The Thomistic Institute

The Thomistic Institute
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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.

  1. Thomas Aquinas and the Philosophy of Punishment – Dr. Peter Koritansky

    11H AGO

    Thomas Aquinas and the Philosophy of Punishment – Dr. Peter Koritansky

    Dr. Peter Koritansky argues that Thomas Aquinas grounds punishment in natural law and retributive justice, where punishment is justified not merely to deter or rehabilitate, but to express the moral order and the common good. This lecture was given on March 5th, 2026, at Cornell University. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events. About the Speakers: Dr. Peter Karl Koritansky is a professor and Director of the Center for Civics, Culture, and Society at Cleveland State University. He has previously taught at Malone University, Walsh University, The University of Prince Edward Island in Canada, and the Ateneo Pontificio Regina Apostolorum in Rome, Italy. He has also been a visiting research scholar with the Jacques Maritain Center at The University of Notre Dame and at Princeton University with the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. He is the author of several articles and books, including Thomas Aquinas and the Philosophy of Punishment (The Catholic University of America Press, 2012), Engaging the Skeptic: Addressing the Modern Secularist’s Objections to the Catholic Worldview (Justin Press, 2018), and "Thomas Aquinas and the Euthyphro Dilemma" (The Heythrop Journal, 2021). He now lives in Hambden, Ohio with his wife, Pam, and four children. Keywords: Anger, Common Good, Criminal Justice, Desert, Irascible Appetite, Moral Order, Natural Law, Punishment, Retributive Justice

    53 min
  2. The Roots of the Church in the Old and New Testament – Prof. Nina Sophie Heereman

    1D AGO

    The Roots of the Church in the Old and New Testament – Prof. Nina Sophie Heereman

    Prof. Nina Sophie Heereman argues that the Church is not a human invention but a divinely founded reality rooted deeply in Scripture, where Israel’s story, the Eucharist, and Pentecost all reveal Christ’s intention to gather a new people of God. This lecture was given on March 5th, 2026, at Louisiana State University. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events. About the Speakers: Dr. Heereman was born and raised in Germany. Originally trained to become a lawyer and after completing her bar exam, she experienced a deep encounter with the Lord which led her to consecrate her life to the study and teaching of the Word of God. She subsequently attended the ICPE school of Evangelization in India, Banglore, and studied theology in Frankfurt and Rome.  She received an STB from the Pontifical Gregorian University, an SSL from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, and the SSD from the École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem and the Université de Fribourg. She has taught as a visiting professor at the Collège des Bernhardins in Paris, the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, the DSPT in Berkley, and is currently Associate Professor for Sacred Scripture at St. Patrick’s Seminary & University. Her scholarly interests include a reintegration of Exegesis with Systematic and Spiritual Theology. She is the author of Behold King Solomon on the Day of His Wedding (Leuven: Peeters, 2021), and Athirst for the Spirit (Steubenville: Emmaus Press, 2023). Keywords: Body of Christ, Bride of Christ, Church, Covenant, Eucharist, Old Testament, New Testament, Pentecost, Salvation History, Temple

    51 min
  3. Becoming a Good Conversationalist: How Not to Bore, Boast, or Otherwise Blather . . . and More! – Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P.

    2D AGO

    Becoming a Good Conversationalist: How Not to Bore, Boast, or Otherwise Blather . . . and More! – Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P.

    Fr. Gregory Pine argues that good conversation is a real moral and spiritual practice: it matters, takes time, and should be used to draw near to others through listening well, welcoming contributions, and sharing life rather than trying to win or dominate. This lecture was given on March 4th, 2026, at Iowa State University. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events. About the Speakers: Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P., is an instructor of dogmatic and moral theology at the Dominican House of Studies and the Assistant Director of the Thomistic Institute. He holds a doctorate from the University of Fribourg (Switzerland). He is the author of Prudence: Choose Confidently, Live Boldly and Your Eucharistic Identity: A Sacramental Guide to the Fullness of Life, and is co-author of Credo: An RCIA Program and Marian Consecration with Aquinas. His writing also appears in Aleteia, Magnificat, and Ascension’s Catholic Classics series. In addition to the TI podcast, he regularly contributes to the podcasts Godsplaining and Pints with Aquinas, and Catholic Classics. Keywords: Catholic Life, Conversation, Communion, Friendship, Human Nature, Humility, Listening, Prudence, Small Talk, Social Skills

    34 min
  4. St. John Henry Newman’s Idea of the Saint – Dr. Rebekah Lamb

    5D AGO

    St. John Henry Newman’s Idea of the Saint – Dr. Rebekah Lamb

    Dr. Rebekah Lamb argues that St. John Henry Newman’s idea of the saint is deeply relational: saints are friends knit together in the communion of saints, and holiness is lived through prayer, hidden service, and ordinary fidelity. This lecture was given on February 19th, 2026, at Queen's University, Belfast. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events. About the Speakers: Dr. Rebekah Lamb is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in theology and the arts at the University of St Andrews, specializing in religion and literature of late modernity. Her research centres on the ways in which the arts can be distinctive and timely modes of theology in their own right, especially in light of liturgical, spiritual, and existential concerns. Key figures in her work include Joseph Ratzinger, St. John Henry Newman, Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ, Christina Rossetti and the Pre-Raphaelites as well as their inheritors (JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis, among others). Prior to joining St Andrews, she was an inaugural Étienne Gilson Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto. She is a trustee of the Christian Heritage Centre at Stonyhurst (Lancashire, UK) and frequently contributes to popular magazines and journals, including an interview with Robert Cardinal Sarah for the Catholic Herald. Keywords: Communion of Saints, Friendship, Hidden Holiness, Newman, Prayer, Sacramental Vision, Saint John Henry Newman, Spiritual Friendship, Ordinary Life, Virtue

