The Crisis in Catholic Education and the Role of Aquinas

The Genius of Thomas Aquinas

• 💡 Thomas Aquinas is recognized as a great theological master and saint, whose genius lies in his capacity to grasp the whole of Christian theology and philosophy.
• 🧠 His work, particularly the Summa Theologia, is a masterclass in synthesis, integrating various ideas into a coherent whole.
• 📌 While Aquinas worked with the best scientific understanding of the 13th century, and may have drawn conclusions from mistaken premises regarding modern science (like embryology), his big picture is profoundly right.
• ✅ A saint is declared to be in heaven, not to be infallible, but Aquinas is declared the Universal Doctor, a crucial reference point for the Church.

The Thomistic Institute's Mission

• 🚀 The Thomistic Institute is dedicated to making Aquinas accessible and helping people encounter the Catholic intellectual tradition.
• 🎯 Aquinas has historically served as a guiding star and a structural backbone for Catholic thought, providing a framework that helps various theological and doctrinal parts fit together.
• 📉 A deliberate move away from Aquinas in the 20th century has led to a crisis in Catholic education, sacramental formation, and preaching, making it harder to present the faith coherently.

Campus Outreach and Student Engagement

• 🌍 The Thomistic Institute has established 100 student chapters on university campuses worldwide in just 8 years, organizing lectures, reading groups, and retreats.
• 🤝 These student-led initiatives aim to reach universities on an intellectual level, presenting serious ideas that educated individuals should know about.
• 🌟 The program has seen remarkable success, even at evangelical universities like Regent University, with significant student engagement in lectures and events, including Catholic practices like Mass and Eucharistic adoration.

Strategic Evangelization on Campus

• 🗣️ The Institute focuses on intellectual engagement rather than politics or journalism, aiming to be a reputable intellectual partner without flinching from the truths of the faith.
• 💡 Instead of leading with controversial topics like human sexuality, they begin with questions about God, happiness, faith, virtue, and the reconciliation of scripture and science.
• 🤝 This approach builds rapport and intellectual communion, allowing for deeper discussions and eventual engagement with more challenging aspects of the faith, reflecting good pastoral sense and prudence.