“Doting Thomists: Evangelicals, Thomas Aquinas, and Justification”

Last updated on: November 22, 2020 at 3:51 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

That’s the title of my most recent article published in the The Evangelical Quarterly 85.3 (July 2013): 211-227. Here’s the abstract: Over the past several decades, some Evangelical philosophers and theologians have embraced the metaphysics, epistemology, and natural law theory of Thomas Aquinas (1225-74), despite that fact that historically some of the leading lights in Evangelicalism have rejected Aquinas’s views because they believed these views are inconsistent with classical Reformation teaching. Some of these Evangelical Thomists have argued that on the... Read more

The Rights of Error and the Death of Tolerance

Last updated on: November 22, 2020 at 3:51 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

That’s the title of my latest installment over at The Catholic Thing. Here’s how it begins: Well, George Lewis told the Englishman, the Italian and the Jew “You can’t open your mind, boys To every conceivable point of view” – Bob Dylan, “High Water (For Charley Patton),” 2001 Many years ago I was a guest on a national radio show to discuss one of my books. I forget which one, but I vividly remember an encounter I had with a listener who called... Read more

Riley Beckwith’s Valedictorian Address

Last updated on: November 22, 2020 at 3:51 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

My niece, Riley Jane Beckwith, as I have already noted, was named a National Merit Finalist, earned a full ride to the University of Dallas (beginning in Fall 2013), and is the 2013 Dayton High School valedictorian. What follows is the text of her valedictorian address, which she delivered in Dayton, Nevada on May 30, 2013: 2013 Dayton High School Valedictorian Address by Riley J. Beckwith The title of valedictorian demands that I give some sort of wisdom to the... Read more

My niece, Riley Beckwith, named National Merit Finalist, receives full ride to U. of Dallas, and is Dayton High School valedictorian.

Last updated on: November 22, 2020 at 3:51 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

I’m very proud of my niece, Riley Beckwith, who graduates tomorrow from Dayton High School (Nevada) as its valedictorian. Here’s an article about her from this morning’s Reno Gazette-Journal: Dayton High School senior Riley Beckwith has been named a National Merit Finalist Scholarship recipient, the most prestigious and highly competitive award given through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Beckwith, the Dayton High Class of 2013 Valedictorian, has also accepted the school-sponsored National Merit Finalist Scholarship offered by the University of... Read more

Imagine No Opposition; It’s Easy If You Try

Last updated on: November 22, 2020 at 3:51 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

That’s the title of my latest entry over at The Catholic Thing. Here’s how it begins: Imagine there’s no countries It isn’t hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people living life in peace –John Lennon, “Imagine” (1971) The late John Lennon implied in this famous tune that utopia requires the absence of real human differences and firm convictions, as if the communities, beliefs, and civil societies that arise from a... Read more

Last updated on: June 7, 2023 at 2:30 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

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“Baylor University Scholar Francis Beckwith Will Speak at Vatican Educational Conference”

Last updated on: November 22, 2020 at 3:51 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

From Baylor media communications: WACO, Texas (April 22, 2013) — Francis J. Beckwith, Ph.D., a professor of philosophy at Baylor University and Resident Scholar in Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion, will travel to Rome in mid-June to speak at The Celebration of Evangelium Vitae: Faithful to Life conference, sponsored by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization. Beckwith is one of three speakers invited to speak at the event, to be held June 15-16. >>>Continue reading For more... Read more

Me v. Obama Shooting the Basketball? No Contest, Really.

Last updated on: February 6, 2021 at 8:12 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

The President, on Easter Sunday at the White House: Me, two weeks ago in my backyard sports court. (My wife, Frankie, is making commentary) We’re roughly the same age. He was born in 1961, and I was born in 1960. He played high school basketball, and so did I. Clearly, even then, I had better legs: Read more

The day I met Edith Schaeffer (1914-2013), and the note she penned to me.

Last updated on: November 22, 2020 at 3:51 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

On March 30, 2013, Edith Schaeffer died at the age of 98. Born on November 3, 1914, she was the widow of Francis A. Schaeffer. (November 3 is my birthday as well). In my book, Return to Rome: Confession of An Evangelical Catholic (Brazos Press, 2009), I tell of my encounter with Mrs. Schaeffer at a bookstore in New York City on April 29, 1986, when I was 25 years old: During my second year in New York City I had the... Read more

What does "Immanuel" mean?