Summer Theology Program 2019
St. Thomas’ Commentary on the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians
August 12–16 in Wausau, Wisconsin
Hosted by the St. Albert the Great Center for Scholastic Studies, in collaboration with The Aquinas Institute for the Study of Sacred Doctrine, and the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.
The annual summer theology programs of the Albert the Great Center have been held in Norcia, Italy since 2011. Now they are coming for the first time to the USA. The primary focus of this year’s course will be St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, supported by St. Thomas Aquinas’s superb commentary on the same.
Galatians and Aquinas’s commentary on it bring forward important considerations on the unchangeableness of sacred doctrine (“even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be anathema”), on the mystical identification of the Christian with Christ, on the setting aside of the Old Covenant in consequence of its messianic fulfillment, and on the confrontation of Church hierarchs by their subjects — all subjects under considerable discussion in our day.
Theology: The daily academic schedule includes discussion-style seminars focused on a close reading of Aquinas’s commentary on Galatians together with lectures on various theological topics related to the doctrine of Galatians. One of the highlights of the program is a formal scholastic disputation to be held on August 15 in honor of the solemn feast of Our Lady’s Assumption.
Liturgy: The program will be held at St. Mary’s Oratory in Wausau, Wis., a traditional parish of the Institute of Christ the King. There will be ample opportunity to participate in the rich liturgical life of the Oratory with the canons of the Institute. Daily traditional Latin Mass and prayers of the Divine Office will be available as part of the program, including a Solemn High Mass and procession for the Feast of the Assumption.
Faculty: Dr. John Joy, president of the Albert the Great Center and occasional contributor to 1P5; Dr. Alan Fimister, assistant professor of theology and Church history at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver; Rev. Dr. Thomas Crean, O.P., a friar of the English province of the Order of Preachers; and Dr. Taylor Patrick O’Neill, assistant professor of religious studies at Mount Mercy University.
Book: Each participant in the program will receive a beautifully hardbound Latin-English edition of St. Thomas’ Commentary on the Letters of St. Paul to the Galatians and Ephesians (list price $59.95), courtesy of The Aquinas Institute. You can preview the text online at aquinas.cc.
Eligibility: The program is open to all applicants 18 years and older. Formal theological training is not required. Deadline for applications is July 15, 2019. To apply, fill out the online application form.
Location: Wausau is a city of about 40,000 people on the Wisconsin River in central Wisconsin. The nearest airport, Central Wisconsin Airport (code CWA), about a 20-minute car or taxi trip, has daily connections to Minneapolis, Chicago, and Detroit. Wausau is about 2 hrs by car from Green Bay; 2 hrs from Madison; 2.5 hrs from La Crosse; 3 hrs from Milwaukee; and 3 hrs from Minneapolis/St. Paul.
Cost: Program fees are scaled as follows:
- Option 1. Tuition only (for commuters): $250.
- Option 2. Tuition plus accommodations in a shared double hotel room: $500.
- Option 3. Tuition plus accommodations in a private single hotel room: $750.
Hotel: Rooms have been reserved at the Jefferson Inn in downtown Wausau. It is a three-minute drive or an eleven-minute walk from the inn to St. Mary’s Oratory. If choosing to stay at the inn, you are asked to make arrangements with the program rather than booking directly with the hotel so as to avoid unnecessary confusion.
Meals: Lunch will be provided each day on site for all participants. Breakfast will be available at the hotel for guests. Participants are welcome to make their own plans for dinner. There is a restaurant in the hotel as well as many other local eating places close by.
Credits: The Albert the Great Center is not a degree-granting institution, but a certificate can be provided to verify 20 hours of theological coursework for those in need of continuing education credits.
This post has been updated.
