Christendom College Lectures

Can a Catholic accept evolution? And if the human person is a unity of body and soul, how do we make sense of our biological origins? In this lecture, given as part of Christendom College's Collegiate Lecture Series, biologist Dr. Daniel Kuebler takes up those questions. He looks at how current scientific understanding of human evolution can be reconciled with Catholic teaching, and he shows that faith and reason, rightly understood, have nothing to fear from each other.

Dr. Kuebler is a professor of biology at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He teaches evolution, cell physiology, and science-and-faith courses, and his research focuses on adult stem cells. He wrote Darwin and Dogma: The Compatibility of Evolution and Catholicism (Word on Fire Press, 2025) and co-authored The Evolution Controversy: A Survey of Competing Theories. He is vice president of the Society of Catholic Scientists, sits on the board of the Spitzer-Magis Center, and hosts the Purposeful Lab podcast.

Recorded September 21, 2026, in Old Chapel Hall at Christendom College, Front Royal, Virginia.

Christendom College’s Political Science Department hosted an engaging panel discussion on Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical on artificial intelligence, Magnifica Humanitas. Featuring college faculty members Dr. Nicolas McAfee, Dr. Eric Jenislawski, and Dr. James Bergida, along with guest panelists Dr. James Van Dyke of the University of Virginia and Michael Marinaccio of the Center for Responsible Technology, each speaker examined a different aspect of Pope Leo’s new work and its implications for artificial intelligence, technology, and the human person.

Christendom College welcomed St. Thomas Aquinas expert Dr. Steven Baldner to campus for the latest event in its Collegiate Lecture Series. Baldner, a professor at St. Francis Xavier University, presented the college’s annual St. Thomas Aquinas lecture as part of the series, speaking on “Aquinas and Descartes on Creation.”

Dr. Timothy O’Donnell reflects on the significance of the Incarnation, exploring the world’s longing for a Messiah, the fulfillment of prophecy, and Mary’s unique role as the Mother of God. He discusses the expectations of the Messiah, the fulfillment of prophecies, and the cultural readiness for Christ's arrival. He also highlights Our Lady of Guadalupe, explaining how her appearance brought Christ to the Mexican people during a time of darkness. Dr. O’Donnell concludes by inviting believers to rediscover the Incarnation’s meaning in their own lives, especially during Advent.

Fr. Gregory Pine highlights the importance of the incarnation, showcasing God's generosity and the need to recognize His work in our lives. Fr. Pine encourages all to a deeper understanding of how God's love and grace are evident in our experiences, urging a response of gratitude and acknowledgment of His presence in our lives.

In the lecture, Christendom College Philosophy Professor Dr. John Cuddeback examines St. Joseph's life, highlighting the importance of fatherhood, marriage, and hiddenness. The saint's unwavering righteousness and chastity serve as lessons in integrity and mercy. The lecture explores the deeper meaning of marital love and the challenges of living virtuously in a society that values external validation. It encourages a genuine understanding of chastity and love in relationships, reflecting on the virtues of St. Joseph and their relevance today.

Christendom College welcomed Dr. Clint Brand, Associate Professor of English at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, for the latest installment of its Collegiate Lecture Series. In his talk, “Anglican Patrimony in Catholic Communion: Problem, Gift, Challenge, Mission,” Dr. Brand explored the spiritual and literary richness of the Anglican tradition within the Catholic Church. Known for his scholarship on Shakespeare, Newman, and T. S. Eliot, as well as his work on the Vatican’s Anglicanae Traditiones commission, Dr. Brand brought deep insight into the intersections of faith, language, and culture. 

In the wake of an election, we regularly discuss whether the victorious candidate and party won a “mandate” and what that mandate entails. This lecture considers the relationship between the Constitution and the way we talk about electoral mandates. Dr. German is an assistant professor in the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Previously, he was an assistant professor in the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership (SCETL) at Arizona State University.

Christendom’s Department of History welcomed professor and author Nadya Williams on September 10, 2025. Williams presented a talk based on her recently published book Mothers, Children, and the Body Politic. Williams, who holds her Ph.D. in Classics from Princeton University, is a mother, writer, and editor based in Ashland, Ohio, where she is interim director of the MFA in Creative Writing at Ashland University and books editor at Mere Orthodoxy, where she also hosts the Christians Reading Classics podcast.