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“There’s never a day in our lives we cannot live our baptism more profoundly and have the actual effects of it take deeper root in our souls.”

– Fr. Thomas J. White, OP

Last month, we welcomed to campus Fr. Thomas J. White, OP, Rector Magnificus of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) in Rome, to deliver our annual JPII Lecture. Noting that St. John Paul II himself attended the Angelicum for his doctoral studies, Fr. White reflected on the privilege of his legacy which overshadows the Angelicum and the obligation it imposes on the university to regularly engage the profound truths of the faith in every age. In light of this responsibility, Fr. White spoke on “Aquinas on the Mystery of Trinitarian Indwelling.”

Viewing St. Thomas Aquinas as a “spiritual mentor for our inner lives,” Fr. White provided, not an argument or an overview, but a spiritual reflection on the theology of grace. Beginning with an emphasis on the mystery of the Holy Trinity as the source and the end of the spiritual life, he offered a deep meditation on the nature of grace, specifically how it conforms the human person to Christ and how baptism invites us into interior contemplation and unity with God through grace.

The Holy Spirit, Fr. White says, is the key to understanding the connection between the Trinity and grace. As the divine person of immaterial love breathed forth by the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is the font of grace, the source of the grace gifted to us for the purpose of communion with the Trinitarian God. 

This grace offered to us freely by God is something other than God which leads us into communion with God. A mysterious aspect of our being, grace is not something against our human nature but something complementary to it; grace heals and elevates our human nature. Fr. White explained that we can actually see the effects of grace in the presence of the theological virtues (faith, hope and charity), the infused moral virtues (Christian prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance), and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In these ways, grace moves our souls inwardly to become more like Christ Himself, despite “the abyss of difference between us and Christ which we are right to recognize.”

Reflecting on the plentitude of grace present in Christ’s human nature and his rightful place as the head of the mystical body, Fr. White said, “It is the very grace of Christ we receive a participation in from our baptism, and it is his justice that justifies us and his righteousness that makes us righteous and his life that enlivens us.”

Fr. White concluded with an emphasis on the actual grace given to the human soul at baptism, a grace which is always alive and accessible no matter the state of the soul, encouraging that it’s “never too late” to choose to reactivate that grace and enter into relationship with God.

“Those who have faith can learn to look upon the face of the Eternal Father in the faith, and the Father awaits the soul of each person in that encounter. The Eternal Word made flesh seeks to enlighten the mind of everyone in the darkness of faith, and in the faith, Christ awaits that encounter with us. And the Holy Spirit seeks to enflame the heart of every human being with hope and love, and that living flame of love is meant to burn within us at the core and center of our being.”

Fr. White left us with a call to gratitude: every human being, he said, should regularly thank God for the gift of baptism, the gift of grace, and ask God to intensify the effects of baptism – growth in virtue and conformity to Christ.

Featured Recordings

Aquinas on the Mystery of Trinitarian Indwelling by Fr. Thomas Joseph White, OP

In a spiritual reflection on the theology of grace, Fr. White explains the role of the Holy Spirit and the gift of grace in orienting the human soul to the trinitarian God. Using the framework of St. Thomas Aquinas, he analyzes the essential role of baptism and the effects of grace, namely the healing and perfecting of human nature and ultimately, union with God.

 

 

 

Meet the Featured Scholar

Fr. Thomas Joseph White is the Rector Magnificus of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) in Rome. Originally a native of southeastern Georgia in the U.S., Fr. White studied at Brown University, where he converted to Catholicism. He did his doctoral studies in theology at Oxford University, and is the author of various books and articles including The Trinity: On the Nature and Mystery of the One God (Catholic University of America Press, 2022) and Principles of Catholic Theology Book III: On God, Trinity, Creation, and Christ (Catholic University of America Press, 2024). In 2011 he was appointed an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas and in 2019 was named a Distinguished Scholar of the McDonald Agape Foundation. He held the 2018-2019 McInnes Chair for theological inquiry at the Angelicum. In 2022, he was granted an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of America, and in 2023 he was elected President of the Academy of Catholic Theology. In 2023, Fr. White was also awarded the title Master of Sacred Theology, one of the highest academic awards in the Dominican Order.

