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Studying Aquinas in an Aquinas-like Manner

talks
academic

Date & Time

Thu, 29 Jan 2026

17:00 - 18:30

Venue

Blackfriars Hall

St Giles, Oxford

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On Blackfriars Hall

Why you should come

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• Hear Dr. Liam McDonnell critique modern narrow interpretations of Aquinas's theology

• Explore the salvation of those in involuntary ignorance as a case for holistic research

• Learn how the medieval 'summa' genre integrated diverse theological themes

About this event

This lecture, delivered by Dr. Liam McDonnell, explores the methodology of studying Thomas Aquinas. Beginning in the twelfth century, scholastic theologians wrote in the 'summa' genre to provide a unified account of all theology. This holistic exposition allowed for the integration of mutually dependent connections between different theological areas. Thomas Aquinas followed this tradition in his major works like the Summa Theologiae, which were written with an ambitious, panoramic scope. The t...

Event Highlights

  • Exploration of the medieval 'summa' genre as a holistic theological tool
  • Critique of modern scholarship's narrow focus on isolated aspects of Aquinas's thought
  • Case study on the salvation of those in involuntary ignorance of the Gospel
  • Analysis of the interplay between divine justice, love, grace, and free will

Speaker

Dr. Liam McDonnell

Junior Research Fellow at Blackfriars Hall, Oxford

Dr. Liam McDonnell completed his DPhil in Theology at Blackfriars as a Scovil scholarship holder. His research focuses on the history of medieval theology, specifically the salvation of those ignorant of the Gospel. He is an associate staff member at the Maryvale Institute.

Programme

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

On Studying Aquinas in an Aquinas-like Manner

A lecture by Liam McDonnell on retrieving holistic research methods in Thomistic studies.

What to bring / Requirements

  • Open to all
  • No registration required

Organized by: Aquinas Institute

Contact: aquinas@bfriars.ox.ac.uk

Additional details loaded from organizer's website
Source:Blackfriars Hall
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