New Books Network podcast interview on “Never Doubt Thomas: The Catholic Aquinas as Evangelical and Protestant” (Baylor UP, 2019) |

August 7, 2020 By Francis J. Beckwith

I’m happy to report that Hope Leman’s interview of me at New Books Network is now accessible online. The topic of the interview is my latest book, Never Doubt Thomas: The Catholic Aquinas as Evangelical and Protestant, published by Baylor University Press. Here’s how she introduces the interview: Should you care how Protestant theologians and philosophers view a man generally regarded as of interest primarily to Catholics and as a pillar of Catholic thinking? Absolutely. Why? Because much of what... Read more

License to Kill – Bob Dylan on David Letterman in 1984

August 5, 2020 By Francis J. Beckwith

Lyrics follow Man thinks ’cause he rules the earth he can do with it as he please And if things don’t change soon, he will Oh, man has invented his doom First step was touching the moon Now, there’s a woman on my block She just sit there as the night grows still She say who gonna take away his license to kill? Now, they take him and they teach him and they groom him for life And they set... Read more

New Article: “Moral Status and the Architects of Principlism” (The Journal of Medicine & Philosophy)

July 30, 2020 By Francis J. Beckwith

I am happy to report that I was informed by Oxford University Press that an article I authored with University of South Alabama philosopher, Allison Krile Thornton, has just been published in The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy. Entitled “Moral Status and the Architects of Principlism,” it appears in a special issue commenting the 40th anniversary of the publication of the first edition of Tom Beachamp and James Childress’ Principles of Biomedical Ethics. Here is the article’s abstract: In this article, we discuss Beauchamp... Read more

Too Good to Pass Up: Black Intellectual Roundtable Podcast

July 29, 2020 By Francis J. Beckwith

I came across this wonderful podcast hosted by Bret Weinstein, a biologist and evolutionary theorist who gained notoriety during the 2017 crisis at Evergreen State University. In this podcast, Dr. Weinstein leads a discussion with an impressive collection of Black public intellectuals, some of whom I have admired for years and some of whom I had never heard of but whose works I look forward to exploring in the future. If you are like me, you will likely find yourself... Read more

The Desecration of Catholic Churches Across the U.S. – Wall Street Journal

July 23, 2020 By Francis J. Beckwith

Catholics are no strangers to the desecration and destruction of their houses of worship, though it has dramatically dissipated since the heyday of the Ku Klux Klan decades ago. Sadly, within recent weeks, Catholic Churches have become targets of vandals. As Francis X. Rocca reports in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal: Parishioners and clergy were shocked and grieving following a spate of vandalism at Catholic churches in various U.S. cities in recent weeks. Catholic institutions from Boston to Florida reported more... Read more

Inclusivity, religious conviction, and gratitude: on the expectations of non-Christian students at a Christian college, and being a Catholic prof at a Protestant/Baptist school

July 19, 2020 By Francis J. Beckwith

Baylor University, the institution that has employed me since 2003 and at which I am honored to serve, is a Christian university. According to its website, Baylor was “chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas and affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.” It “is both the state’s oldest institution of higher learning and the world’s largest Baptist university.” Although a vast majority of our students identify as Christians, with Baptists being the largest denomination represented, some of our... Read more

Dr. David Anders on relics and intercession of the saints

July 18, 2020 By Francis J. Beckwith

(HT: Called to Communion) On Marcus Grodi’s radio program, Deep in Scripture, Dr. David Anders offers a biblical and historical account of the theology of relics and the intercession of the saints. Listen here at Called to Communion. Read more

Important Thread on Free Speech and Cancel Culture by Oxford Politics Professor, Teresa M. Bejan

July 17, 2020 By Francis J. Beckwith

In a previous post, I opined a bit about cancel culture. However, I highly recommend the Twitter thread posted yesterday by Oxford Politics Professor, Teresa M. Bejan. She makes the case, in line with John Stuart Mill, that social constraints on speech and expression are often more deleterious to free thought and inquiry than legal constraints. Even if you find yourself disagreeing with Professor Bejan, you’ll be better off having read it. Here is how it begins: 1/ It’s also worth... Read more

Cancel Culture Is Not a New Thing

July 13, 2020 By Francis J. Beckwith

There’s been a lot of talk recently about “cancel culture” and it’s deleterious effect upon our freedom of speech. On July 7 Harper‘s published an open letter signed by over 150 noted writers and public intellectuals that claimed that “the free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted.” Rebuttals ensued, including one noted by the New York Times, which included its own list of signatories. What exactly is cancel culture? It depends who... Read more

Song of the Day: “Save the Country” by Laura Nyro

July 9, 2020 By Francis J. Beckwith

I grew up on this kind of music. Seems like we need it now more than ever. (Lyrics below). By the way, for those who don’t know about Laura Nyro, you can read about her here. One of the great talents to come out of the burgeoning singer/songwriter movement of the 1960s, she died much too young. Come on, people, come on, children Come on down to the glory river Gonna wash you up and wash you down Gonna lay... Read more