Welcome to the Aquinas CEnter
|
Welcome to the Aquinas Center of Theology at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology! I’m glad you’ve made your way to our website.
Founded by the Dominican Order, the Aquinas Center strives to promote a deeper understanding of Catholicism’s rich intellectual, spiritual, and moral tradition by providing community programming and educational resources for Catholics and for people of all faiths. We serve Emory University, the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and the entire region. The focus of the Aquinas Center is to promote dialogue and mutual understanding in response to growing polarization in the church and in society. In this task, we follow the model of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), the great Doctor of the Church after whom the Center is named. Genuine dialogue has a history in the church that extends throughout the centuries, and Thomas Aquinas represents the very best of this tradition. Thomas had the ability to comprehend the perspectives of those with whom he disagreed in such a way that he could present their arguments in such a sympathetic manner that readers are inclined to think them irrefutable. In his book on Thomas Aquinas, the Catholic philosopher Josef Pieper wrote that Thomas showed in his example “that each side has the right to formulate his argument and that each is obligated to listen to the other.” At the heart of Thomas’ approach was an acknowledgement of everyone’s dignity, a love for everyone, and a gratitude for the ways in which others help us to understand goodness, truth, and beauty more fully. The Aquinas Center serves as a bridge bringing together ideas, perspectives, theologies, and cultures to promote mutual understanding. And we do so in the ecumenical and theologically dynamic context of Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. As the Executive Director of the Aquinas Center, I invite you to learn more about us, to be a part of our community, to explore the resources we have on this website, and to attend our programs over the coming year. Gregory K. Hillis, Ph.D. Executive Director |
|
