Professor Ferenc Hörcher is a Hungarian political philosopher and historian of political thought, specializing in conservatism, liberalism, and early modern political ideas. He directs the Research Institute of Politics and Government at Hungary’s University of Public Service and is a senior research fellow at the Institute of Philosophy of the Eötvös Loránd Research Network. An author of several books, including A Political Philosophy of Conservatism (2020), he has held visiting positions at renowned universities and conducted research internationally.

Do you want to learn more about the complementarity of faith and reason and how Catholics should approach the sciences? Listend to this lecture to learn what Pope St. John Paul II and other Catholic teachings have to say on the subject.

Chris Carstens unpacks the "ars celebrandi" called for by Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. A proper ars celebrandi 1) sees God as the proper subject of the liturgical "masterpiece," 2) encourages liturgical ministers to depict this great, divine beauty through docility to the Holy Spirit's inspiration and the Church's rites, and 3) forms the baptized to see God's glory revealed in the liturgical rite through a mystagogical catechesis. In short, when a liturgy centers on God, celebrates the rite in such a way that God's glory appears (as on Mt. Tabor), and trains the people to encounter Christ in the rite--true beauty appears in our midst and in our world. The Institute for Liturgical Formation will focus on these three aspects: 1) theology of the liturgy (the Trinity's presence and action in the liturgy), 2) the ritual celebration of the liturgy (how the Church's ministers understand and execute the liturgy), and 3) the participation and spirituality of the liturgy (how God's people engage and pray the liturgy).

With his distinguished background as a leader in both Catholic education and public policy and as a Christendom parent, Dr. Kevin Roberts offers a unique perspective on the role and relevance of Christendom’s education in modern American society.

What does it mean to say that the Mass “makes Calvary present”? How does the Church participate in the priestly work of Christ? Are you looking to enter more profoundly into the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? If so, this is the lecture for you.

On September 20, Christendom's Tocqueville Forum for Liberal Democracy hosted a lecture by Dr. James Stoner from Louisiana State University on "The Post-Constitutional Temptation."Learn more about Christendom's Political Science and Economics Department at: https://www.christendom.edu/academics/majors-minors/political-science-economics/

Irish scholar and longtime member of the Christendom community, Connie Marshner, delivered a guest History lecture at Christendom College on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, titled "Evidence of Eastern Influence in Early Irish Christianity."Learn more about Christendom's Department of History at: https://www.christendom.edu/academics/majors-minors/history/

Both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were inspired by time-honored medieval tales. Chivalry plays a key role in medieval English literature, yet Lewis and Tolkien seem to view it very differently – Lewis as a virtue, Tolkien as a vice. "Lewis and Tolkien on the Necessity of Chivalry" dives into essays by both men on the topic, ultimately finding common ground between them. Join Professor Strickland on this quest to explore the code of conduct that governs warfare, sport, honor, and loyalty.

The ultimate purpose of mathematics is not a topic frequently discussed. However, if you want to learn how math can lead us to knowledge of God, you should listen to this lecture. Dr. Douglas Dailey goes beyond the application of mathematics to explore how math unlocks the knowledge of true being—and God. 

I'm sure you've heard family and friends question how a loving God can allow suffering. Perhaps you've even wrestled with the question yourself. With Dr. Montanaro as your guide, you'll learn how suffering forms an essential part of God's plan—so much so that He sent His Son to die on the cross for our salvation. 

Join Christendom College professor Dr. Christopher Lane for his lecture on Inculturation and the Evangelization of China. From the time of the apostles, the deposit of faith has formed and transformed cultures, lived out uniquely across various cultures. This lecture will explore how Catholicism took root in China, forming a new Chinese Catholic culture, and how cultural practices gave rise to conflict among Catholics in the Chinese Rites controversy and the effects of that controversy in the 20th century. The great Jesuit missionary Servant of God Matteo Ricci and his friend Servant of God Xu Guangqi, as well as the prime minister of China turned Benedictine monk, Dom Pierre-Célestin Lu, will also be subjects of discussion in this lecture.

Join Christendom College professor Dr. John Cuddeback for this lecture examining practical principles from the master of contemplation, St. Thomas Aquinas. No matter our state in life, we are all called to contemplation as part of our identity and fulfilment, even amidst the challenges and chaos of today.

