Theology Episodes

March 25, 2025

Nicene Existential Theology: Then and Now | Fr. Khaled Anatolios

Fr. Khaled Anatolios argues that the Nicene Council and its doctrine of creation from nothing entail a comprehensive understanding of Christian existence, particularly as illuminated by Athanasius's "On the Incarnation," which configures human life within the dialectic of being and nothingness.

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March 24, 2025

Understanding the Human Person as Imago Dei: A Biblical Perspective |…

Fr. Jordan Schmidt explores the concept of humans being created in God's image and likeness (Imago Dei) from a biblical perspective, particularly focusing on the Genesis creation account and St. Paul's teachings.

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March 20, 2025

Sacred Study: Loving God with Your Mind | Fr. Irenaeus Dunlevy, O.P.

Fr. Irenaeus Dunlevy explores the meaning of loving God with all our minds, drawing from St. Thomas Aquinas's interpretation of the greatest commandment.

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March 18, 2025

The Nature and Significance of Contemplation According to Thomas Aqui…

Professor Rik Van Nieuwenhove explores Thomas Aquinas's concept of contemplation, emphasizing its intellective nature, self-transcendent character, and relationship to charity, while discussing its significance in modern life.

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March 17, 2025

Prayer and the Presence of God | Fr. Ambrose Little, O.P.

Fr. Ambrose Little explores the concept of praying always and becoming aware of God's constant presence in our lives, discussing biblical exhortations, patristic interpretations, and four ways God is present to us: by his presence, power, essence, and divine indwelling.

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March 11, 2025

On the Justice of Creation | Prof. John O'Callaghan

Prof. John O'Callaghan discusses Aquinas's perspective on divine justice in the act of creation, emphasizing that it is primarily an act of justice of God towards Himself, reflecting His will, wisdom, and goodness.

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March 4, 2025

Put Away Falsehood | Prof. Adam Eitel

Professor Adam Eitel explores Thomas Aquinas's treatment of truthfulness and falsehood, discussing different types of lies, their motivations, and how they relate to charity and friendship with God, as well as forms of deception beyond speech, like...

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Feb. 14, 2025

Lent is for Lovers | Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P.

Fr. Andrew Hofer connects the themes of Lent and love, explaining how God's sacrificial love, as revealed in Christ, calls us to a deeper, more authentic love that purifies our affections and strengthens us for sacrifice, particularly within the co...

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Feb. 12, 2025

Marriage as Natural Community | Prof. Joshua Hochschild

Professor Joshua Hochschild connects Theology of the Body with Aristotelian philosophy, arguing that it supports the concept of marriage as a natural community amidst modern challenges from social contract theory and technology.

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Feb. 10, 2025

An Historical Overview: The Growth of Marriage as Avenue of Holiness …

Fr. Thomas Petri provides a historical overview of the evolving understanding of marriage as a path to holiness within the Catholic Church, set against the backdrop of societal changes, medical advancements, and challenges to traditional Christian views...

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Feb. 6, 2025

How the Sacraments Can Change Your Life w/ Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. & F…

What role do the sacraments play in human flourishing? Why do we need them? How can they change your life? Join Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. of Aquinas 101, Godsplaining, and Pints with Aquinas for an off-campus conversation with Fr. Dominic Langevin, O....

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Jan. 31, 2025

Divine Causality and Human Freedom | Prof. W. Matthews Grant

Professor Grant examines the traditional Christian doctrine of divine universal causality, exploring how God can be the cause of all things, including human free acts, and how this relates to our understanding of freedom and responsibility.

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Jan. 30, 2025

God's Response to the Problem of Evil | Dr. Medi Volpe

Dr. Medi Volpe explores God's response to the problem of evil by contrasting modern theodicy against the approach of early Christians, emphasizing the Incarnation and human action as integral to God's response.

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Jan. 29, 2025

Creation: Mercy Beyond Justice | Prof. John O'Callaghan

Professor John O'Callaghan delves into St. Thomas Aquinas's understanding of God's mercy in creation, addressing the apparent paradox of extending mercy to non-existent beings by examining the transition from non-being to being.

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Jan. 28, 2025

God's Justice According to St. Thomas' Reading of the Apostle Paul | …

Fr. Andrew Hofer explores St. Thomas Aquinas's understanding of God's Justice as revealed in the Gospel and the writings of St. Paul, emphasizing its connection to grace, truth, and the conformity of creation to God's intellect.

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Jan. 27, 2025

God's Mercy According to St. Thomas' Reading of the Apostle Paul | Fr…

Fr. Andrew Hofer explores St. Thomas Aquinas's understanding of God's mercy in the writings of St. Paul, paying particular attention to Mercy's relationship to Divine justice and its transformative activity in Christian life.

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Jan. 17, 2025

Bored to Tears: Confronting the Taedium Vitae with Thomas Aquinas | F…

Fr. Stewart Clem examines the concept of boredom ("taedium vitae") through the lens of Thomistic moral theology, defining it, exploring its subjective and objective dimensions, and distinguishing it from related concepts like sloth (acedia).

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Jan. 16, 2025

The Seven Deadly Sins | Prof. Timothy Pawl

Professor Timothy Pawl explores the seven deadly sins according to Thomistic tradition, outlining what they are, what makes them deadly, how they are often misunderstood, their subdivisions, traditional ordering, and how to avoid them.

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Jan. 15, 2025

Augustine and the Quest for Self-Knowledge | Prof. Michael Foley

Prof. Michael Foley explores Saint Augustine's lifelong pursuit of self-knowledge, dividing it into intellectual, moral, and religious dimensions, each achieved through conversion and hindered by specific obstacles.

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Jan. 13, 2025

The Moral Life | Prof. Michael Krom

Professor Michael Krom discusses Aquinas's approach to the moral life, emphasizing the pursuit of the good and the integration of faith, hope, and charity, while also addressing moral relativism and the importance of objective moral principles.

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Jan. 10, 2025

Christianity as True Philosophy: The Theology of St. Justin Martyr | …

Professor Matthew Thomas examines the theology of St. Justin Martyr, arguing that Justin viewed Christianity as the culmination of both Greek philosophy and Jewish scripture, with Christ as the fulfillment of both.

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Jan. 8, 2025

The Christian Faith and Modern Science: Understanding and Correcting …

Professor Christopher Baglow critiques the conflict model of science and religion, tracing its origins to the late 19th century and arguing that the Catholic intellectual tradition offers a more harmonious approach by keeping faith and reason toget...

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Jan. 7, 2025

Analogy and the Semantics of Simplicity: Learning form the Limits of …

Professor Joshua Hochschild explores Aquinas's understanding of analogy in relation to divine simplicity, distinguishing between analogy as a likeness between things and analogy as a relation between the significations of terms, and argues that the...

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Dec. 27, 2024

Scotus on Why Christ's Assumed Human Nature Is Not a Person | Prof. M…

This lecture was given on February 24th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies as a part of a conference titled: "Majesty and Lowliness: On the Hypostatic Union of Divine & Human Natures in Christ."

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