I am doing some research now and will continue, but does anyone know of some Catholic Colleges that greatly focus on Thomistic or scholastic theology and philosophy in their program of study for a B.A. in philosophy or theology?

Thank you.

Thomas Aquinas College?

What about The Pontifical University of Saint Thomas in Rome?

They are on The Newman guide to Catholic Colleges, and they look pretty inexpensive compared to other traditional Catholic colleges in the U.S.

What type of credence can I give to The Newman guide to Catholic Colleges?

Thomas Aquinas College only offers one degree. It is a damn good education, but in liberal arts (that includes 4 years of theology). Expense is not really an issue. They have a very generous financial aid system (when I was there they capped student debt at 14,000 total for all 4 years...basically, what can you contribute, 2500-4000 in subsidized loans [2500 for first 2 years, 4000 the last 2], work study and then a tuition grant for the remainder). Work study can be substituted for by an outside job that allows you to contribute an equivalent amount. Only thing is you have to be a full time student, you have to take classes 5 days a week, and unless you are married, have an outside job, or some other extenuating circumstance that requires you to live off campus, you have to live on campus...of course daily Tridentine Mass and Latin Novus Ordo, and meals makes for little necessary commute...). The entire goal of the school is a liberal education, with the primary (not sole) motive being Thomistic studies.

The Dominican School of Phil and Theology no longer offers a BA or I would recommend that.

The Angelicum, aka Pontifical University of St. Thomas, might not be the place for a bachelor, at least not in theology. I say that because unless you plan on teaching in a seminary or Pontifical university it is not worth it. An S.T.B (a bachelor in sacred theology) is not an easy degree. Having receive a MASTERS in theology, it would take me 1.5-2 years to upgrade that to an STB. Philosophy has been more equivalent, but that has changed now due to newer and tougher rules for ecclesiastical degrees.

Almost any Jesuit University has such a discipline. You can take whatever courses you wish to take, but you WILL take Philosophy at any Jesuit school. If you chose to take a "Thomistic" course of study, any of them can more than satisfy that goal. in fact, they are extremely rigorous in their study of Philosophy, they truly believe in making their students learn to THINK.

Unfortunately, that is not true anymore. Hostility to Catholicism is common at Jesuit schools. They are not good places to study philosophy or theology, and you absolutely cannot receive a formation in traditional Catholic philosophy at any Jesuit school in the US. In that respect, they are not unusual, since there's virtually no place in the country where you can. But the two St. Thomases (MN and TX) strike me as among the most likely.

And it is also false to state that "you will take Philosophy" at any Jesuit school. Most students at Jesuit schools take no philosophy, or only that little that exists in core requirements and is often worse than what one gets at a state school. The Jesuit School of Theology (formely known as the JSTB--it is where the seminarians go in the West) doesn't even offer any philosophy courses. The only school in the GTU that does is the Dominican school.

Is there any place to receive specifically a B.A. in (primary focus-Thomistic) philosophy and/or theology-I am looking for a professor as faithful to St. Thomas's teachings as Fr. Lagrange...any ideas?

Mr. Gherkin, can you clarify this above thought for me...Plus, the exact name of those schools...

Since you mention Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, I'd actually suggest looking at Ave Maria. I am not a big fan of the philosophy department there, but Steven Long teaches in the theology department, and he is an excellent Thomist with leanings in Fr. GL's direction. Might be a good place to look into.

ETA: It's been awhile since I looked at AMU's philosophy department. It seems to change personnel quite often, which is a bad sign. But if it has found some stability finally, then I think its current chairman is likely to lead to good things for them. Michael Pakaluk is a very solid scholar, and I think he's likely to know how to build a solid department over time. I don't think he's particularly Thomistic in inclination, but I could definitely be wrong about that. At any rate, he is, I believe, a faithful Catholic and an excellent philosopher.

If you can get into Notre Dame, it's a great place to study, too. Stick with people like Freddoso and O'Callaghan and Flint, and you'll do fine.



The two St. Thomases are the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN http://www.stthomas.edu/

and the University of St. Thomas in Houston http://www.stthom.edu/Public/index.asp?page_ID=4767

I don't know much of anything about these schools as a whole, but I think the philosophy department at the Minnesota school is really outstanding. The department at the Houston school is less appealing to me, but still has some good people.

anti-texasist

Thanks Gherkin and PED; hope you don't mind me checking in here from time to time to get some more input...so stay tuned

Notre Dame? Well, you know the average practicing Catholic would be surprised with this suggestion. But, perhaps the average practicing Catholic does not know the ins and outs pertaining to the theology and philosophy departments there as you do. They only have heard reprehensible things coming out of that school.

Can you expound on your suggestion and "how" a Catholic can get a solid philisophical and theological formation there? Is it that he must be very prudent on which professors he chooses, etc.?

Notre Dame takes its Catholicism far more seriously than most "Catholic" colleges and universities in this country. That may be faint praise, but it is worth bearing in mind. Their terrible deviations are all the more worse given their standing as the premier Catholic university in the US. But those deviations don't erase the good things about that school.


It's easy. Stick to the professors known to be good.

If you get into ND, just go talk to Prof. Cavadini in the theology department and ask him for help. Tell him you only want to study with orthodox professors (of which he is one). Profs. O'Callaghan and Flint can help you in the philo dept. They understand the predicament.