AN INTERVIEW WITH FATHER THOMAS JOSEPH WHITE , O . P .
Fr . Thomas Joseph White , O . P ., is one of the principal organizers of the Thomistic Institute , which brings accessible presentations of Catholic theology and philosophy to over thirty college campuses , including Harvard , Yale , Brown , Columbia , Johns Hopkins , and the US Naval Academy . Fr . White ’ s latest book , The Light of Christ : An Introduction to Catholicism was published in August by Catholic University of America Press .
Why did you open The Light of Christ with a chapter on faith and reason ?
One of the questions that haunts people today is whether there is an absolute religious authority — or any authority whatsoever — worth putting their trust in . Is it reasonable to try to believe what another tells you ? What is entailed with that act of trust ? Catholics believe that grace is present in the giving of divine revelation and in the act of supernatural trust , faith , and hope when we assent to that revelation . But grace still builds on something very human in us , which is the capacity to believe what another says and to be taught by another .
What ’ s behind the current renaissance of Thomistic thought ?
Millennials are often looking for tradition , stability , and identity more than creativity , engagement , and the mentality of freeform theology . They have all the freedom they could
Father Thomas Joseph White , O . P . Photo by George Goss
want , but not much grounds our culture in something stable and solid . Aquinas is reemerging as someone who transmits the tradition with elegance and depth and who provides a deep understanding of the structure of reality . These are things a lot of young people feel they lack and rightfully need .
What is the impact of the Dominicans in this climate ?
In Washington DC , where we have more than sixty Dominicans in formation , they are having a massive effect on the local Church . This is because of their absolute commitment , but also because of their understanding of the faith and their capacity to communicate it with clarity and joy — an extremely effective witness to the faith and life of the Church . Many people in Washington are either converting or deepening their faith because of the work of the young Dominican student brothers there .
To learn more about the Thomistic Institute , visit thomisticinstitute . org .
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