The Catholic Intellectual Tradition – an ongoing conversation about faith and reason illuminated by the Gospel – is as old as the Church itself. The word “intellectual” may sound lofty, yet there are many easy-to-understand ways to explore the depths of this 2,000-year conversation. In honor of the start of school and the feast day of one of the most influential Catholic thinkers, here are three accessible ways to mine the treasures of this tradition:
We celebrate St. Augustine, one of the most important figures in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, on Aug. 28. Born in what is now Algeria in 354, St. Augustine’s teachings were the foundation of Christian doctrine for a millennium. He is one of three dozen “Doctors of the Church,” a title for saints recognized as having made a significant contribution to theology or doctrine through their research, study or writing. The story of St. Augustine’s life and his conversion is written in his autobiographical “Confessions.” It is also a compelling philosophical, poetic and literary work. Read it along with commentary from Dr. Paul Thigpen in the free TAN Direction podcast, “The Commentaries: The Confessions of St. Augustine” at www.tandirection.com/podcasts.