The Thomistic Institute

Apr 16, 2025 • 36 min

Fr. Gregory Pine explores the extent of demonic influence on human life, distinguishing between physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual dimensions to clarify the limits of their power, particularly concerning the direct access to one's spiritual life, which remains exclusive to God. This lecture was given on March 2nd, 2024, at Dominican House of Studies. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events . About the Speaker: Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. is an adjunct professor of dogmatic theology at the Dominican House of Studies and an Assistant Director of the Thomistic Institute. He is the author of a few books including  Prudence: Choose Confidently, Live Boldly.  His writing also appears in Ascension’s  Catholic Classics ,  Magnificat,  and  Aleteia . He is a regular contributor to the podcasts  Pints with Aquinas ,  Catholic Classics ,  The Thomistic Institute , and  Godsplaining . Keywords: Angelology, Catholic Theology, Demonic Influence, Demonology, Emotional Influence, Influence on Thoughts, Physical Influence, Psychological Influence, Spiritual Life, Thomas Aquinas on Demons

Apr 15, 2025 • 45 min

Prof. Roger Nutt explores the theological significance of the sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick as healing encounters that address both sin and its temporal consequences, emphasizing the Christian's journey toward a good death in light of Christ's redemptive act. This lecture was given on February 9th, 2025, at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events . About the Speaker: Roger W. Nutt is Provost of Ave Maria University where he also serves as professor of theology. He co-directs the Aquinas Center for Theological Renewal with Dr. Michael Dauphinais and Dr. Steven Long. His research focuses on Christology and Sacramental Theology, and especially the Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. He is the author of three books: Thomas Aquinas’ ‘De Unione Verbi Incarnati’ (Peeters Publishers, 2015); General Principles of Sacramental Theology (The Catholic University of America Press, 2017); and To Die is Gain: A Theological (re-)Introduction to the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick for Clergy, Laity, Caregivers, and Everyone Else (Emmaus Academic, 2022). He has also edited and co-edited ten volumes on various theological topics. His articles and chapters have appeared in publications such as Nova et Vetera, Gregorianum, Louvain Studies, The Thomist, Harvard Theological Review, Angelicum, Antiphon: A Journal of Liturgical Renewal, and The Oxford Handbook of the Reception of Aquinas . Keywords: Anointing of the Sick, Ars Moriendi, Death, Penance, Philippians, Sacrament of Healing, Saint Anthony of the Desert, Sacramental Theology, Temporal Consequences of Sin

Apr 14, 2025 • 36 min

Fr. Timothy Bellamah explores divine providence as God's vision and causation of all things fulfilled in Christ, explaining that Christ's incarnation, passion, death, and resurrection serve as God's ultimate response to the problem of evil, particularly the suffering of the innocent. This lecture was given on February 22nd, 2024, at Dominican House of Studies. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events . About the Speaker: Fr. Timothy Bellamah, O.P. (Commissio Leonina) was born and raised in Washington, D.C. He entered the Order of Preachers in 1991 and was ordained a priest in 1998. He studied at Wake Forest University (B.S., 1982), the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception (M.Div. and S.T.B., 1997; S.T.L, 1999) and the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris, (Ph.D., Section des sciences Religieuses, 2008). He has previously taught at Providence College in the Department of Theology and the Department of the Development of Western Civilization. From 2010 to 2018 he served as editor of The Thomist and is a member of the Leonine Commission, a team of Dominican scholars responsible for the production of critical Latin editions of the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. He is also currently preparing a critical Latin edition of the Commentary on John’s Gospel by one of St. Thomas’ Dominican contemporaries, William of Alton. Keywords: Adam, Angels, Augustine, Boethius, Divine Providence, Grace, Incarnation, Original Sin, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Apr 11, 2025 • 38 min

Fr. Jordan Schmidt explores biblical creation accounts, emphasizing their theological depth and historical context to reveal how the created world serves as a pathway to knowing God and understanding divine revelation. This lecture was given on December 1st, 2023, at New York University. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events . About the Speaker: Fr. Jordan Schmidt was born in Fargo, ND, and attended St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN for his undergraduate studies. After entering the Order of Preachers, he came to Washington DC to study theology, graduating from the PFIC in 2009 with an STB/MDiv in theology, and from CUA in 2012 with an STL in biblical theology. Upon his ordination to the priesthood, he was appointed associate pastor of St Mary’s parish in New Haven, CT where he served until 2013. Fr. Jordan next returned to the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC to pursue doctoral studies at CUA. Since earning his PhD in biblical studies in 2018, he has been teaching various courses in Sacred Scripture at the PFIC. Keywords: Biblical Context, Biblical Creation Accounts, Divine Revelation, Genesis, Imago Dei, Old Testament, Saint Augustine’s Trinity Analogy, Saint Irenaeus on Likeness, Scriptural Interpretation in Catholic Tradition

