So Death Doth Touch the Resurrection: Death and Human Nature | Sr. Elinor Gardner, O.P.

Dec 6, 2024

Sr. Elinor Gardner, O.P., an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Dallas, leads a thought-provoking discussion on death and human nature. She delves into Clarence Darrow's philosophical arguments against the soul and immortality, sparking a debate on empirical evidence versus ancient beliefs. The conversation also highlights St. Thomas Aquinas’s views on the immortal soul and the significance of abstract reasoning. Gardner explores early Christian beliefs about bodily resurrection, illuminating how they foster hope for eternal life.

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Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 2min

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The Myth of the Soul and the Resurrection Debate

02:21 • 9min

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Exploring the Immortal Soul

11:44 • 23min

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The Nature of Immaterial Thinking

35:06 • 6min

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Theological Explorations of Bodily Resurrection

41:14 • 10min

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Summa Contra Gentiles

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Summa Theologiae

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St. Thomas Aquinas

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Sr. Elinor Gardner begins by examining Clarence Darrow's essay "The Myth of the Soul," which argues that belief in the soul is neither necessary nor desirable. She then delves into what Plato and Aristotle have to say about the soul, contrasting their different understandings on the nature of the soul and its fate after death. Sr. Gardner concludes by discussing the Christian understanding of the soul, evidenced by the testimony of the apostles regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This lecture was given on September 21st, 2024, at University of South Florida.

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events

About the Speaker:

Sister Elinor Gardner, O.P., is Affiliate Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Dallas. Prior to arriving at UD, she taught at Aquinas College (Nashville, TN) and at The Catholic University of America, and spent one year assisting in formation at her Congregation’s Novitiate. She has a PhD from Boston College with a doctorate titled “St Thomas Aquinas on the Death Penalty.” Besides the ethical and political philosophy of Aquinas, her other research interests include the Christian anthropology of Robert Spaemann and Edith Stein.

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