hosted by John DeRosa
What should students study in the science classroom? How might this look different in a Catholic school compared to an American public school? Is naturalism reinforced by the way science is taught in many schools? Is it possible to teach biology in a pedagogically responsible way yet without disrespecting those who hold religious views about creation? Dr. Kenneth Kemp joins us to discuss these topics.
What is classical theism? What makes it distinct from theism in general? How should we answer common charges that classical theism makes God cold, distant, and unloving? Is there accuracy to the charge that classical theism is based purely on Greek philosophy as opposed to Scripture? What should we make of the confusion over terminology, specifically regarding “theistic personalism”, “neo-classical theism”, “process theism”, and other labels? Dr. Edward Feser joins us to discuss these topics.
What is the apparent conflict between Dignitatis Humanae and 19th-century Papal teaching? What is Michael Dunnigan’s solution to the conflict? How can we properly reconcile particular passages in Quanta Cura with Dignitatis Humanae? Dr. Michael Dunnigan joins the show again to discuss these topics.
Pat Flynn and I discuss the life and legacy of Dr. Kevin Vost (1961 – 2023). We mention the aspects of his character and his work that drew us to him. Pat shares a few personal stories, and John explains Dr. Vost’s morning routine before writing.
What are persons? Why are persons “irreducible” and what does that mean? Can we argue from human persons to the existence of God? What was the De Auxilius debate and where does Dr. Mark Spencer come down on that in his book? We discuss these topics and more.Â
What is metaphysics? How does a Thomist approach God’s existence? Can one prove God’s existence using the real distinction between essences and their acts of existence? How does Dr. Kerr respond to several objections including the issue of existential inertia? We tackle these topics and more in the episode.
What is God? How can we investigate the divine nature? What won’t we know about God until the next life? Are there things we will never know about God? Dr. Kevin Vost joins the show to discuss these questions and more.
Fr. Peter Totleben discusses the differences between Thomism and Palamism, especially concerning the doctrine of Divine Simplicity. Special thanks to Jack Boczar of the CT Research Team for assisting in bringing this episode to fruition. We only scratched the surface and hope to speak with Fr. Totleben again.
Is the 4th Way of St. Thomas Aquinas still defensible today? According to Jake Buscher, yes. He explains and defends the fourth way of Aquinas in this episode. We tackle several objections along the way. Also, check out Jake’s podcast Cutting the Gordian Knot for lighthearted and informative commentary on theological, philosophical, societal, and economic topics all from a Catholic perspective.
How might a philosophical Thomist analyze the problem of evil? Why is evil and suffering so debilitating in the lives of many such as Rachel in the Old Testament? What should we think about the work of Fr. Brian Davies and Dr. Eleonore Stump on the problem of evil? Dr. John Knasas joins us to discuss these topics.