Part of the Beato Fra Angelico Fine Arts series, Dr. Sara Pecknold gave a recital and talk discussing the history of traditional Irish music. The performance included Christendom music professor Dr. Larissa Fedoryka, Rachel Piazza (class of 2024), and Nolan Ladewski.

Learn about the true nature of beauty, its importance for our lives, and why Beauty not only can but will undoubtedly save the world. Christendom professor Dr. Michael Rubin will help you discover "How Beauty Will Save the World." 

Join Christendom Professor Daniel Spiottaas as he explores the structure of the Rosary from a unique perspective that illuminates fascinating new insights. The mysteries of the Rosary tell the story of Our Lady's life with Christ, and like any good story, they are artfully arranged. By reflecting on the ring-structure of the Rosary, we can come to a deeper understanding of its mysteries and how they relate to one another.

Father Deacon Christopher Todd '12, Ukrainian Catholic Deacon and Christendom Alumnus, gave a lecture on "Eastern Catholic Churches: St. John Paul II and the Legacy of Vatican II" on February 5, 2024.

Word on Fire’s Dr. Holly Ordway delivered a talk on famed author J.R.R. Tolkien’s Catholic Faith at Christendom College on January 29, 2024, as part of the college’s Major Speaker Series.  Fifty years after Tolkien’s death, his writings are more popular than ever; The Lord of the Rings and his other Middle-earth writings are internationally beloved, loved by millions who do not share his religious beliefs. Yet Tolkien declared, “I am a Christian (which can be deduced from my stories).” His writings were not allegories, so how, then, were his faith and his fiction related? Ordway aims to answer this question biographically, looking at some of the ways that Tolkien’s dramatic life story, including his being raised by a Catholic priest at the Birmingham Oratory, and his experiences in the Great War, shaped his faith and found their way–in a subtle and complex manner–into his writings. Ordway is the Cardinal Francis George Professor of Faith and Culture at the Word on Fire Institute and the author of the award-winning Tolkien’s Modern Reading.

Join Christendom professor Dr. Sara Pecknold as she explores the importance of music for our lives as Catholics and as a means of glorifying God. Music holds a unique place of influence in all our lives. Because of its constant presence and its indisputable power to move our souls, music should be put to its highest purpose: to praise God and lead us to Him. This lecture invites the listener to enjoy exquisite settings of the Salve Regina from 17th-century Venice and to consider how the contemplation of sacred beauty assists in the formation of the soul. Dr. Sara Pecknold holds a Ph.D. in Historical Musicology with a minor in Vocal Performance from The Catholic University of America, where she served as a lecturer in the History of Sacred Music and directed the Sacred Music Consort from 2016 to 2022. She is currently a Visiting Professor of Liturgical Music at Christendom College.

On January 25, the college hosted Dr. Anthony Andres to give the 2024 Thomas Aquinas Lecture. The annual Aquinas Lecture is an opportunity for the Christendom College community to benefit from the scholarship and wisdom of noted thinkers in the tradition of St. Thomas Aquinas.

This Principles Live Lecture was broadcast from our annual Christmas at Christendom event for our President's Council benefactors.

The breakdown of the family is one of the chief factors behind the societal decay we experience today. How can we protect the family unit and reverse the breakdown of society? This lecture will examine how rediscovering filial piety can help lead us toward the restoration we need.

Why is children's literature important? In our society where even children are made to question their very identity, it is crucial to have stories that ground them in truth.

"How can we be effective evangelizers?" Find out how baptism and hobbits can shed light on what it means to be a Christian filled with faith, hope, and love, and thus a beacon for communicating the joy of the Christian life to others.

This lecture provides the example of theology professors who conceived of themselves not only as intellectuals, but, more importantly, as Christian teachers. Focusing on the twelfth-century schools of theology, Dr. Berardi shows how theologians of the time followed the tradition of the Church Fathers and were responsible for the moral education of their students.

The world is filled with conflicts, both apparent and real, between personal love and civic duty. Can love be restrained without violating its radical freedom? In this brief talk, Christendom College's Professor Daniel Spiotta will consider how William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream expresses the demands of both love and law, manifests the dangers of neglecting either, and proposes a mutually reinforcing resolution.Spiotta, who serves as an assistant professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at Christendom, specializes in the works of Shakespeare and Medieval English poetry,

Virtue has never been more maligned and misunderstood than in our age. Between movies that celebrate antiheroes and corporations that “virtue signal” about false values, we must revisit the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas to reclaim a true understanding of virtue and strategies for how we can acquire it in our age. This Principles Live Lecture will be delivered by Dr. Andrew Whitmore, assitant professor of theology at Christendom College. Dr. Whitmore authored the book Saintly Habits: Aquinas’ 7 Simple Strategies You Can Use to Grow in Virtue, recently published by Ascension Press.