 

“As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is not democracy.”

– Abraham Lincoln

Last President’s Day, the University of Dallas welcomed Professor Joseph Fornieri, political historian, professor of political science at Rochester Institute of Technology and founding director of its Center for Statesmanship, Law and Liberty. The lecture was sponsored by the Tocqueville Society, the University of Dallas’ chapter of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI). A nationally recognized scholar on Abraham Lincoln, Fornieri has written extensively on Lincoln’s political faith and moral vision, illuminating how the 16th president’s statesmanship combined reason, republican principles and biblical understanding.

In his lecture, Fornieri explored Lincoln’s critique of pro-slavery theology, showing how Lincoln grappled with the same scriptures that were invoked to justify slavery. Southern apologists drew on passages from both the Old and New Testaments — Romans 13, Ephesians 6, Leviticus 25 and even the “curse of Ham” in Genesis 9 — to justify slavery. Lincoln, however, responded by countering with his own scriptural arguments, most powerfully rooted in Genesis 3:19 (“By the sweat of your brow, you shall eat bread”) and the Golden Rule. For Lincoln, labor was the common burden of all humanity and any attempt to shift that burden unjustly onto others was not only politically corrupt but theologically unsound.

Fornieri emphasized that Lincoln’s reasoning was never reducible to proof-texting alone. Instead, he synthesized biblical revelation, natural law reasoning and the republican tradition of Athens, Jerusalem and Rome. He saw slavery as akin to the divine right of kings — the antithesis of both the American founding and Christian teaching. Lincoln’s political theology acknowledged both the dignity and the fallenness of human nature, insisting that no man is “good enough to govern another without that other’s consent.”

Lincoln’s words, Fornieri noted, still remind us that democracy depends on humility before God. In his second inaugural address, Lincoln famously reflected that both North and South “read the same Bible and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other.” He refused to claim God’s side, instead echoing: “The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”

Fornieri urged that as we face the moral and political challenges of today and tomorrow, Christians would do well to follow Lincoln’s example – not resting on a literal interpretation of scripture alone, but complementing it with reason and republican principles. As St. Thomas Aquinas taught, “Gratia non tollit naturam, sed perficit” – “Grace does not destroy nature, but perfects it.”

Featured Recordings

Lincoln, the Bible and Slavery

In this lecture recording, renowned Lincoln scholar Dr. Joseph Fornieri reflects on how Lincoln drew from scripture, reason and the republican tradition to challenge slavery and illuminate the moral foundations of democracy.

 

Declaration of Independence

Dr. Susan Hanssen was featured on The Drew Mariani Show on Relevant Radio (Hour 3 – Sept. 9, 2025), where she explored the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence. Her appearance is part of the program’s Rediscovering America: the countdown to our nation's 250th birthday series, a deep dive into the nation’s foundations as we approach the 250th anniversary of independence — looking beyond fireworks and flags to the ideas and people who shaped America. As part of this series, Dr. Hanssen guides listeners every other Tuesday through the nation’s history and introduces some of the great luminaries and figures of America’s beginning.

 

Meet the Featured Scholars

Professor Joseph Fornieri is an American political historian and professor of political science at Rochester Institute of Technology, where he is also the founding director of The Center for Statesmanship, Law and Liberty. He is the author of two books on Abraham Lincoln (Lincoln's Political Faith and Lincoln: Philosopher Statesman) and editor of two essay collections (The Language of Liberty: Lincoln's Political Speeches, Lincoln's America; and Lincoln's American Dream: Clashing Political Perspectives). Fornieri also served on the Library of Congress's Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission (1809-2009).

 

Dr. Susan Hanssen, Associate Professor of History at the University of Dallas, teaches American history on the Irving campus and Western Civilization at the Rome campus. She earned her PhD in British and American history from Rice University and has published widely on figures such as Henry Adams and G. K. Chesterton. Her scholarship explores the intersections of religion, national identity and the virtue of patriotism.

