The Thomistic Institute

Latest Episodes:

Aquinas on Virtue and the Path to Happiness | Prof. Josh Hochschild & Prof. Jane Sloan Peters Sep 30, 2024

Show notes

Professors Josh Hochschild and Jane Sloan Peters participate in a two-person panel. First Professor Hochschild examines Aristotle’s concept of piety and its apparent absence in his writing, suggesting that Aristotle may talk about piety indirectly and in a more embodied way through discussion of contemplation of God. Then Professor Peters moves the discussion from the philosophical to the theological, specifically Aquinas’ moral theology. She discusses the often-overlooked importance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit along with the cardinal and theological virtues. Finally, the discussion explains how the gifts of the Holy Spirit complement the virtues and are necessary for salvation.

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-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.

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.

Where Does Electromagnetic Radiation Fit in a Thomistic View of Nature? | Fr. Thomas Davenport, O.P Sep 27, 2024

Show notes

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-events

About 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.

The Moral Role of Wonder and Awe | Prof. David Elliot Sep 26, 2024

Show notes

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-events

About 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.

A Theology of Joy in the Valley of Tears | Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P. Sep 25, 2024

Show notes

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-events

About 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.

Biblical Illuminations of Christ's Revelatory Activity | Fr. Jordan Schmidt, O.P. Sep 24, 2024

Show notes

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-events

About 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.

The Sun as a Universal Cause in Aristotelian-Thomistic Tradition | Prof. Catherine Peters Sep 23, 2024

Show notes

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-events

About 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.

The City of God and the Earthly City: War and Peace | Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P. Sep 20, 2024

Show notes

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-events

About the Speaker:

A Contemporary Catholic Viewpoint on War and Non-Violence | Dr. Gregory Reichberg Sep 19, 2024

Show notes

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-events

About 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).

A Thomistic Approach to the Good Life | Prof. George Corbett Sep 18, 2024

Show notes

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-events

About 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.

St. Catherine of Siena on Virtue | Sr. Catherine Joseph Droste, O.P. Sep 17, 2024

Show notes

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-events

About 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).

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