    44 min
  5. I Want to Live a Good Life, Where Do I Start? – Dr. Wes Siscoe

    6D AGO

    I Want to Live a Good Life, Where Do I Start? – Dr. Wes Siscoe

    Dr. Wes Siscoe argues that true happiness and the good life are not found in pleasure, wealth, fame, or even bodily health, but in a fully ordered human flourishing that culminates in union with God. This lecture was given on February 19th, 2026, at Indiana University. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events. About the Speakers: Wes Siscoe is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at The Ohio State University. He is also a Thomistic Institute alum, having founded the TI chapter at the University of Arizona. With a passion for making philosophy accessible to college students and the general public, Wes founded the Philosophy Teaching Library at the University of Notre Dame and participated in the Philosophy as a Way of Life Project. When he isn’t doing philosophy, he’s hanging out with his family and two miniature dachshunds. Keywords: Aquinas, Beatitude, Fame, Happiness, Health, Human Flourishing, Union with God, Virtue, Wealth

    37 min
  6. Is Abortion Morally Acceptable to Save the Life of the Mother? – Prof. Steven Jensen

    APR 15

    Is Abortion Morally Acceptable to Save the Life of the Mother? – Prof. Steven Jensen

    Prof. Steven Jensen presents several arguments in favor of the conclusion that the life of a fetus has intrinsic human dignity on account of what a human being is and not merely as an effect of psychological or cognitive capacity, ultimately concluding that the intentional killing of a fetus as a means to save a mother's life is morally impermissible. This lecture was given on February 19th, 2026, at North Dakota State University. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events. About the Speakers: Steven J. Jensen holds the Bishop Nold Chair in Graduate Philosophy at the University of St. Thomas, Houston, where he teaches in The Center for Thomistic Studies. His fields of research include bioethics, moral psychology, the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, human nature, and natural law. He is the author of several books, including the following: Living the Good Life: A Beginner’s Thomistic Ethics, The Human Person: A Beginner’s Thomistic Psychology, The Natural Law: A Beginner’s Thomistic Guide. Keywords: Abortion, Double Effect, Ectopic Pregnancy, Fetus, Human Dignity, Medical Ethics, Mother’s Life, Personhood Theory, Principle of Double Effect, Pro-Life Ethics

    54 min
  7. The Savonarola Option: Why We Should Elect Christ as King – Dr. John-Paul Heil

    APR 14

    The Savonarola Option: Why We Should Elect Christ as King – Dr. John-Paul Heil

    Dr. John-Paul Heil argues that Christians should “elect Christ as king” by judging political institutions according to whether they actually lead people toward holiness, the common good, and heaven. This lecture was given on February 17th, 2026, at Virginia Tech. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events. About the Speakers: John-Paul Heil is a Core Fellow in history, philosophy, Catholic anthropology, English, and theology at Mount St. Mary's University. He received his PhD in history from the University of Chicago and is pursuing an MBA in marketing. He has received multiple awards from the U.S. and Italian Fulbright commissions. His writing has appeared in Time, Smithsonian, The Week, and Los Angeles Review of Books. He is the books editor at the University of Pennsylvania's Dappled Things. Keywords: Christ The King, Common Good, Catholic Politics, Florence, Holiness, Lay Engagement, Lent, Local Community, Political Reform, Savonarola

    55 min
  8. The Lost Art of Dying – Dr. Lydia Dugdale

    APR 13

    The Lost Art of Dying – Dr. Lydia Dugdale

    Dr. Lydia Dugdale argues that the “lost art of dying” can be recovered by reviving older practices of mortality awareness, community, reconciliation, and hope rather than accepting medicalized dying as normal. This lecture was given on February 16th, 2026, at University of Galway. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events. About the Speakers: Dr. Lydia Dugdale is the Silberberg Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at Columbia University in New York City. As a medical doctor and ethicist, she cares for patients, consults on complex ethical issues in the hospital, and teaches medical trainees and undergraduate students. Her scholarly work focuses on physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, the need to prepare well for death, and questions of moral injury and human flourishing. She is author of the book THE LOST ART OF DYING: REVIVING FORGOTTEN WISDOM (HarperOne, 2020) and is currently writing a book on hope. Keywords: Ars Moriendi, Community, Death, Hope, Hospitals, Medicalized Dying, Mortality, Palliative Care, Reconciliation, Virtue

    48 min
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    The Thomistic Institute
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.9K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved 183125
  • Show Website
    The Thomistic Institute

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