 

The Tocqueville Society is the University of Dallas' chapter of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI). This club serves as a community of like-minded students who love to talk about topics ranging from history and politics to philosophy and theology, while also hosting symposiums and faculty and student debates.

 

“The essence of work is incarnate ideals — to take ideals that are seemingly abstract and make them into reality. In no place is that done more meaningfully than in the home.”

– Dr. Kevin Majeres

Kevin Majeres, MD, BA ’97, is a cognitive-behavioral psychiatrist, Harvard Medical School professor and co-founder of OptimalWork, a platform designed to equip people with the strategies necessary to unlock growth and achievement, both in their professional and personal lives. UDallas students, working with our Office of Academic Success, use the OptimalWork platform to increase their focus, time management and enthusiasm for their work.

Back in April, we brought Dr. Majeres to campus to host a Q&A session about anxiety and parenting. The session was moderated by OptimalWork co-founder Sharif Younes. An expert on anxiety in his personal practice, Dr. Majeres didn’t just provide encouragement to the audience: he explained the neurological background for anxiety and laid out clear, achievable ways of overcoming it in ourselves and our children.

The key to conquering anxiety, Dr. Majeres says, is one of the foundational principles of OptimalWork: reframing. He explained that anxiety is produced when adrenaline pairs with neuropeptides called dynorphins, which cause us to experience negative feelings about a new or challenging situation. When a person embraces discomfort warmly and with purpose, welcoming the adrenaline rather than avoiding it, Majeres said, a substantial boost of dopamine is produced. Such embracing of challenges can cause the person to become cheerful and energetic and can even lift a person out of depression or anxiety.

Majeres also emphasized that this embrace of discomfort echoes the Christian understanding of sacrifice. “No ideal becomes a reality without sacrifice,” he said, quoting St. Josemaria Escriva. Charity, he explained, is the ultimate rule, elevating our natural bonds with one another into a supernatural bond with God.

Dr. Majeres went on to offer concrete tools for creating a culture of connection in the home, which leads to resiliency in children. “Helping children to embrace discomfort is a necessary job of parents,” he said. Crucial to this process is validating the child’s feelings, rather than trying to either solve or avoid problems. Validating discomfort, Majeres explains, decreases it by 50% because, scientifically, validation causes an immediate decrease in dynorphins. Validation actually leads to reduced sensitivity to dynorphin receptors, leading to greater resiliency and boosted dopamine levels.

Dr. Majeres’ strategies are available for parents, professionals and students, as well as anyone who wants a path to achieving their ideals, through the OptimalWork platform. The vision of OptimalWork resonates deeply with student formation at UDallas: helping students unite intellectual excellence with virtue and daily work with charity.

Featured Recordings

Anxious? Overwhelmed? Q&A with Dr. Kevin Majeres

Anxiety is rising — but why? This talk surveys current neuroscience on dynorphins, dopamine and adrenaline, showing how “welcoming discomfort” reshapes stress responses, cognition and motivation. Drawing on OptimalWork’s reframing/mindfulness protocol, it highlights practical applications for parenting and daily life, outlining evidence-based practices that convert threat reactivity into goal-directed learning and sustained attention.

 

OptimalWork at UDallas

How can students transform distraction into focus and challenge into growth?

Dr. Matthew Spring, Executive Director of Academic Support and Public Speaking Program, and Grecia Grajeda, BA ’25 share their experience with OptimalWork, a neuroscience-based framework that helps students and even professors frame stress, deepen attention and align their daily efforts with higher ideals.

 

Meet the Featured Scholar

Dr. Kevin Majeres, MD, BA ’97, is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in cognitive-behavioral therapy. A graduate of the University of Dallas, he trained at UT Southwestern and the Beck Institute before joining the faculty at Harvard Medical School, where he has taught since 2011.

In 2018, he co-founded OptimalWork, an innovative online practice that provides practical tools to help people overcome the barriers that hold them back in work and life. Learn more about OptimalWork and explore The OptimalWork Podcast.

 

“I don’t like to think of my sculptures as ornaments — I like to think of them as instruments. Instruments of faith. Instruments of conversion. And just like I feel a responsibility to be as authentic as possible with my work, I believe the University of Dallas has a great responsibility — to be a shining light, not only across America, but across the world.”

