How does J.R.R. Tolkien's Catholic faith infuse his tales with sacramental wonder and redemptive hope?

Today, Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Ben Reinhard, professor of English at Franciscan University of Steubenville and author of The High Hallow: Tolkien's Liturgical Imagination, to uncover the liturgical foundations of The Lord of the Rings. During their conversation, they also discuss the fairy-story mindset as a gateway to an enchanted, Eucharistic worldview, the hobbits' Magnificat-like humility, and the dangers of false liturgies like the palantíri that tempt us toward idolatrous control.Resources: Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)https://www.avemaria.edu/annunciation-circle/Ave Maria University website: https://www.avemaria.edu/Dr. Ben Reinhard's faculty page at Franciscan University of Steubenville, which includes details about his work and publications:https://shss.franciscan.edu/faculty/reinhard-dr-ben/Dr. Ben Reinhard’s book, The High Hallow: Tolkien's Liturgical Imagination, published by Emmaus Road Publishing:https://stpaulcenter.com/store/the-high-hallow-tolkiens-liturgical-imagination▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

Have you ever wondered why Christmas carols move us so deeply?

In this special Christmas episode of The Catholic Theology Show, Host Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Daniel Lendman (Dean of Students and Theologian at Ave Maria University) to explore the profound theology hidden in our favorite Christmas hymns.From the soul-stirring power of “O Holy Night” to the triumphant joy of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” the quiet longing of “In the Bleak Midwinter,” and the timeless beauty of “O Come, All Ye Faithful” and “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” they unpack how these beloved songs proclaim the Incarnation, reveal our true dignity, and connect us to centuries of Catholic tradition.Chapters:00:00 – Intro & Welcome 02:15 – O Holy Night and the worth of the soul 12:40 – The divine night and ancient antiphons 20:30 – Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 35:10 – In the Bleak Midwinter & the world without Christmas 45:20 – O Come, All Ye Faithful (with Latin!) 55:00 – Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming & Mary’s role

How can C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity illuminate the truth of the Catholic faith for seekers and believers alike? Dr. Michael Dauphinais sits down with Dr. Andrew Swafford, professor of theology at Benedictine College and author of Lunatic, Liar, or Lord: Unveiling the Truth of Catholicism in C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, to explore apologetics rooted in Lewis's trilemma on Jesus' divinity and his overall approach to showing that it is reasonable to believe in the Christian faith. During their conversation, they also discuss the philosophical case for God's existence, human uniqueness, Jesus' resurrection, and much more.

Resources:  

• Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) 

• Ave Maria University website 

• Dr. Andrew Swafford’s faculty profile at Benedictine College

• The Swaffords’ personal website, which includes details about Dr. Andrew Swafford's speaking engagements and resources on theology, marriage, and family

• Check out Dr. Andrew Swafford’s new book, Lunatic, Liar, or Lord: Unveiling the Truth of Catholicism with C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity, published by Ave Maria Press

How can Catholics address the ethical dilemmas in modern medicine and public health policy?

Dr. Michael Dauphinais hosts Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, a Catholic psychiatrist and former professor, to discuss his experiences challenging unethical medical mandates and his new book, Making the Cut: How to Heal Modern Medicine. They exploreKheriaty’s legal battles against university vaccine mandates, his advocacy for informed consent, and the broader issue of government censorship in public health.

Resources:   Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community)

Ave Maria University website

Dr. Aaron Kheriaty’s personal website, which includes details about his biography, books, articles, and public speaking engagements.

Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC), where Dr. Aaron Kheriaty serves as Director of the Bioethics, Technology, and Human Flourishing Program.

Discover Dr. Aaron Kheriaty on Amazon,including his book, Making the Cut: How to Heal ModernMedicine

In this special live episode of The Catholic Theology Show,

Host Dr. Michael Dauphinais welcomes guests Kara Johnson, John Mortensen, and Beth Mortensen before a student audience at Ave Maria University to discuss integrating the intellectual life with family life. 