This lecture will be given by Dr. Daniel McInerny, a professor of philosophy at Christendom College and faculty moderator of the on-campus drama club, the Christendom Players. Dr. McInerny also teaches an upcoming Principles class on The Philosophy of Art and Beauty and has a book coming out next year from Word on Fire Academic entitled The Way of Beauty. When we hear the word “entertainment,” we may think of the frivolous, the mindless, or the downright offensive. But who among us does not enjoy some form of entertainment? And isn’t it interesting that the foremost theologian of the Catholic Church, St. Thomas Aquinas, considered the right enjoyment of entertainment a part of what it means to live the virtuous life? In this brief talk, Dr. Daniel McInerny will explore the nature of entertainment, its right forms and abuses, and the challenges for Christian believers to developing virtuous entertainment in our time.

In this Principles Live Lecture, Christendom professor Dr. Kurt Poterack will help you understand the beautiful theology behind Catholic teaching on sacred music. These days, many people think "sacred music" can be any sort of music played in a religious setting. However, the Catholic Church has a long and rich tradition of carefully delineating just what sacred music means.

This lecture will be given by Dr. Trey Stanford, a professor in the Department of English Literature & Language at Christendom College.Dr. Stanford's lecture is entitled "'Terrificalest Freezing Magics': The Gift of Tolkien's Letters from Father Christmas" and will be a part of Christendom College's annual day-long Christmas at Christendom event for our President's Council benefactors, many of whom will join us in person. We hope you enjoy a glimpse into this special event!

Why read Jane Austen? She makes us smile and laugh through her beautifully written works of literature, but she also helps orient our imagination, intellect, and will towards virtue. Dr. Sullivan earned her Ph.D. in English from The Catholic University of America and serves as an assistant professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at Christendom College. She specializes in Jane Austen, 19th century British literature, and Epistolary literature. Join us for a Principles Live Lecture with Christendom College literature professor Dr. Kathleen Sullivan. She will help you see how Jane Austen's writings can aid you in growing in the virtue of humility, in particular, through her examination of the character of Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice.

Dr. Vyner serves as the chairman in the Department of Theology at Christendom College, where he teaches classes on Scripture, the Sacraments, the Domestic Church, Fundamentals of Catholic Doctrine, and more. Tomorrow's Principles Live Lecture will present the Holy Family, referred to in the early Church as the "earthly Trinity," both in Scripture and Tradition. Such a topic is extremely relevant today in light of the increasing attacks on the family. It will conclude with pastoral guidelines for developing a spousal-familial spirituality.

Christendom’s Tocqueville Forum hosted a talk by Notre Dame Professor Phillip Muñoz titled “Natural Rights, Natural Law, and the American Founding” on September 29, 2022. Muñoz addressed the question of whether traditional religious beliefs are compatible with a political order based on natural rights principles. He defended natural rights as part of the natural law, and that Catholics can be faithful and patriotic citizens.

Dr. Cuddeback holds a PhD from the Catholic University of America and has taught for 25 years here at Christendom College in the Philosophy Department. He is the author of the book, "True Friendship", where virtue becomes happiness, and a lay Dominican. He is an avid gardener and hunter.In this Principles Live Lecture, Dr. Cuddeback explains that life is about relationship. One of the most important relationships that we ultimately have are friendships. We are most ultimately called to friendship with God. This, to Dr. Cuddeback, is the main reason to be so interested and so concerned to understand well the nature of friendship. To understand the nature of friendship is really at the heart of understanding why God created us, and will be the key to living in unison with other human persons.