Apr 10, 2025 • 58 min

Dr. William Hurlbut examines the profound ethical and philosophical challenges posed by advancing biotechnologies, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of human nature, dignity, and purpose in light of developments like genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, and transhumanist aspirations. This lecture was given on March 3rd, 2025, at Indiana University. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events . About the Speaker: William B. Hurlbut is a physician and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at Stanford University Medical Center.  After receiving his undergraduate and medical training at Stanford, he completed postdoctoral studies in theology and medical ethics, studying with Robert Hamerton-Kelly, the Dean of the Chapel at Stanford, and subsequently with the Rev. Louis Bouyer of the Institut Catholique de Paris. His primary areas of interest involve the ethical issues associated with advancing biomedical technology, the biological basis of moral awareness, and studies in the integration of theology and philosophy of biology.  He was instrumental in establishing the first course in biomedical ethics at Stanford Medical Center and subsequently taught bioethics to over six thousand Stanford undergraduate students in the Program in Human Biology. Dr. Hurlbut is the author of numerous publications on science and ethics including the co-edited volume Altruism and Altruistic Love: Science, Philosophy, and Religion in Dialogue (2002, Oxford University Press), and “Science, Religion and the Human Spirit” in the Oxford Handbook of Science and Religion .  He has organized and co-chaired three multi-year interdisciplinary faculty projects at Stanford University, “Becoming Human: The Evolutionary Origins of Spiritual, Religious and Moral Awareness,” “Brain Mind and Emergence,” and the ongoing “The Boundaries of Humanity: Human, Animals, and Machines in the Age of Biotechnology.”  In addition, he was Co-leader, together with U.C. Berkeley professor Jennifer Doudna of  “The challenge and opportunity of gene editing: a project for reflection, deliberation and education.” Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Bioethics, Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering, Human Dignity, Neuralink and Brain Interfaces, Personhood and Consciousness, Transhumanism, Yuval Noah Harari

Apr 9, 2025 • 48 min

Prof. Karin Öberg explores the interplay between theology and science, focusing on Thomas Aquinas' view of creation as a relational dependency on God and how Big Bang cosmology aligns with theological insights into the universe's origins. This lecture was given on February 15th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events . About the Speaker: Prof. Karin Öberg is Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University. Her specialty is astrochemistry and her research aims to uncover how chemical processes affect the outcome of planet formation, especially the chemical habitability of nascent planets. She did postdoctoral work at Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics as a NASA Hubble fellow, focusing on millimeter observations of planet-forming disks around young stars. Keywords: Aristotelianism, Big Bang, Catholic Intellectual Tradition, Cosmology, Creation Theology, Genesis Creation Account, Medieval Cosmology, Science and Religion, Summa Theologica

Apr 8, 2025 • 42 min

Fr. John Harris discusses the Catholic approach to secular politics, emphasizing Thomistic principles, the role of lay Catholics, and the balance between natural and supernatural ends in governance. This lecture was given on October 10th, 2024, at Trinity College Dublin. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events . About the Speaker: Fr. John Harris, O.P. serves as the prior provincial for the Dominican Province of Ireland. Keywords: Aristotelian Philosophy, Catholic Social Teaching, Cultural Relativism, Divine Law in Politics, Enda Kenny Speech, Lay Apostolate, Natural Law Theory, Secular Governance, De Regno , Vatican II

