Thomas Joseph White

The Very Reverend

Thomas Joseph White

O.P.
Rector Magnificus of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas
White playing with the Hillbilly Thomists
ChurchCatholic Church
Appointed10 June 2021
Installed14 September 2021
PredecessorMichał Paluch
Orders
Ordination23 May 2008
Personal details
Born
Seth Rowland White

(1971-04-23) 23 April 1971 (age 53)
Atlanta, Georgia
Alma mater

Thomas Joseph White, O.P., (born 1971) is an American Catholic priest and theologian. On September 14, 2021, he succeeded Michał Paluch, OP, as rector of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome (the "Angelicum"). He is a founding member of the bluegrass band the Hillbilly Thomists.

Biography

White grew up in southeast Georgia in an interfaith household.[1] His father, a doctor, is Jewish, and his mother is a nurse. He was baptized by an Episcopal priest in his 20s, but eventually converted to Catholicism his senior year of college.[2] He completed his bachelor’s in religious studies from Brown University (1993) and his Master’s (1995) and Doctorate (2002) in Theology at Oxford University. He entered the Order of Preachers in 2003.[3] He completed his licentiate in Sacred Theology (2007) at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. He professed final vows on May 17, 2007, and on May 23, 2008, was ordained a priest.[4]

His research and teaching concentrate on Thomistic metaphysics, Christology and Roman Catholic-Reformed ecumenical dialogue. He was appointed an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas in 2011.[5] White taught at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C from 2008-2018, and was the founder and Director of the Washington DC Thomistic Institute from 2009 until his departure for Rome in 2018.

In 2015 White became co-editor of Nova et Vetera Journal, an American Catholic Theological journal. In 2018 he was assigned to teach at the Angelicum and function as the Director of the Angelicum Thomistic Institute. In June 2021, he was appointed rector of the Angelicum.[6]

On May 13, 2022 White delivered the commencement address at the Catholic University of America and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. [7]

In June 2022 White was appointed president of the Academy of Catholic Theology, one of the principal societies of academic Catholic theology in the United States. [8]

On December 7, 2023 White received the title of Master of Sacred Theology from the Order of Preachers. [9]

White is a founding member of the Catholic bluegrass group the Hillbilly Thomists, which has released four studio albums, to date.[10] In 2023, he was named an official Deering Banjo Artist. [11]

Bibliography

  • White, TJ (2005). "The voluntary action of the earthly Christ and the necessity of the beatific vision". The Thomist. 69 (4): 497–534. doi:10.1353/tho.2005.0001. S2CID 171293263.
  • White, TJ (2007). "Jesus' Cry on the Cross and His Beatific Vision". Nova et Vetera English Edition. 5 (3): 555–582.
  • White, TJ (2008). "Dyotheletism and the Consciousness of Christ". Pro Ecclesia. 17: 396–422. doi:10.1177/106385120801700403. S2CID 171731403.
  • White, TJ (2009). Wisdom in the Face of Modernity: A Study in Thomistic Natural Theology.
  • White, TJ, ed. (2010). The Analogy of Being: Invention of the Anti-Christ, or Wisdom of God?.
  • White, TJ (2014). "Imperfect Happiness and the Final End of Man: Thomas Aquinas and the Paradigm of Nature-Grace Orthodoxy". The Thomist. 78 (2): 247–289. doi:10.1353/tho.2014.0015. S2CID 171660306.
  • White, TJ (2015). The Incarnate Lord: A Thomistic Study in Christology.
  • White, TJ (2015). Exodus: A Theological Commentary.
  • White, TJ (2016). "Divine Simplicity and the Holy Trinity". International Journal of Systematic Theology. 18 (1): 66–93. doi:10.1111/ijst.12133.
  • White, TJ (2017). The Light of Christ: An Introduction to Catholicism.
  • White, TJ (2020). "The Analogy of Faith in Catholic Theology". International Journal of Systematic Theology. 22 (4): 512–537. doi:10.1111/ijst.12382. S2CID 213302791.
  • White, TJ (2022). The Trinity: On the Nature and Mystery of the One God.[12]

References

  1. ^ "The afternoon I found Christ in my college library". London: Catholic News Agency. November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  2. ^ Brandon D. Smith (2021-12-16). "Thomas Joseph White on Tough Christology Questions and Aquinas among Protestants". Biblical Reasoning (Church Grammar podcast). Retrieved 2021-12-17.
  3. ^ "About the Author - Thomas Joseph White". Public Discourse Princeton, NJ. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Curriculum Vitae Thomas Joseph White" (PDF). Angelicum Rome, Italy. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Father Thomas Joseph White, O.P." Dominican Friars Foundation Washington, D.C. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Fr. Thomas Joseph White named first American rector of Angelicum in Rome". Rome: Catholic News Agency. June 10, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  7. ^ "Dominican Father Thomas Joseph White to Speak at 2022 Commencement". Catholic University of America Washington, D.C. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  8. ^ "The Academy of Catholic Theology (ACT) is pleased to announce that Father Thomas Joseph White, OP, has been elected its president for 2022-2023 – Studium.OP". Studium.OP. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  9. ^ https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255875/hillbilly-thomists-founding-band-member-granted-title-of-master-of-sacred-theology
  10. ^ https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/12/get-religion-and-a-joy-for-life-with-the-hillbilly-thomists/
  11. ^ https://www.deeringbanjos.com/blogs/deering-artists/thomas-joseph-white/
  12. ^ "Thomas Joseph White". Academia.edu. Retrieved 15 October 2021.