Drawing heavily from A.G. Sertillanges’s classic 1920 work, 

The Intellectual Life, the panel shares personal experiences and practical wisdom. Kara Johnson, a theology professor and mother of a young son, describes how family suffering and joy have deepened her theological work. John and Beth Mortensen, parents of nine who both hold doctorates in theology, recount finishing dissertations amid pregnancies and bed rest, job instability that pushed John back into software development, and discovering that married life is a “preschool for the perfection of charity.” 

The conversation explores how children “bring you back to the real,” why love (of God, truth, spouse, and children) is the true unifying principle of life, and how the intellectual life is not reserved for academics but can be explored in the home. 

By giving their personal testimonies of how they live out the intellectual life in their own homes, they prove that living out the intellectual life is achievable for everyone. 

Resources:

Relevant Websites and resources:  The Aquinas Institute (organization John Mortensen serves as President, focused on publishing St. Thomas Aquinas's works in Latin-English editions): https://www.aquinasinstitute.org/ 

Understanding St. Thomas on Analogy (John Mortensen's doctoral dissertation in philosophy, winner of the 2009 Prize of the Pontifical Academies): https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Thomas-Analogy-John-Mortensen/dp/1449977677  

Prayer in the Family (co-authored with Beth Mortensen, under pen names John and Beth Viatori; a guide to family spirituality): Available via Catholic Truth Society or search on https://www.amazon.com (ISBN: 9780852312435) 

How can Catholics understand the sacraments through Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologica?

Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Dr. Roger Nutt, Provost and Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University, to explore Aquinas’s treatment of the sacraments in the third part of the Summa.

They discuss how the sacraments, as efficacious signs instituted by Christ, extend His redemptive work by addressing both the guilt and disorder of sin, drawing believers into deeper intimacy with God through grace.

Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community):

https://www.avemaria.edu/annunciation-circle/

Ave Maria University website: https://www.avemaria.edu/

Dr. Roger Nutt’s faculty profile at Ave Maria University:

https://www.avemaria.edu/faculty-and-staff/roger-nutt-s-t-l-s-t-d

General Principles of Sacramental Theology by Dr. Roger Nutt, published by Catholic University of America Press:

https://www.cuapress.org/9780813229386/general-principles-of-sacramental-theology/

The Sacraments w/Dr. Roger Nutt | Ep. 56

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ysMkOp2ksgelbHgNrlFET?si=9XvTh6bbSC2KwCJkF5FH-A

The Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI w/ Dr. Roger Nutt | Ep. 15

https://open.spotify.com/episode/46oP4ofRybS9wyvFQNy1sK?si=8-JrXeAnSG2hzxAaaw_lGQ

▶ Help support Ave Maria University and this podcast by joining the Annunciation Circle: https://hubs.li/Q03312J80▶ Learn more about Ave Maria University: https://hubs.li/Q032PhpS0▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ FIND ANSWERS ON SOCIAL:▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE: https://youtube.com/@AveMariaUniversityFL▶ WEBSITE: https://www.avemaria.edu▶ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/avemariauniv/▶ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/avemariauniv/Ave Maria University is committed to providing a liberal arts curriculum based on Catholic principles and thought. We strive to enlighten students intellectually and spiritually, to prepare them for a life well lived.

How can Catholics deepen their understanding of Jesus Christ through Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae?

Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Father Guy Mansini, a Benedictine priest and the Max Seckler Professor of Catholic Theology at Ave Maria University, to explore the Christology of the Summa’s third part. They discuss how Aquinas presents Christ as true God and true man, situating His identity and work within the framework of God’s creation and human redemption.