Apr 7, 2025 • 57 min

Dr. Paul LaPenna reflects on the integration of ancient virtues, Christian ethics, and self-sacrificial love in medical practice, emphasizing human dignity and compassionate care. This lecture was given on February 4th, 2025, at University of South Carolina. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events . About the Speaker: Dr. Paul LaPenna is a neurologist in Greenville, SC and is a Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Carolinas Campus. Dr. LaPenna completed his neurology residency at Indiana University School of Medicine. His skill set is focused on treatment of neurological emergencies and performing and interpreting electrophysiological studies of the brain and peripheral nervous system. He is currently the Director of Stroke at Bon Secours Mercy Health in Greenville, SC. As an Associate Professor of Neurology, Dr. LaPenna has won numerous teaching awards, including Clinical Medicine Professor of the Neuroscience Curriculum from 2019-2022. For the 2020-2021 academic year, Dr. LaPenna was awarded Preceptor of the Year. For his care towards patients, he was elected to the Arnold P. Gold Humanism Honor Society in 2016. Dr. LaPenna has an interest in the relationship between science and faith—in particular, the relationship between neuroscience and the soul, neuroscience and free will, and the overreaching claims of science. In addition, Dr. LaPenna speaks on the problem of suffering and the dignity of the human person. Saint Thomas Aquinas has been a major influence in Dr. LaPenna’s intellectual and faith journey. This project/publication was made possible through the support of Grant 63391 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation. Keywords: Ancient Virtues, Aristotle, Christian Ethics, Compassionate Care, Human Dignity in Medicine, Plato, Saint Basil the Great, Saint Francis of Assisi, Self-Sacrificial Love, The Good Samaritan

Apr 4, 2025 • 46 min

Prof. Marshall Bierson explores Aquinas's and Anscombe's moral absolutes, particularly concerning theft, arguing that in cases of extreme need, taking another's property may not constitute theft, suggesting a nuanced approach to absolutist moral frameworks. This lecture was given on March 3rd, 2025, at Yale University. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events . About the Speaker: Marshall Bierson—a Foreign Service brat—grew up living in Bangladesh, Paraguay, Sri Lanka, and the D.C. suburbs. He received at B.A. at Wheaton College (IL) in 2014, and then earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from Florida State University in 2022. His research focuses on the intersection of ethics and the nature of persons. Dr. Bierson is particularly interested in the work of Elizabeth Anscombe on 'philosophical psychology.' Keywords: Absolutism in Ethics, Moral Philosophy, Consequentialism vs. Absolutism, Elizabeth Anscombe, Peter Singer's Famine Affluence and Morality , Justice and Property Rights, Moral Absolutes, Sidgwick's Ethics, Starving Man Scenario, Thomas Aquinas on Theft

Apr 3, 2025 • 53 min

Prof. Paul Gondreau reflects on the profound meaning of suffering, disability, and human frailty in light of Christ’s redemptive suffering, emphasizing shared vulnerability as a source of mercy and unity within the Church. 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: Prof. Paul Gondreau is professor of theology at Providence College, where he has taught for 26 years. He received his doctorate in theology from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, doing his dissertation on Christ's full humanity (Christ's human passions/emotions) under the renowned Thomist scholar Jean-Pierre Torrell. He specializes in the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas and has published widely in the areas of Christology (focusing on Christ’s full humanity and his maleness), Christian anthropology, the moral meaning and purpose of human sexuality and sexual difference, the biblical vision of Aquinas' theology, the theology of disability, the sacrament of the Eucharist and the priesthood, and the Catholic vision of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings . Keywords: Dualism and Suffering, Redemptive Suffering, Human Frailty, Divine Providence in Job, Disability in Christian Theology, Kenosis and the Incarnation, Vulnerability, Pope John Paul II’s Salvifici Doloris , Suffering as Participation in Christ’s Body, Tolkien’s Edenic Yearning

Apr 2, 2025 • 53 min

Prof. Stephen Meredith explores the essence of being human through the lens of Aristotelian and Thomistic philosophy, contrasting it with biological and scientific perspectives that often overlook the importance of form and final cause. 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 . About the Speaker: Stephen Meredith (University of Chicago) is a professor of Pathology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Neurology. He is also an associate faculty member in the University of Chicago Divinity School. He has published more than 100 journal articles, focusing on the biophysics of protein structure. Much of his work has been the application of solution and solid-state NMR to the study of amyloid proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease. His teaching includes courses to graduate students in biochemistry and biophysics, medical students, and undergraduates and graduate students in the humanities, including courses on James Joyce’s Ulysses, St. Thomas Aquinas, Augustine, Dostoevsky (focusing on Brothers Karamazov), Thomas Mann and David Foster Wallace. He is currently working on a book examining disease and the theological problem of evil. Other current writing projects include a study of James Joyce and the problem of evil. Keywords: Accidents and Essence, Aristotle's Four Causes, Biology and Definition of Human, Causality and Teleology, Ectogenesis and Transhumanism, Empiricism vs. Essence, Hylomorphism and Form, Rational Animal Definition, Soul as Form of Body, Thomas Aquinas's Angelology

