The breakdown of the family is one of the chief factors behind the societal decay we experience today. How can we protect the family unit and reverse the breakdown of society? This lecture will examine how rediscovering filial piety can help lead us toward the restoration we need.

Why is children's literature important? In our society where even children are made to question their very identity, it is crucial to have stories that ground them in truth.

"How can we be effective evangelizers?" Find out how baptism and hobbits can shed light on what it means to be a Christian filled with faith, hope, and love, and thus a beacon for communicating the joy of the Christian life to others.

This lecture provides the example of theology professors who conceived of themselves not only as intellectuals, but, more importantly, as Christian teachers. Focusing on the twelfth-century schools of theology, Dr. Berardi shows how theologians of the time followed the tradition of the Church Fathers and were responsible for the moral education of their students.

The world is filled with conflicts, both apparent and real, between personal love and civic duty. Can love be restrained without violating its radical freedom? In this brief talk, Christendom College's Professor Daniel Spiotta will consider how William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream expresses the demands of both love and law, manifests the dangers of neglecting either, and proposes a mutually reinforcing resolution.

Spiotta, who serves as an assistant professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at Christendom, specializes in the works of Shakespeare and Medieval English poetry,

Virtue has never been more maligned and misunderstood than in our age. Between movies that celebrate antiheroes and corporations that “virtue signal” about false values, we must revisit the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas to reclaim a true understanding of virtue and strategies for how we can acquire it in our age. This Principles Live Lecture will be delivered by Dr. Andrew Whitmore, assitant professor of theology at Christendom College. Dr. Whitmore authored the book Saintly Habits: Aquinas’ 7 Simple Strategies You Can Use to Grow in Virtue, recently published by Ascension Press.

This lecture will be given by Dr. Daniel McInerny, a professor of philosophy at Christendom College and faculty moderator of the on-campus drama club, the Christendom Players. Dr. McInerny also teaches an upcoming Principles class on The Philosophy of Art and Beauty and has a book coming out next year from Word on Fire Academic entitled The Way of Beauty. 

When we hear the word “entertainment,” we may think of the frivolous, the mindless, or the downright offensive. But who among us does not enjoy some form of entertainment? And isn’t it interesting that the foremost theologian of the Catholic Church, St. Thomas Aquinas, considered the right enjoyment of entertainment a part of what it means to live the virtuous life? In this brief talk, Dr. Daniel McInerny will explore the nature of entertainment, its right forms and abuses, and the challenges for Christian believers to developing virtuous entertainment in our time.

In this Principles Live Lecture, Christendom professor Dr. Kurt Poterack will help you understand the beautiful theology behind Catholic teaching on sacred music. These days, many people think "sacred music" can be any sort of music played in a religious setting. However, the Catholic Church has a long and rich tradition of carefully delineating just what sacred music means.

This lecture will be given by Dr. Trey Stanford, a professor in the Department of English Literature & Language at Christendom College.

Dr. Stanford's lecture is entitled "'Terrificalest Freezing Magics': The Gift of Tolkien's Letters from Father Christmas" and will be a part of Christendom College's annual day-long Christmas at Christendom event for our President's Council benefactors, many of whom will join us in person. We hope you enjoy a glimpse into this special event!

Why read Jane Austen? She makes us smile and laugh through her beautifully written works of literature, but she also helps orient our imagination, intellect, and will towards virtue.

Dr. Sullivan earned her Ph.D. in English from The Catholic University of America and serves as an assistant professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at Christendom College. She specializes in Jane Austen, 19th century British literature, and Epistolary literature. Join us for a Principles Live Lecture with Christendom College literature professor Dr. Kathleen Sullivan. She will help you see how Jane Austen's writings can aid you in growing in the virtue of humility, in particular, through her examination of the character of Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice.