendoza equation. After earning his biology degree from Universidad Simón Bolívar and his doctorate at the University of Oxford, he held faculty positions at Indiana University and the University of Michigan, where he chaired the Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology. Since 2021, Schnell has served as the William K. Warren Foundation Dean of the College of Science at the University of Notre Dame, where he is also a professor of Biological Sciences and Applied & Computational Mathematics & Statistics. His research focuses on mathematical modeling of complex biomedical systems, and he is a fellow of the AAAS, Royal Society of Biology, and Royal Society of Chemistry.

Keywords: Error Analysis, Enzyme Kinetics, Experimental Design, Mathematical Modeling, Measurement Uncertainty, Michaelis Constant, Philosophy Of Science, Replicability, Reproducibility Crisis, Standard Equation

The Plasma Membrane: Boundary and Bridge at the Edge of Life – Prof. Keith Kozminski Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

Prof. Keith Kozminski explores the plasma membrane’s evolving scientific understanding, highlighting its role as both boundary and bridge in cellular life through detailed analysis of structure, function, and paradigm shifts in biology.

This lecture was given on July 19th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

About the Speakers:

Keith Kozminski is an Associate Professor of Biology and Cell Biology at the University of Virginia, where he studies polarized cell growth, in particular the role of lipid transfer proteins in intracellular membrane trafficking and secretion. In addition, he conducts research in the field of synthetic biology, as applied to health and environmental sustainability. He leads the Mid-Atlantic Synthetic Biology Network comprised of academic, private sector, and government researchers from Georgia to Delaware, in addition to being the senior Features editor of Molecular Biology of the Cell, the research journal of the American Society of Cell Biology. He also co-founded the biotech company Ourobio in 2020.

Keywords: Abbe’s Resolution Limit, Cell Biology, Compartmentalized Fluid Model, Electron Microscopy, Gordon Grendel Experiment, Lipid Bilayers, Membrane Transport, Phospholipids, Protein Structure, Singer Nicholson Model

Thomistic Wisdom for the Pilgrimage to God – Prof. John Cuddeback Oct 10, 2025

Show notes

Prof. John Cuddeback presents Thomistic wisdom for the pilgrimage to God emphasizing the importance of cleaving to the final end—God—as the ultimate rule and measure of all actions, fostering order and peace in the spiritual journey.

This lecture was given on June 28th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.

Will you hand on the Faith to those who need it the most? Give by October 31st to film the next season of Aquinas 101! https://aquinas101.thomisticinstitute.org/oct25podcast

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

About the Speakers:

John A. Cuddeback, PhD, is professor of Philosophy at Christendom College, where he has taught for thirty years. He lectures widely on topics including friendship, fatherhood, virtue, homesteading, and household. His professional writings appear in various academic journals and books, and his book True Friendship was republished by Ignatius Press. His podcasts, blogging, and courses at LifeCraft are renowned for applying a timeless wisdom to life today.

Keywords: Blessed Columba Marmion, Divine Order, Final End, Holiness, Human Fulfillment, Rule Of Life, St. Catherine Of Siena, St. Thomas Aquinas, Spiritual and Material Goods, Wisdom

Thomistic Wisdom for the Pilgrimage to God – Prof. Paige Hochschild Oct 09, 2025

Show notes

Prof. Paige Hochschild explores Thomistic wisdom for the pilgrimage to God, focusing on the virtues required for spiritual journey, the meanings of patience, hope, and memory, and the role of Dante’s Divine Comedy in illuminating the challenges and fulfillment of the pilgrim’s quest.

This lecture was given on June 28th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

About the Speakers:

Dr. Paige Hochschild is a professor of historical and systematic theology at Mount St. Mary's University (MD), specializing in Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and the early Church. She also teaches philosophy courses at the Seminary at Mount St. Mary's. She has written a book on the place of memory in Augustine's theological anthropology, and publishes on the Church, education, tradition, and 20th Century theological debates within the Church (scripture, history, marriage).

Keywords: Contrition, Dante Alighieri, Divine Fulfillment, Fear and Faith, Fortitude, Homo Viator, Memory, Patience and Hope, Pope St. Gregory the Great, The Divine Comedy

Must Beautiful Things be Natural? – Prof. Raymond Hain Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

Prof. Raymond Hain examines whether beauty must be natural, exploring Thomistic metaphysics, twentieth-century debates between Maritain and Gilson, and contemporary examples from architecture and literature to probe the relationship between nature, artifice, and the beautiful.

This lecture was given on May 31st, 2025, at Mount Saint Mary College.

Will you hand on the Faith to those who need it the most? Give by October 31st to film the next season of Aquinas 101! https://aquinas101.thomisticinstitute.org/oct25podcast

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

About the Speakers:

Raymond Hain is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Associate Director of the Humanities Program at Providence College in Providence, RI. Educated at Christendom College, the University of Notre Dame, and the University of Oxford, he is the founder of the PC Humanities Forum and Humanities Reading Seminars and is responsible for the strategic development of the Humanities Program into a vibrant, world class center of teaching, research, and cultural life dedicated to the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. His scholarly interests include the history of ethics (especially St. Thomas Aquinas), applied ethics (especially medical ethics and the ethics of architecture), Alexis de Tocqueville, and philosophy and literature (especially Catholic aesthetics). His work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Templeton Foundation, the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, and the Charles Koch Foundation. His essays have appeared in various journals and collections including The Thomist, International Journal of Applied Philosophy, and The Anthem Companion to Tocqueville. He is the editor of Beyond the Self: Virtue Ethics and the Problem of Culture and is currently working on a monograph titled The Lover and the Prophet: An Essay in Catholic Aesthetics. He joined Providence College in 2011 and lives just across the street with his wife Dominique and their five children.

Keywords: Aesthetics, Art and Imitation, Christopher Alexander, Clarity And Proportion, Creative Intuition, Etienne Gilson, Integration and Wholeness, Jacques Maritain, Smith of Wootton Major, Thomistic Metaphysics

Are Societies Natural? The Metaphysics of Thomistic Social Thought – Prof. Joshua Hochschild Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

Prof. Joshua Hochschild examines whether societies are natural by tracing the Aristotelian and Thomistic understanding of social forms, arguing that certain social bodies like families and states have intrinsic natures and purposes that fulfill the social aspect of human flourishing.

This lecture was given on May 31st, 2025, at Mount Saint Mary College.

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

About the Speakers:

Joshua Hochschild is Professor of Philosophy at Mount St. Mary’s University, where he also served six years as the inaugural Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. His primary research is in medieval logic, metaphysics, and ethics, with broad interest in liberal education and the continuing relevance of the Catholic intellectual tradition. He is the author of The Semantics of Analogy: Rereading Cajetan’s De Nominum Analogia (2010), translator of Claude Panaccio’s Mental Language: From Plato to William of Ockham (2017), and co-author of A Mind at Peace: Reclaiming an Ordered Soul in the Age of Distraction (2017). His writing has appeared in First Things, Commonweal, Modern Age and the Wall Street Journal. For 2020-21 he served as President of the American Catholic Philosophical Association.

Keywords: Alasdair MacIntyre, Aristotelianism, Catholic Social Teaching, Civil Society, Common Good, Community, Corporate Personality, Moral Agency, Politics, Subsidiarity

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected