Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Aquinas Institute Announces Two Online Programs: Liberal Arts and Graduate Theology

Many readers of NLM will have heard of the Aquinas Institute owing to its blue hardcover Opera Omnia series of bilingual editions of the works of St. Thomas, the most recent addition to which is a two-volume set of his Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics.


The Aquinas Institute has announced the launch of Online Discussion Classes, at two levels:

• A Graduate Theology Curriculum, consisting of 12 integrated courses towards an MA in theology. Courses may be taken 1, 2, or 3 at a time. Anyone seeking a serious engagement with the greatest sources of theology should check out this program, as nothing else quite like it exists in the USA. Graduate courses begin the week of September 14th:

- The Book of Job, Dr. Nathan Schmiedecke (Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary)
- Existence and Attributes of God, Dr. John Mortensen (Aquinas Institute)
- Church Fathers I, Dr. Michael Foley (Baylor University)


• An undergraduate Liberal Arts Core Curriculum consisting of 12 courses in humanities, philosophy, and theology, to be taken 3 at a time. This program is for students ready to do college-level work, students already enrolled in state universities looking for a way to fulfill general education requirements, and people of any age group and background who want to fill in gaps in their own education. The courses are accredited by collaboration with Wyoming Catholic College. Undergraduate courses begin the week of September 21st:

- Gods & Heroes in Ancient Greece, Dr. Jason Baxter (Wyoming Catholic College)
- Tools of Philosophy, Jacob Terneus (Marquette University)
- Salvation History I, Dr. Vincent DeMeo (International Theological Institute)


Both programs are built on two principles:

(1) Primary Sources: we read, e.g., works by Plato and Aristotle for philosophy, Augustine and Aquinas for theology, Dante and Shakespeare for humanities -- not textbooks or random bits and pieces;

(2) Discussion: the classes take the form of interactive conversations guided by Catholic teachers passionate about their subjects.

The cost is comparable to similar online programs, and scholarships are available.

Read more at the Aquinas Institute website.


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