Sponsored by the Saint Martin's University Division of Mission Integration, the St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture Series invites speakers to share their work and ideas.
Inspired by St. Thomas Aquinas, a Doctor of the Church known for his pursuit of truth through the intersection of faith and reason, this series highlights topics that explore contemporary challenges and intellectual inquiry. It encourages dialogue and deepens the University's commitment to its Catholic, Benedictine heritage and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.
Upcoming lecture
Edith Stein: A Saint Like Us
Join us for the Saint Martin's University inaugural address of the St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture Series, featuring Joseph Papa, Ph.D., who will present "Edith Stein: A Saint Like Us."
January 28, 2026
Worthington Center
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
At a distance from us of less than 100 years, Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), who died at Auschwitz in 1942, is very much a person of our times. This is evident in her autobiography, Life in a Jewish Family, the contemporary manner of her life, and even her personal struggles. For instance, she faced unsuccessful efforts as a Jewish-born woman to obtain a university professorship in Germany and experienced persistent bouts of depression at various points in her life. As a philosopher, Stein sought to describe the inner experience of being human; as a Christian philosopher, she characterized specifically Christian interiority, including a description of human freedom according to nature and according to grace in her work Freedom and Grace. Her sanctity, martyrdom, and unique, insightful perspective on both human and Christian life have led to her consideration for the title of Doctor of the Church.
About Joseph Papa, Ph.D.
Dr. Papa is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Mount Angel Seminary, an outreach of Mt. Angel (Benedictine) Abbey in Oregon. He is a specialist in the classical phenomenology of Edmund Husserl, and in the work of his student and assistant, Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross). His focus is on the phenomenology of spiritual life; he has published on a phenomenological approach to Christian spirituality and mysticism, with a particular focus on the Carmelite mystics and St. Ignatius of Loyola. His forthcoming commentary, Edith Stein’s Freedom and Grace: A Companion, will appear in early 2026. He also has published numerous translations of philosophical and theological works, including The Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity and a volume of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture.