Apr 1, 2025 • 53 min

Fr. Anselm Ramelow critically examines whether artificial intelligence can achieve personhood, arguing that machines lack the essential qualities of being, consciousness, and unity inherent to human nature. 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 . About the Speaker: Fr. Anselm Ramelow, O.P., a native of Germany, teaches philosophy at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, California, where he is also currently the chair of the philosophy department. He is also a member of the Core Doctoral Faculty at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley and the Academy of Catholic Theology. He obtained his doctorate under Robert Spaemann in Munich on Leibniz and the Spanish Jesuits (Gott, Freiheit, Weltenwahl, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1997) and did theological work on George Lindbeck and the question of a Thomist philosophy and theology of language. Areas of research and teaching include Free Will, the History of Philosophy and Philosophical Aesthetics. He has worked on a philosophical approach to Miracles and other topics of the philosophy of religion, and more recently the philosophy of technology. Keywords: AI and Personhood Debate, Consciousness and Qualia, David Chalmers on Materialism, Human Unity in Consciousness, Immaterial Nature of Humans, Nagel’s What Is It Like to Be a Bat? , Reductionism in AI Ethics, Simulation vs. Reality in AI, Thomas Hobbes’ Materialism

Mar 28, 2025 • 53 min

Fr. John Mark Solitario explores the transformative power of grace offered by Christ, emphasizing the perfection of charity and voluntary poverty as a means to participate in divine goodness and a sure path to eternal life. This lecture was given on July 10th, 2024, at Theodore House at Stonyhurst. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events . About the Speaker: Fr. John Mark Solitario, O.P. is a coordinator for campus outreach at the Thomistic Institute. He met the nuns and friars of the Order of Preachers at the Dominican Monastery of the Mother of God in his hometown of West Springfield, MA. Their lives of Christian totality, marked by sacrifice, prayer, and preaching but above all, a supernatural goodness and joy, made a huge impact on him. After studying the liberal arts and philosophy at Christendom College and teaching high school theology as a member of Providence College’s PACT program, Father entered the Dominican novitiate in Cincinnati, OH, and went on for theological studies at the Dominican House of Studies. Following the solemn profession of religious vows, he was ordained a priest of Jesus Christ in 2019. Focusing on the Universal Call to Holiness in the theology of the Spanish Dominican Juan Arintero, Fr John Mark earned his licentiate in sacred theology in 2020. He is delighted to be working with students and professors as they seek to know better the truth about God and his creation through the patronage of St. Thomas Aquinas. Keywords: Abandonment of Riches, Evangelical Poverty, Grace and Divine Goodness, Incarnation Theology, Material Detachment, Perfection of Charity, Saint Augustine’s Eighty-Three Questions , Saint Jerome’s Commentary on Matthew , Voluntary Poverty, Way of Perfection

Mar 27, 2025 • 41 min

Fr. Dominic Legge explores the intricacies of the hypostatic union, focusing on Aquinas's understanding of how the divine and human natures are united in the person of Christ, while navigating various Christological heresies. This lecture was given on February 24th, 2024, at Dominican House of Studies For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events About the Speaker: Fr. Dominic Legge is the Director of the Thomistic Institute and Associate Professor in Systematic Theology at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. He is an Ordinary Member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas, and holds a J.D. from Yale Law School, a Ph.L. from the School of Philosophy of the Catholic University of America, and a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. He entered the Order of Preachers in 2001, after having practiced constitutional law for several years as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice. He has also taught at The Catholic University of America Law School and at Providence College. He is the author of The Trinitarian Christology of St. Thomas Aquinas (Oxford University Press, 2017). Keywords: Albert the Great, Christological Heresy, De Unione , Divine Nature, Ephesus, Hypostatic Union, Monophysitism, Nestorianism, Saint Thomas Aquinas

Mar 26, 2025 • 38 min

Professor Paul Gavrilyuk explores Cyril of Alexandria's Christology as a sustained meditation on majesty and lowliness, driven by the desire to probe the mystery of the hypostatic union in light of the Nestorian controversy. This lecture was given on February 23rd, 2024, at Dominican House of Studies. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events About the Speaker: Prof. Paul L. Gavrilyuk holds the Endowed Aquinas Chair in Theology and Philosophy in the Theology Department at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA (2013- present). His fields of expertise range from historical theology to philosophy of religion to ecumenical studies. He has contributed to the understanding of the early Christian doctrine of God, of modern Russian religious thought, and of Orthodox-Catholic dialogue. He is the founding president of the International Orthodox Theological Association and Rebuild Ukraine. Keywords: Alexandria, Antioch, Christology, Cyril of Alexandria, Divine Impassibility, Hypostatic Union, Kenosis, Logos, Nestorius, Philippians 2:5-11