Canadian by birth, Conor Sweeney obtained a licentiate and doctorate in Sacred Theology from the John Paul Institute for Marriage and the Family in Rome. He taught and researched in areas of Evangelization, continental philosophy, the Theology of Joseph Ratzinger, and John Paul II's Theology of the Body, and much more. Dr. Sweeney joined the theology faculty in 2020 here at Christendom College.Dr. Sweeney delivers what he calls a warmup or preparation of a class he is offering this fall semester at Christendom College, called, "Atheism and the Death of God." The key words to keep in mind during this lecture are: Eros, Moralism, the phrase "God is dead", Love, Agape, Truth and Joy. He goes into depth of what Pope Benedict XVI's response was to one of the greatest critics of Christianity of all time: Frederick Nietzsche. Nietzsche is famous for his  hatred of Christianity; he calls it a capital crime against life, a religion of the herd, an expression of the will to power of a weak and resentful type of human being who is incapable of true greatness of spirit. Dr. Sweeney particularly focuses on Nietzsche's claim that "Christianity poisoned eros and turned it into a vice or something bad." According to Nietzsche, in his book, Beyond Good and Evil, "Christianity gave Eros poison to drink. He did not die of it, but degenerated into a vice." Dr. Sweeney concludes his lecture on moral truth. He says that, "Moral truth, in its fullness, is never distinct from the love of Christ poured into our hearts. Truth is not an abstraction of an idea out there, distinct from love. It is not rationalism or subjectivism. To choose love is to choose what is true, to choose the truth is to choose love. Christian love requires iron in the soul in the one who seeks to live up to the demands of it." 

Dr. Mark Wunsch received his undergraduate degree in Denver, and pursued his graduate degree in the Angelicum in Rome. Since 2005, he has taught and served in multiple administrative roles, associate professor of philosophy, academic dean, director of Rome academics, and chair of the philosophy department. He has taught all six of our core Philosophy classes here at Christendom. In this Principles Live Lecture, he first addresses Aristotle's novel thesis: only the virtuous man can be happy. Secondly, he will delve into Nicomichean Ethics, and conclude with how Aristotle's thought can be reconciled with Christian morality.

On January 27th, 2020 Christendom College hosted Dr. Daria Spezzano to give a talk for the 2020 Thomas Aquinas Lecture. Dr. Spezzano demonstrated the elements of eros in St. Thomas Aquinas's understanding of the Eucharist. Thomas Aquinas also applied elements of eros more broadly to his theology of charity in a distinctly Dominican way.  Dr. Daria Spezzano is an associate professor of Theology at Providence College in Providence Rhode Island. She received her Ph.D in Theology from the University of Notre Dame and her Masters of Liturgical Studies from the Liturgical Institute.  She is the author of The Glory of God's Grace: Deification According to St. Thomas Aquinas. Her writings have been published in Nova et Vetera, Cistercian Studies, and Antiphon.

Fr. Dominic Langevin, O.P., delivered the 2019 St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture on February 4, lecturing on the importance of the moral and sacramental life, without which there can be no eternal life. He further discussed the Thomistic teaching on the complementary of the moral and sacramental life.  

Distinguished professor and author Thomas Hibbs delivered Christendom College’s annual St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture on February 5, 2016. He argued Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato Si confronted a metaphysical affliction of the human person isolated from God simmering behind the surface of modernity. Thomas Hibbs is currently Distinguished Professor of Ethics & Culture and Dean of the Honors College at Baylor University. In addition to teaching a variety of interdisciplinary courses, Hibbs teaches in the fields of medieval philosophy, contemporary virtue ethics, and philosophy and popular culture. Hibbs has written scholarly books on Aquinas, including Dialectic and Narrative in Aquinas: An Interpretation of the Summa Contra Gentiles, and a book on popular culture entitled Shows About Nothing.

Distinguished author and professor Rev. Stephen Brock, Ph.D., delivered Christendom’s 2018 St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture on January 24. The talk was titled “The Metaphysics of Prayer.” He discussed the various types of prayer, using the writings of C. S Lewis to refute the objections to petitionary prayer.

Theology chair for the University of Saint Mary of the Lake Dr. Matthew Levering presented the annual St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture at Christendom College. Levering delivered a lecture entitled “Aquinas on Studiousness,” explaining how studiousness is significant for the Christian moral life. Levering touched upon the differences between studiousness and curiosity, stating that the studious do not seek to dominate what they hope to know, but look to respond lovingly to knowledge as a gift. The curious, on the other hand, look at reality as something to be seized or dominated.

Thomistic scholar and author Reverend David Meconi, S.J.,  delivered Christendom College’s annual St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture on Wednesday, January 28, 2015. Fr. Meconi discussed how Augustinian principles influenced the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas.Fr. Meconi teaches in the Department of Theological Studies at Saint Louis University, and is the editor of Homiletic and Pastoral Review. . Fr. Meconi is a former president of the Jesuit Philosophical Association, as well as a Fellow at the Augustinian Institute at Villanova University, and serves on the ecclesiastical board of Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry, as well as the Saint Benedict Institute at Hope College in Holland, MI.