– Timothy Schmalz

In late March 2025, the University of Dallas welcomed world-renowned sculptor Timothy Schmalz to campus for a three-day visit that brought students, faculty, alumni and community members into direct conversation with faith, beauty and truth — through the enduring medium of sculpture.

Known globally for works like Homeless Jesus and Angels Unawares — the latter unveiled by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square on September 28, 2019 — Schmalz brought not only his art but also his vision: one in which sculpture serves not as ornament but as instrument — a bold, physical homily that confronts people.

One of the highlights of his visit was his lecture, titled “Art, Faith and Culture,” filled with humor, personal testimony and cultural insight. Schmalz reflected on his journey from shock-driven contemporary art to sacred sculpture rooted in Christianity:

“I was tired of art that meant nothing,” he said. “I wanted to make something that mattered — something that could evangelize.”

In a separate interview, Schmalz engaged with students on the question of vocation and the role of the artist in a culture marked by distraction and skepticism.
 
“Your spiritual life should be at the center of your vocation,” he told aspiring artists. “To create epic art, you need epic subject matter — and that comes from Scripture and spirituality.”

His passion for engaging the modern world with timeless truths resonated deeply with the UDallas community. His sculptures don’t merely decorate; they demand presence. Whether it’s an open bench beside Homeless Jesus or an interactive rendering of Dante’s Divine Comedy, his art invites us to sit, walk, wrestle and wonder.

As part of his visit, Schmalz donated prints of all 100 of his Divine Comedy sculptures to the university — one for each canto. These works, which visually interpret Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso, were displayed during his campus visit and will remain part of the university’s collection.

The exhibit was complemented by a panel discussion featuring three UDallas alumni who have each translated Dante’s Comedy:

• Jason M. Baxter, PhD, BA ’05, professor at Benedictine College - Inferno (Angelico Press, 2024)
• Daniel Fitzpatrick, BA ’13, editor of Joie de Vivre - Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy (Illustrated by Timothy Schmalz, En Route Books & Media, 2022)
• Joe Carlson, MA ’21 PhD ’25, instructor at New Saint Andrews College - The Divine Comedy: complete translation with commentary (Roman Roads Press, 2022-2023)

Together, they explored the challenges and insights of rendering Dante’s theological masterpiece into modern language — and how Schmalz’s sculptures offer a powerful visual “translation” in their own right.

You can explore this visual narrative in depth through the Divine Comedy: A Sculptural Interpretation, an explanation of each scene created by Dr. Anthony Nussmeier.

Reflecting on the cultural role of the University of Dallas, Schmalz offered a challenge and a hope:

“This university is in the now. What happens here matters — not just for the culture of America, but for the world. It has the responsibility to be a light, a witness, a source of cultural renewal.”

And in that spirit, the University of Dallas was honored to host Timothy Schmalz, an artist whose vocation is nothing less than making the invisible visible and the eternal tangible.

Featured Recordings

Art, Faith and Culture Lecture

Timothy traced his journey from shock-driven contemporary art to a lifelong mission of sculpting the sacred. He reflected on the role of sculpture as a public and permanent witness to faith, the unique power of Christian iconography, and his ambition to help reclaim the cultural imagination through beauty, story and form.

 

Panel Discussion: “Legato con amore in tre volumi”

Three UDallas alumni — Jason M. Baxter, Daniel Fitzpatrick and Joe Carlson — joined Dr. Anthony Nussmeier and Timothy Schmalz for a panel on translating Dante’s Comedy. They reflected on the poetic, theological and emotional challenges of bringing Dante’s text into English, and how translation itself becomes an act of love. The discussion also highlighted Schmalz’s sculptures as a powerful visual counterpart to Dante’s words.

 

Interview With Timothy Schmalz

In his interview with UDallas, Timothy Schmalz shared insights on the vocation of the artist, the challenges of creating sacred art in a distracted culture, and the need for epic subject matter rooted in faith. His message to students was clear: art should not merely impress — it should reveal truth, stir the soul and lead others toward the divine.