Mar 25, 2025 • 46 min

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. This lecture was given on February 8th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events About the Speaker: Fr. Khaled Anatolios is John A. O'Brien Professor of Theology at Notre Dame. He is interested in all aspects of the theology of the early Church, with special emphases on the Trinitarian, Christological, and soteriological doctrines of the Greek fathers and Augustine; early Christian biblical exegesis; and the development of theological methodology in Patristic and medieval theology. He has published on a variety of early Christian theologians including Irenaeus, Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, and Gregory of Nyssa. A particular focus of his work is the engagement between early Christian theological reflection and contemporary theological concerns. Keywords: Saint Athanasius, Creation From Nothing, Existential Theology, Gabriel Marcel, Homoousios, Nicene Council, On The Incarnation , Theology, Word of God

Mar 21, 2025 • 33 min

This lecture was given on February 9th, 2024, at Dominican House of Studies. The speaker requests that anyone interested in a summary of this talk listen to the whole thing. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events About the Speaker: Sr. Anna Wray, O.P. (Thomistic Institute) is a native of Connecticut and a member of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia. Sister received her PhD in philosophy from The Catholic University of America, having written her dissertation on Aristotle’s account of the activity of contemplation. Sister is on faculty in CUA's School of Philosophy. Keywords: Aristotelian Contemplation, Aristotle’s De Anima, Contemplation, Fulfillment in Human Activity, Peripatetic Therapy, Saint Thomas Aquinas on Contemplation, Speculative Thinking vs. Practical Thinking, Therapeutic Philosophy, Virtue Ethics, Unmoved Mover

Mar 20, 2025 • 38 min

Fr. Irenaeus Dunlevy explores the meaning of loving God with all our minds, drawing from St. Thomas Aquinas's interpretation of the greatest commandment. This lecture was given on April 9th, 2024, at the University of Pennsylvania. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events About the Speaker: Fr. Irenaeus Dunlevy, OP is a Coordinator for Campus Outreach at the Thomistic Institute in Washington, DC. He has served as a parochial vicar at St. Pius V Church in Providence, RI, as well as an adjunct professor and assistant chaplain at Providence College. He originates from Columbus, OH, studied architecture in Virginia and Switzerland, and practiced in the DC area before entering the Order of Preachers in 2013. He was ordained a priest in 2020 at the Dominican House of Studies during the quarantine. In his work with the Thomistic Institute, he has given talks on the virtue of penance and the use of metaphor in Scripture. He often travels the country visiting Thomistic Institute Campus Chapters, leading seminars that help students grasp Thomistic concepts. Additionally, he coordinates the TI's intellectual retreat programming, which affords students time to pray and integrate into their lives Thomistic theology and philosophy. Keywords: Analogical Predication, Articles of Faith, Deposit of Faith, Ignorance, Love of God, Saint Paul, Sacred Study, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Wounds of Original Sin

Mar 19, 2025 • 54 min

This lecture was given on November 15th, 2023, at Dominican House of Studies. The speaker requests that anyone interested in a summary of this talk listen to the whole thing. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events About the Speaker: Sister Anna Wray is a native of Connecticut and a member of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia. Sister received her Ph.D. in philosophy from The Catholic University of America, having written her dissertation on Aristotle’s account of the activity of contemplation. Sister is on faculty in CUA's School of Philosophy. Keywords: A.G. Sertillanges, Contemplation, Crucifixion of the Desk, Dominican Order, Prayer, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Spiritual Growth, Studying, Study and the Spiritual Life

Mar 13, 2025 • 42 min

Prof. Michael Sirilla explains how faithful Catholics should approach problematic magisterial teaching with a disposition of respect while recognizing that, in rare instances, fraternal correction motivated by love is necessary when Church authorities promulgate errors that contradict established doctrine. This lecture was given on October 17th, 2024, at University of Florida. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events About the Speaker: Michael Sirilla is a Professor of Dogmatic and Systematic Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 2001. His research has focused on ecclesiology and Aquinas’s theology of the episcopacy.  Archbishop Augustine Di Noia, OP wrote the foreword for his book, The Ideal Bishop: Aquinas’s Commentaries on the Pastoral Epistles (CUA Press, 2017).  His other research interests include natural theology, fundamental theology, and the theology of the Church’s magisterium.  He and his wife, Laura, are blessed with nine children and two grandchildren. Keywords: Catholic Doctrine, Church Authority, Ecclesiology, Fraternal Correction, Galatians , Heresy, Matthew , Papal Authority, St. Paul, St. Peter