“How does an angel get it wrong?” Rev. John D. Corbett asked during his lecture to students and faculty on January 27 at Christendom College. Rev. Corbett’s talk discussed the nature of angels and how such high beings could have fallen from God’s grace. A moral theologian currently teaching at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception, Rev. Corbett explained that the fall of the angels is “a bit of a theological conundrum.”

Thomistic scholar and author, Rev. Thomas Joseph White, O.P., delivered the annual St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture on January 28, 2013 at Christendom College. The talk explored the doctrine of the resurrection of the body and its influence on philosophical thought. Delving into the thought of modern philosophers on the relation of the body to the soul and Pope Benedict XVI’s response to them, Fr. White demonstrated that it was philosophically natural to hope in the resurrection from the dead.

Renowned scholar and author Russell Hittinger delivered the annual St. Thomas Aquinas lecture to the students and faculty of Christendom College on January 27, 2012. The talk, which examined the nature of societies and marriage, was entitled: “Are Societies Made Unto the Image and Likeness of God?: A Thomistic Response to a Disputed Issue. Hittinger delved into the works of St. Thomas Aquinas, Pope Leo XIII, and other popes to illustrate how the image of God is reflected in a society.Since 1996, Hittinger is the incumbent of the William K. Warren Chair of Catholic Studies at the University of Tulsa, where he is also a research professor in the School of Law.  Specializing in issues of philosophy, theology, and law, he is a former Christendom College professor and has taught at Fordham University and at the Catholic University of America, among other schools.  His books and articles have appeared in the University of Notre Dame Press, Oxford University Press, Columbia University Press, Fordham University Press, the Review of Metaphysics, the Review of Politics, and several law journals.

Renowned Dominican priest and Thomistic philosopher, Reverend Lawrence Dewan, O.P., delivered a lecture entitled “Being a Disciple of St. Thomas Aquinas in the Pursuit of Wisdom” as the keynote speaker at Christendom College’s annual St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture on January 28, 2011. Fr. Dewan discusses how St. Thomas Aquinas serves as a witness to wisdom. A member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Dewan studied philosophy at the University of Toronto, the University of Paris, and the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies. He has taught at the University of Ottawa, Saint Mary’s University, the University of Toronto, Université Laval of Québec, and the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He is author of three books: Form and Being: Studies in Thomistic Metaphysics; St. Thomas and Form as Something Divine in Things; and Wisdom, Law, and Virtue: Essays in Thomistic Ethics.

Behavioral geneticist Dr. Daniel Toma discusses questions of the order and structure of the universes in light in John Arintero's notion of Theosis. he also expounds on the significance and purpose of the Incarnation.Dr. Daniel Toma is behavioral geneticist from Minnesota State University Mankato and is professor in the department of Biology. He is author of the book Vestige of Eden, Image of Eternity.

Dr. R.V. Young reflects on the influences of tyranny throughout Shakespeare's play, most uniquely seen in Macbeth. In Macbeth, the protagonist  is entangled by his own tyranny and destroys his character and freedom. R.V. Young is Professor of English Emeritus, North Carolina State University and former editor of the quarterly review, Modern Age.  He co-founded and for 25 years co-edited The John Donne Journal.  His books include At War With the Word: Literary Theory and Liberal Education, and Doctrine and Devotion in Seventeenth-Century Poetry: Studies in Donne, Herbert, Crashaw, and Vaughan. In addition to academic work, he has published articles and reviews in such journals as The National Review, The Human Life Review, The Weekly Standard, First Things, and Touchstone, of which he is a contributing editor.

Dr. Michael Zuckert presents Lincoln's theory of democratic statesmanship and the reasoning behind his political propositions. Dr. Zucket also discusses the waves of praise and criticism that has been raised throughout the years. Dr. Zuckert is an accomplished author and the department chair of political science at the University of Notre Dame. A scholar of political philosophy and theory, American political thought, American constitutional history, and more, Zuckert co-authored and co-produced the public radio series Mr. Adams and Mr. Jefferson: A Nine Part Drama for the Radio, and was the senior advisor for the television series Liberty! And the senior advisor for the PBS series Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton. He is currently the head of the new Tocqueville Center for the Study of Religion in American Public Life.