The Thomistic Institute
The Thomistic Institute exists to promote Catholic truth in our contemporary world by strengthening the intellectual formation of Christians at universities, in the Church, and in the wider public square. The thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, the Universal Doctor of the Church, is our touchstone. The Thomistic Institute Podcast features the lectures and talks from our conferences, campus chapters events, intellectual retreats, livestream events, and much more. Founded in 2009, the Thomistic Institute is part of the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC.
Episodes
Prof. Timothy J. Pawl examines the nature, divisions, and cultivation of virtue, harmonizing Christian moral wisdom with contemporary psychological research and offering eight practical steps to growing in virtue.
This lecture was given on April 24th, 2025, at North Dakota State University.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
About the Speaker:
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Prof. Thomas Ward explores the resurgence of Stoicism in modern culture and critically contrasts it with Christian philosophy, especially through the lens of Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy, advocating for divine providence and the Christian virtues of hope and charity in place of Stoic apathy.
This lecture was given on May 4th, 2025, at Stanford University.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomist...
Prof. Raymond Hain examines the four cardinal virtues—prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance—tracing their philosophical and theological roots while exploring their essential role in living a morally excellent and flourishing human life.
This lecture was given on March 27th, 2025, at University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
Abou...
Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P., delves into St. Augustine's understanding of love for "confused lovers," drawing from the Confessions to explore the transformative power of God's grace and the ordering of human loves toward divine union.
This lecture was given on April 4th, 2025, at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
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Prof. Gina Noia explores the Catholic Church's nuanced teachings on birth control, responsible parenthood, and the moral distinctions between natural family planning, direct contraception, and sterilization, rooted in theological and philosophical reasoning.
This lecture was given on October 1st, 2024, at North Carolina State University.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-even...
Prof. Christopher Kaczor critically examines the ethics of abortion by exploring whether the unborn are alive and human, whether killing is justified, and whether bodily autonomy overrides other moral considerations.
This lecture was given on April 14th, 2025, at Duke University.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
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Prof. Jordan Wales offers a theological critique of artificial intelligence, examining the limitations of computational and behaviorist definitions of intelligence and emphasizing the need for intentionality, interior experience, and a Christian understanding rooted in Augustine.
This lecture was given on April 4th, 2024, at Hill...
Prof. Raymond Hain explores the Catholic imagination through the literary works of Flannery O'Connor and J.R.R. Tolkien, revealing how Catholic literature intertwines hope, redemption, and the complexities of faith in the face of suffering and beauty.
This lecture was given on May 28th, 2025, at University of Washington.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
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Harvard astronomer Prof. Karin Öberg examines the compatibility of science and faith, addressing perceived conflicts through philosophical, doctrinal, psychological, and historical lenses while emphasizing Catholic intellectual tradition and the role of reason.
This lecture was given on March 28th, 2025, at Ohio State University.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
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Sr. Elinor Gardner explores the vocation of women as companion and mother, drawing on Edith Stein’s philosophy to highlight the natural ethos of femininity as a gift received from God, characterized by a unique capacity for nurturing and companionship that shapes both family and professional life.
This lecture was given on February 22nd, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.
Prof. John Cuddeback explores true fatherhood as the archetype of masculine virtue, examining its modes, challenges, and unique virtues through the lenses of Aristotelian philosophy, domestic prudence, and scriptural figures like Joseph.
This lecture was given on February 22nd, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
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Prof. John Cuddeback explores how the household serves as a natural revelation of masculinity and femininity, emphasizing the complementarity of men and women, the significance of virtue, and the essential roles of fatherhood and motherhood.
This lecture was given on February 22nd, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
About the Spe...
Dr. Nathaniel Peters and Prof. Jane Peters explore the vocation of marriage as a transformative friendship, highlighting how the goods of marriage—offspring, fidelity, and sacrament—are elevated by grace to foster virtue, mutual delight, and a living witness to Christ’s love.
This lecture was given on January 24th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org...
Prof. Michael Dauphinais explores the realism of the biblical view of sex and marriage, analyzing cultural challenges, scriptural diagnoses, and the transformative power of radical trust in God’s plan for relationships.
This lecture was given on February 10th, 2025, at Ohio State University.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
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Prof. Michael Foley critically examines the authentic role of the humanities in the modern American university, contrasting the consumerist and human models of education while advocating for self-emptying, integrated knowledge, and the cultivation of wonder.
This lecture was given on February 16th, 2024, at Clemson University.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
Abou...
Prof. George Corbett explores the philosophical and theological foundations of beauty through Mozart’s music, highlighting the "pathway of beauty" as a means of encountering the divine and engaging culture.
This lecture was given on March 13th, 2025, at University of Edinburgh.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
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George Corbett is Professor of T...
Prof. Jan C. Bentz examines the nature of beauty, arguing that beauty is not merely subjective but possesses objective and transcendent qualities rooted in metaphysical, ethical, and theological traditions from Plato and Aristotle to Aquinas.
This lecture was given on December 9th, 2024, at Thomistic Institute in Limerick.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
About th...
Prof. Joshua Hochschild explores the philosophical and theological dimensions of the Barbie movie, analyzing its narrative through the lens of storytelling, existentialism, and the thought of Aquinas, while engaging with diverse critical interpretations.
This lecture was given on September 20th, 2024, at North Carolina State University.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-event...
Sr. Elinor Gardner explores the Christian understanding of virtue, emphasizing the theological and cardinal virtues as foundational to human excellence and the restoration of the image of God in man and woman.
This lecture was given on February 21st, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
About the Speaker:
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Prof. Christopher Kaczor rigorously defends the inclusive interpretation of the Declaration of Independence, arguing that "all men are created equal" refers to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, or status, drawing on historical documents, the founders' intentions, and philosophical influences.
This lecture was given on March 27th, 2025, at University of South Carolina.
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