
- This event has passed.
Seminar, “Person, Nature, and Human Flourishing”
January 27, 2020 @ 7:00 pm–8:00 pm
An event every week that begins at 7:00 pm on Monday, repeating until April 6, 2020

“You first loved us so that we might love You – not because You needed Our love, but because we could not be what You created us to be, except by loving You.” — William of Saint Thierry
About This Seminar
What is a human person? Do we have a common human nature? Are there principles of life common to all members of the human race? How do we interact with each other, with society, and the world? What does it mean to “flourish” – and can that really happen in today’s culture?
In ten one-hour weekly evening sessions, using Aristotle, Aquinas, Sacred Scripture, and other texts of the Church, Sister Mary Diana Dreger, O.P., M.D. will explore these questions and more using a Christian view of the human person, family, society, culture, and the world.
Readings will be posted prior to each session. Please RSVP below to reserve your seat and to receive notifications about this seminar when new information is available. The seminar is free to the public.
Sessions will be held on the 2nd floor of the Aquinas Main building, accessible by stairs, room to be determined based on group size.
Sound Recordings
Optional Reading
- January 27 – “A Christian View of Humanity: Introduction and Overview”
For the first session of Person, Nature, & Human Flourishing, you might want to read and/or view these materials. Consider what is happiness, what is flourishing, and whether these concepts are universal or dependent on faith.
PDF – From CCC 01 27 2020 Introduction
PDF – From CSD 01 27 2020 Introduction
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-ethics/
https://www.dominicanajournal.org/rules-for-the-game/
http://www.newadvent.org/summa/2002.htm
http://www.newadvent.org/summa/2003.htm
- February 3 – “The Human Person”
PDF – From CCC 02 03 2020 Human Person
PDF – From CSD 02 03 2020 Human Person
This short video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxM9BZeRrUI identifies and explains several current “theories of personhood.” You might guess (correctly) that none of these are particularly Christian.
www.dominicanajournal.org/being-human/
- February 10 – “Human Nature”
PDF – From CCC 02 10 2020 Human Nature
PDF – From CSD 02 10 2020 Human Nature
http://opcentral.org/a-companion-to-the-summa-volume-i/ Once you get to this link, scroll down to “Mankind” (#13), and then scroll down to “Conclusion” — for the most important piece. You are certainly welcome to read all of this!
https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2010/11/real-social-justice This article might give you different ways of thinking about “society” — and so what the “social nature of man” might mean.
- February 17 – “Created in Imago Dei”
PDF – From CCC 02 17 2020 Imago Dei
PDF – From CSD 02 17 2020 Imago Dei
Article – “The Honor of Seeking God: St. Thomas and Human Dignity” (Dominicana Journal)
Article – “More Than in God’s Image” (First Things)
- February 24 – “For Truth and Love”
Attached are our usual excerpts form the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. In addition there is an excerpt from an encyclical by Pope John Paul II on “Faith and Reason,” as well as some excerpts from a book by Neil Postman entitled Amusing Ourselves To Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business.
PDF – Excerpts from Neil Postman Amusing Ourselves to Death
PDF – From CCC 02 24 2020 For Truth and Love
PDF – From CSD 02 24 2020 For Truth and Love
PDF – From Fides et Ratio chapter 3 by Saint Pope John Paul II — an excerpt is found in the PDF and the whole document can be found here.
PDF – From Caritas in Veritate introduction by Pope Benedict XVI, full text here.
On detraction and calumny: Click here
You might also enjoy Pope John Paul’s preliminary encyclical on truth, Veritatis Splendor (On the Splendor of Truth) found here, with its 199 uses of the word “truth.”
- March 2 – “Law, Justice, and Mercy”
Article – “Divine Mercy vs. Justice” (Dominicana Journal)
St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae Prima Pars, Q. 21
PDF – CCC 03 02 2020 Law Freedom Mercy Justice
PDF – CSD 03 02 2020 Law Freedom Mercy Justice
- March 9 – “Virtue and Grace”
Article – “Grace and the Dominican Soul” (Dominicana Journal)
Article – “Aiming High How to Grow in Virtue”
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church on virtue link
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church on grace – scroll to par. 1996 link
PDF – CCC for 03 09 2020 virtue and grace
PDF – CSD for 03 09 2020 virtue and grace
- March 23 – “Work and Vocation”
- March 30 – “Prayer and Friendship”
- April 6 – “Flourishing and Happiness”