 

Meet the Featured Scholar

Timothy Schmalz is a Canadian sculptor internationally renowned for his large-scale bronze works that blend classical technique with bold expressions of faith. His sculptures — including Homeless Jesus and Angels Unawares in St. Peter’s Square — are installed in public spaces around the world and often serve as visual homilies that confront cultural indifference and invite spiritual reflection. Deeply committed to Christian art, Schmalz has devoted his career to creating pieces that bear witness to the Gospel, the saints and the dignity of the human person. Explore more of his work at sculpturebytps.com.

 

“Jesus is not just any deity. He’s equal to the God of Job, Who
famously said, ‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?’”

– Dr. Brant Pitre

Just one day before his passing, Pope Francis appeared briefly to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square. Among them was a group of University of Dallas students studying in Rome, who were unexpectedly present for what would become his final public appearance. The reflections of those UDallas students were shared in a recent NBC news story. They speak not only to the gravity of the moment, but also reflect that at the heart of a UDallas education, academic life is interwoven with the life of the Church, and faith and learning meet in both study and life.

This deep integration of intellect and faith was evident last month on our Irving campus as we hosted Dr. Brant Pitre, distinguished research professor of Scripture at the Augustine Institute, to discuss the topic of his most recent book, Jesus and Divine Christology. A dynamic speaker and prolific writer, Pitre delivered the 2025 Landregan Lecture: “Did Jesus Know He Was God?”

Speaking to an overflowing room of students, faculty, alumni and friends of the university, Pitre’s answer was a resounding “yes.” Though many in the Catholic tradition consider his answer common knowledge, Pitre addressed the current landscape of modern Scripture scholarship, much of which contends that Jesus never claimed to be God.

Pitre’s research on this topic has proved controversial in his field, and his skill in scriptural exegesis uncovers the layers of meaning in Jesus’ words throughout the gospels. His evidence of Jesus’ knowledge of his own divinity culminates in the events of Holy Week, which we have just celebrated. When Jesus was presented before the high priest Caiaphas, he was condemned for the crime of blasphemy. As Pitre walked us through his research, he encouraged us not to seek our own ideas or assumptions in Scripture but to practice true exegesis, drawing meaning deductively from Scripture.

Featured Recordings

2025 Landregan Lecture – “Did Jesus Know He Was God?”

Doctrinally, the answer is a clear yes. However, historical critical considerations have long weakened confidence in that answer. Pitre tackles the question in light of these newer questions with an eye to the Semitic and rabbinic modes of teaching and expression that Jesus employed.

 

Explore more of Pitre's work:

• Jesus and Divine Christology
• Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary
• Jesus and the Last Supper

 

Meet the Featured Scholar

Brant Pitre is an American New Testament scholar and distinguished research professor of Scripture at the Augustine Institute. He holds a Ph.D. in New Testament and ancient Judaism from the University of Notre Dame and has written extensively on the historical Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the Apostle Paul, the Eucharist and the canonical Gospels. His work focuses on the Jewish roots of Christianity, and he is widely known for his teaching, writing and lectures on Scripture.

 

Exploring the Legacy of René Girard

"The apocalypse does not announce the end of the world, it creates hope."
- René Girard

A towering voice in literature, anthropology and theology, René Girard reshaped the intellectual landscape with his theory of the scapegoat. His thought cuts to the heart of the human condition — and offers a way out of our cycles of rivalry, resentment and violence.

This February, the University of Dallas welcomed Cynthia Haven, renowned biographer of Girard and author of Evolution of Desire, as the 2025 McDermott Lecturer. Her lecture, “René Girard at the End of Time,” revisited Girard’s prophetic final writings and illuminated his call for forgiveness, hope and radical imitation of Christ.

But this event was more than a single lecture.

The 2025 McDermott Lecture was the capstone of a week-long exploration of Girard’s thought at UDallas. The evening before the lecture, students, faculty and guests gathered for a screening of Things Hidden: The Life and Legacy of René Girard, a documentary on his influence.

