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
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arguing that "all men are created equal" refers to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, or status, drawing on historical documents, the founders' intentions, and philosophical influences.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.
Prof. Bruce Marshall explores the complex theological and philosophical challenges of predestination, examining its biblical foundations, Catholic doctrinal teachings, and the relationship between divine will, human freedom, and universal salvation.
This lecture was given on February 28th, 2024, at University of Texas Austin.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
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Fr. Gregory Pine explains the Catholic doctrine of predestination, distinguishing it from Calvinist interpretations by emphasizing God’s gratuitous initiative, human participation through grace, and the ultimate purpose of creation as sharing in divine life.
This lecture was given on May 8th, 2025, at Universidad Panamericana.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
Abou...
Dr. Nathaniel Peters examines how young adults can make life-changing decisions by applying philosophical and theological frameworks, particularly drawing on Aristotle and Aquinas, to overcome paralysis, weigh competing goods, and move beyond the allure of endless options.
This lecture was given on April 10th, 2025, at Williams College.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-event...
Fr. Anselm Ramelow explores the philosophical and scientific debates surrounding free will, examining cultural attitudes, neuroscience experiments like Benjamin Libet's, and the necessity of free will for rational thought and moral responsibility.
This lecture was given on September 14th, 2024, at Dominican House of Studies.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
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Prof. Paul Gondreau explores whether God could truly experience human emotions and suffering by examining Christ’s full humanity, the Church’s response to heresies like docetism and monophysitism, and the Aristotelian-Thomistic understanding of human nature and passions.
This lecture was given on March 7th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcomin...
Fr. Thomas Petri explores the profound meaning of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection, emphasizing humanity’s original condition and ultimate end, the consequences of sin, and God’s redemptive plan culminating in the Incarnation.
This lecture was given on April 10th, 2025, at University of Scranton.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
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Prof. Steven Jensen analyzes the complexity of the human heart by distinguishing the interplay between emotions and will, drawing on Aquinas and Aristotle to explain how passions like love, desire, sorrow, anxiety, guilt, vainglory, and pride shape human behavior and moral decision-making.
This lecture was given on September 6th, 2024, at Dominican House of Studies.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomist...
Prof. Gina Noia explores Catholic teaching on medical treatment decision-making, focusing on how suffering, prudence, and the distinction between ordinary and extraordinary means inform ethical choices in end-of-life care, euthanasia, and palliative care, as illustrated by real clinical cases
This lecture was given on March 8th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisti...
Prof. Gina Noia explores Catholic teaching on end-of-life care, suffering, and medical treatment decision-making, highlighting the nuanced distinction between morally obligatory and optional treatments within the Catholic ethical tradition.
This lecture was given on March 8th, 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. Paul Gondreau explains how the Mass, as the perfect form of human worship, unites sacrifice, thanksgiving, and fellowship by making present Christ’s atoning sacrifice as the Lamb of God, thus joining earthly and heavenly liturgy in a cosmic event.
This lecture was given on April 25th, 2025, at University of North Texas.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
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Fr. Innocent Smith explores the origins and theological significance of the Feast of Corpus Christi, emphasizing how liturgical tradition, scriptural foundations, and figures like Saint Juliana of Liège shape the Church’s understanding and celebration of the Eucharist.
This lecture was given on October 25th, 2024, at Dominican House of Studies.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcomi...
Fr. Innocent Smith explores how Thomas Aquinas creatively blended tradition and innovation in composing the Corpus Christi liturgy, drawing on earlier hymns and melodies to craft enduring Eucharistic music that deepens theological understanding.
This lecture was given on February 11th, 2025, at Cornell University.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
About the Speaker...
Prof. Gary Anderson examines how the Christian practice of adoring the Blessed Sacrament is deeply rooted in the scriptural tradition, particularly through the Old Testament themes of God's indwelling presence in the tabernacle and the dual spiritual practices of visual contemplation and sacrificial offering.
This lecture was given on February 7th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.
Prof. Bruce Marshall examines the fundamental Christian doctrine of the Incarnation, explaining how the New Testament and Catholic tradition affirm that Jesus is truly God in the flesh, as confessed by Thomas in the Gospel of John and articulated in the Nicene Creed and the Definition of Chalcedon.
This lecture was given on April 7th, 2025, at University of Tulsa.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomistic...
Prof. Thomas Ward explores the Thomistic concept of the convertibility of being and goodness, examining how the privation theory of evil and the essential natures of things underpin the intrinsic goodness of all that exists, drawing on insights from Aristotelian and Thomistic philosophy.
This lecture was given on February 22nd, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomistic...
Fr. Timothy Bellamah explores how the problem of evil emerged as a distinct theological issue within the Judeo-Christian tradition, contrasting it with ancient mythologies and examining historical responses from Gnosticism to Augustine and Aquinas.
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.
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Prof. Candace Vogler analyzes the concept of the highest good in metaethics, comparing the views of Mill, Kant, and Aquinas, and explores how the pursuit of the highest good shapes moral philosophy and practical reasoning.
This lecture was given on November 15th, 2024, at University of Illinois.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
About the Speaker:
Candace Vogler...
Prof. Stephen Meredith examines why a good and all-powerful God would allow horrible diseases, weaving together scientific explanations, philosophical arguments from figures like Boethius and Aquinas, and personal anecdotes to address the problem of evil.
This lecture was given on March 12th, 2025, at University of Georgia.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
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