Fr. Guy Mansini’s faculty profile at Ave Maria University:

https://www.avemaria.edu/faculty-and-staff/fr-guy-mansini-s-t-d

The Moral Life in the Summa Theologiae w/ Fr. Romanus Cessario | The Summa for Beginners Pt.3: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Fvg7ZnxpUoaFqLXQOtPRS?si=s5pLuCdXQuKo1q-lW_bB9Q

The Development of Doctrine in Catholic Theology w/Fr. Guy Mansini | Ep.113: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Fvg7ZnxpUoaFqLXQOtPRS?si=nJ7m2M_9QXSP9bC2rSPtlA

What is Fundamental Theology? w/Fr. Guy Mansini | Ep. 54: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3nnBF8d1VkQbUpDmat13LE?si=pbWuiH2zSLSmuX-fYT3kqQ

Why Should We Care About Ecclesiology? w/Fr. Guy Mansini | Ep. 13: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7II8REa2TCjrmJjidDec2Y?si=K1rVMk_ASeu20YU21fByXw

How can Catholics understand the moral life within the framework of Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae? Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Fr. Romanus Cessario, a Dominican priest and the Adam Cardinal Maida Professor of Catholic Theology at Ave Maria University, to explore the moral theology presented in the second part of the Summa. They discuss how Aquinas situates moral theology between God’s creation and Christ’s redemption, emphasizing the pursuit of beatitude, the role of natural law as an imprint of divine providence, and the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity. Fr. Romanus Cessario’s faculty profile at Ave Maria University:https://www.avemaria.edu/faculty-and-staff/fr-romanus-cessario-s-t-dExploring God and Creation in the Summa Theologiae w/ Dr. Daniel Lendman | The Summa for Beginners Pt. 2:https://open.spotify.com/episode/2vsITzmSp9MXQcUC6sRail?si=-BF5BMtOR0yqpf5OC4gNUg&nd=1&dlsi=7410abd9cdc24c1aA Foretaste of Future Glory w/ Fr. Romanus Cessario | Ep. 63:https://open.spotify.com/episode/2vsITzmSp9MXQcUC6sRail?si=-BF5BMtOR0yqpf5OC4gNUg&nd=1&dlsi=05d8428a7d154abcWhat is Truth? w/ Fr. Romanus Cessario | Ep. 18:https://open.spotify.com/episode/4HEV7O8aEuvTbJVHwSCt1N?si=wL0KuBzNROm1_gKpJXbhyA&nd=1&dlsi=610c05c8031543a1

How can Catholics deepen their understanding of God and His creation through the lens of Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae? In this episode, Dr. Michael Dauphinais is joined by Dr. Daniel Lendman, a professor of theology and dean of students at Ave Maria University, to discuss the first part of the Summa Theologiae. They explore Aquinas’s approach to God’s existence, divine simplicity, providence, predestination, and the Trinity, emphasizing how these teachings reveal God as the creator who lovingly draws all creation to Himself. Dr. Daniel Lendman’s faculty profile at Ave Maria University:https://www.avemaria.edu/faculty-and-staff/daniel-lendman-ph-dDr. Daniel Lendman on The Sacra Doctrina Project website, which details his publications:https://www.sacradoctrinaproject.org/daniellendmanPrevious Episodes with Dr. Lendman:How to Read Romans as a Catholic with Dr. Daniel Lendman | Ep. 70https://youtu.be/e5H-N08mjeA

How can Catholics approach the study of theology through the lens of Saint Thomas Aquinas?

Dr. Michael Dauphinais engages with Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P., a Dominican priest and professor of theology at the Dominican House of Studies, to explore the significance of Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae. Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P. also shares insights from his book, The Summa Illuminated, which aims to make Aquinas’s complex work accessible by highlighting its comprehensive and contemplative approach to theology. 

Resources:  

• Annunciation Circle (Ave Maria University Monthly Giving Community) 

• Ave Maria University website 

• Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P.’s profile at the Dominican House of Studies 

• The Summa Illuminated, by Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P. published by Ave Maria Press and available for preorder 

• Fr Cajetan Cuddy, O.P.’s book, Catholic Theology: An Introduction, published by ECT Press 

• The Importance of Studying Theology Daily w/ Fr. Cajetan Cuddy, O.P. | Ep. 26