Professor of English Bernadette Waterman Ward, PhD, who studied with Girard at Stanford, has been leading a campus study group dedicated to his writings since last semester — fostering deeper discussion on themes of desire, rivalry, sacrifice and redemption. During the week of the McDermott Lecture, Samuel Sorich and Trevor Merrill, the director and producer of Things Hidden, joined the group’s discussion alongside Cynthia Haven, enriching the conversation with personal insights and behind-the-scenes reflections on Girard’s legacy.

Why Girard at UDallas?

Girard’s work exemplifies how art can reveal truths about God and humanity, a method that resonates deeply with the Core Curriculum.
 
Girard’s theory of mimetic desire — the idea that we want things only because others want them, not because of our own preferences — began to take shape when he was studying great novels of the 19th century. Eventually, Girard saw the scapegoat pattern in great literature more broadly, including our most ancient tragedies and epics. Girard’s thought challenges our age’s assumptions about identity, desire and conflict — offering a path toward peace through self-knowledge, forgiveness and the imitation of Christ.

Featured Recordings

“René Girard at the End of Time”

Drawing from Girard’s final works — including Battling to the End — Haven’s lecture reflected on the spiritual, cultural and existential challenges of our time. She offered a compelling portrait of a thinker who saw beneath the surface of violence and imitation to the liberating power of Christ’s non-retaliatory love.

 

Explore more about René Girard and his work:

• Evolution of Desire: A Life of René Girard, by Cynthia Haven
• All Desire is a Desire for Being: Essential Writings of René Girard, edited by Cynthia Haven
• Battling to the End, by René Girard
• I See Satan Fall Like Lightning, by René Girard
• The Scapegoat, by René Girard
• Eliot’s Angels: George Eliot, Rene Girard, and Mimetic Desire, by Bernadette Waterman Ward

"The world will never starve for want of wonders, but only for want of wonder."
- G.K Chesterton

The writer, philosopher and journalist G.K. Chesterton continues to shape Christian thought today. A literary giant, Chesterton authored over 100 books and 8,000 essays, influencing figures such as C.S. Lewis, Fulton Sheen and Mahatma Gandhi — and yet, his works often defy easy categorization.

Chesterton’s prophetic insights covered social and political trends as well as faith and philosophy. His joy-filled perspective set him apart not just as a thinker who challenged the world, but also as one who delighted in it.

So, how much do you know about Chesterton? Whether you're familiar with his detective stories featuring Father Brown, his profound defense of Christianity in Orthodoxy and The Everlasting Man, or his humorous paradoxes, there's always more to discover.

To explore Chesterton’s enduring wisdom, the University of Dallas welcomed author, EWTN host and Chesterton Academy co-founder Dale Ahlquist, acclaimed as a foremost expert on Chesterton’s life and work, for an engaging and thought-provoking lecture on Feb. 10. Ahlquist explored Chesterton’s far-reaching influence, prolific writing career and distinctive worldview, inspiring the UDallas community to read his works and embrace his joyful approach to truth and faith. 

Featured Recordings

“G.K. Chesterton: The Laughing Prophet”

In this talk, Ahlquist described Chesterton as a prophetic thinker whose insights into morality, education and technology remain strikingly prescient. He emphasized Chesterton’s wit, wisdom and deep faith, illustrating how his use of paradox, humor and wonder continues to challenge and inspire readers.

 

“What Would Chesterton Say About the University of Dallas?”

Ahlquist offers insight into how G.K. Chesterton, if alive today, might perceive the University of Dallas.

 

Explore more insights from Dale Ahlquist and UDallas faculty about G.K. Chesterton:

• Common Sense 101: Lessons from G.K. Chesterton, by Dale Ahlquist
• Knight of the Holy Ghost: A Short History of G.K. Chesterton, by Dale Ahlquist
• The Everlasting Man: A Guide to G.K. Chesterton’s Masterpiece, Commentary by Dale Ahlquist
• G.K. Chesterton and the Historical Imagination, by Susan Hanssen, Associate Professor of History, University of Dallas
• Rome in the historical imagination of G.K. Chesterton’s Everlasting Man, by Susan Hanssen, Associate Professor of History, University of Dallas, Church, Communication and Culture, Vol. 5, Issue 1 (2020)

Meet the Featured Scholar

Dale Ahlquist is an American author and advocate of the thought of G.K. Chesterton. He serves as the president and co-founder of the American Chesterton Society and publisher of Gilbert magazine. He is also the co-founder of Chesterton Academy, a network of joyfully Catholic classical high schools.

