The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture WOF 517: The Idea of a University (7 of 12)
Nov 24, 2025
The podcast delves into John Henry Newman's vision of university education, emphasizing the importance of theology as a science. It highlights how secularism undermines the integrity of universities and critiques the reduction of religion to mere feelings. The discussion points out that without theology, a vacuum is created that other disciplines cannot properly fill. Ultimately, Newman argues that theology is foundational to all knowledge, ensuring that a true understanding of reality encompasses both faith and reason.
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Balance University And Catholic Identity
- Design a Catholic university to be both authentically intellectual and genuinely Catholic, as Newman recommends.
- Use Oxford's educational model for intellectual formation while grounding the institution in papal authority.
Oxford Model And Papal Grounding
- Newman adopts Oxford as his curricular model despite its Anglican associations because it shaped him intellectually.
- He simultaneously appeals to papal authority to reassure Catholic listeners about the project's legitimacy.
Excluding Theology Requires Narrow Criteria
- Newman shows exclusion of theology relies on narrow definitions of knowledge like sense-only or pure intuition.
- He demonstrates theology meets any legitimate criterion because it draws on sense, conscience, history, and reason.
