Forum

The panel examined AI ethics through Catholic social thought, calling for responsible AI use that safeguards human relationships and creativity. Fr. Michael Baggot, L.C., S.T.L., Ph.D. is Professor Aggregato of Bioethics at Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. Dr. Erick Chastain is Assistant Professor of Computer Science at UDallas.

The panel discussed the historical and contemporary challenges of marriage and family, drawing on insights from Pope Leo XIII and Pope Francis. Featuring Dr. Matthew Walz and Mary Rice Hasson, J.D., the conversation emphasized the need for wisdom, intelligence and courage in addressing these issues. Both speakers advocated for a renewed engagement with Catholic teaching and a strong Church voice in shaping cultural norms.Dr. Matthew Walz is Associate Professor of Philosophy at University of Dallas and St. John Henry Newman Visiting Chair in Catholic Studies at Thomas More College. Mary Rice Hasson, J.D., is the Kate O'Beirne Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

This JPII Conference panel discussion on Pope Leo XIII and modern Catholic social thought features Dr. Christopher Wolfe and Dr. Gerard Bradley.Dr. Christopher Wolfe is President Emeritus of the Dallas Forum for Law, Politics and Culture.Dr. Gerard Bradley is Professor of Law Emeritus at Notre Dame Law School and Director of Natural Law Institute.

Dr. Michael Gorman, professor of philosophy at the Catholic University of America, speaks on “How to Fix Thought on God.” Gorman walks through a logical progression, defining modes and degrees of thought with relevant examples and then applying those terms to the more complex matter of thinking about God. Employing the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas and references to scripture, Gorman compels us to understand the ways that God makes Himself available as an object of cognition for humanity.The annual St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture hosted by the UDallas Philosophy Department honors the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas, celebrated Jan. 28, and continues the UDallas tradition of engaging with the Angelic Doctor’s profound contributions to philosophy and theology.

At the UDallas annual St. Thomas More Conference, Dr. James Hankins, Professor of History at Harvard, presents a paper illuminating St. Thomas More’s understanding of tyranny in the context of Renaissance humanism. Hankins highlights Thomas More’s unique perspective as presenting the most thorough understanding of the characteristics and problems of tyranny, as well as solutions for creating virtuous government.

At a lecture at the University of Dallas, Fr. Michael Ward delves deeply into the world of Narnia through the lens of C.S. Lewis’s medieval literature expertise, defending his thesis that Lewis intended the Narnia books to be a depiction of each of the “seven heavens” of the medieval worldview. Ward winds a captivating path through Lewis’s background influences and each of the seven Narnia Chronicles.

At the John Paul II Conference held at UDallas in October 2025, Dr. Scott Roniger provides the historical background for Pope Leo XIII’s Encyclical, Rerum Novarum and then walks the audience through Leo’s major points. Roniger highlights the important theological and philosophical nuances of the encyclical and closes with thoughts on Pope Leo XIV’s unique challenges and how his namesake’s legacy will guide him.  

Part of a Politics Department conference titled “Willmoore Kendall and the American Political Order,” Dr. Christopher Owen delivered a lecture called “Teacher: Willmoore Kendall’s Vision for American Education,” giving an intimate overview of Kendall’s life and influences. Owen further explained Kendall’s visionary views on education, which have become modern conservative priorities.

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.

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 democra

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.

Doctrinally, the answer is a clear yes. However, historical critical considerations have long weakened confidence in that answer. Dr. Brant 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.

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.

2025 McDermott Lecturer Cynthia Haven is a prominent articulator of the work of René Girard, the French-born American historian, literary critic and philosopher whose work belongs to the tradition of anthropological philosophy. He is best known for his theory of mimetic desire. Haven wrote the award-winning Evolution of Desire: A Life of René Girard in 2018 and edited a Penguin Classics anthology of Girard’s writings, All Desire Is a Desire for Being, which was published earlier this year. She is also the author of 2021’s Czesław Miłosz: A California Life, about the Polish poet.

In this talk, Dale Ahlquist described G.K. 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.#UDallas #Chesterton #gkchesterton #chestertonacademy

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. Discover more insights from the conference here.