Contested Moral Questions and Development of Doctrine Conference: October 9 - 10, 2024

This conference was organized by Ryan T. Anderson, St. John Paul II Fellow in Social Thought at the University of Dallas. Each discussion addressed an issue of Catholic pro-life teaching and controversy against it. Keynote speaker John Finnis, who holds professorships at the University of Oxford and the University of Notre Dame, delivered a lecture titled "Moral-Philosophical Reflection and Development of Doctrine." Panel discussions covered topics in embryo adoption, capital punishment and sexual ethics. The conference facilitated engaging conversations, offering deep insights into the nuances of doctrine and ethical reflections and underscored the importance of integrating faith and reason in addressing modern cultural issues.

Featured Recordings

"Moral-Philosophical Reflection and Development of Doctrine"

Dr. Finnis delivered his lecture, Moral-Philosophical Reflection and the Development of Doctrine, during the Contested Moral Questions and Development of Doctrine Conference at the University of Dallas on October 9, 2024. This distinguished conference, organized by Ryan T. Anderson, the St. John Paul II Fellow in Social Thought at UDallas, brought together scholars and thought leaders to examine critical issues related to Catholic faith, ethics and cultural challenges. The event provided students with an opportunity to deepen their faith through critical thinking and meaningful moral discourse.

“Embryo Adoption and Development of Doctrine Panel Discussion”

Dr. Sherif Girgis and Dr. Irene Alexander engaged in a thought-provoking debate on the moral permissibility versus the moral disorder of embryo adoption.

Explore more insights from our featured scholars around this topic:

• What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense, by Sherif Girgis, Ryan T. Anderson, Robert P. George
• Is Artificial Impregnation Opposed to the Unity of Marriage? A New Look at the Question of Embryo Adoption  [PDF], by Irene Alexander, Nova et vetera, Volume 16, Number 1, Winter 2018, pp. 47-80
• Frozen Embryos, Unwanted Pregnancies, and Artificial Wombs: Which Options Are Morally Licit? [PDF], by Irene Alexander, Nova et vetera, Volume 19, Number 4, Fall 2021, pp. 1,111-1,145

 

Meet the featured Scholars:

Dr. Ryan T. Anderson is the John Paul II Teaching Fellow in Social Thought at the University of Dallas. He also serves as the President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and is the founding editor of Public Discourse, the online journal of the Witherspoon Institute. An accomplished author, Anderson has written five books, including Tearing Us Apart: How Abortion Harms Everything and Solves Nothing and When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment. His scholarly work has been recognized at the highest judicial levels, with citations by U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University and a PhD in political philosophy from the University of Notre Dame. His insights have been featured across major media outlets, and he is affiliated with institutions such as the James Madison Society at Princeton University and the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America.

Dr. John Finnis is professor emeritus at the University of Notre Dame Law School and the University of Oxford. He is widely recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to natural law theory, moral philosophy and legal theory. Finnis has authored influential works such as Natural Law and Natural Rights, and his scholarship spans topics ranging from constitutional law to ethical reasoning. In addition to his academic achievements, he has served on multiple Vatican commissions, demonstrating his commitment to applying his philosophical insights in service to the Church and broader society.

 

Dr. Sherif Girgis is associate professor of law at the University of Notre Dame, a legal scholar, and a philosopher with a JD from Yale Law School and a PhD in philosophy from Princeton. He specializes in constitutional law, moral philosophy and issues surrounding marriage and bioethics.

 

Dr. Irene Alexander is associate professor of theology at the University of Dallas, specializing in moral theology and bioethics. Her research focuses on marriage, family studies and reproductive ethics. She is recognized for her contributions to discussions on doctrine and ethical reasoning, particularly in complex areas such as embryo adoption.