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Dominican to lead
lectures on Pope Benedict
By J.D. Long-García, The Catholic Sun
March 20, 2008
TEMPE — Dominican Father James Thompson is helping Arizona State University students maintain a theological perspective in their academic pursuits.
Earlier this spring Fr. Thompson, who hosts “Tuesdays with Fr. James” at the All Saints Catholic Newman Center, pitted St. Thomas Aquinas against contemporary scientist Richard Dawkins, author of “The God Delusion.”
“It wasn’t a fair fight,” Fr. Thompson quipped.
“Most of these arguments presuppose materialism, even if they don’t state it,” Fr. Thompson said of “scientific” arguments against the existence of God. “Materialism isn’t a scientific fact.”
In another three-part series last month, Fr. Thompson took on creationism, intelligent design and evolution.
“The way that nature tends to be, you can’t help but think someone did this on purpose,” he said at a Feb. 26 lecture, drawing again from St. Thomas Aquinas. “Evolution can in no way disprove the existence or action of God in the world.”
In his upcoming series, which starts April 1, Fr. Thompson will expose Pope Benedict XVI’s teachings on salvation.
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