For years, the Thomistic Institute has been producing Aquinas 101, a video series that delves into some of the deepest questions of life and the Catholic faith. Their videos address questions like “Did the universe always exist?” and “What is the nature of Grace?” The series tackled some deep questions, but they began to notice simpler questions arising in the comments.
Now, they’ve launched a new video series, Big Questions, Little Answers, which strives to answer questions from the public. The show is hosted by Fr. Ambrose Little, O.P., a well spoken Dominican priest and one of the funniest dry wits we’ve ever seen. Little does a great job of engaging on the topic, while peppering in humorous anecdotes in a deadpan fashion.
Harry Potter capes
In the first episode, released on April 25, Fr. Little addresses “Why Dominicans Wear Harry Potter Capes.” The question, Little explains, is one that has been posed to him multiple times. His short answer was excellently delivered:
“Today’s answer is that the clothing we Dominicans wear is called a habit and we wear it because it’s awesome.”
Fr. Little goes on to delve into the question with a serious tone that belies a casual and comedic monologue. He displays an aptitude for presenting concepts in terms modern viewers would understand. This conversational feel makes the videos more accessible, but it also keeps the attention of the viewer.
For instance, he equates the visual association of a habit with that of a wedding ring, because it is symbolic of the vows he has taken. In another instance, he compares a monk’s hood to noise canceling headphones, because they help avoid distractions during meditation.
Educational
The jokes are good, but they’re just a vehicle for the religious education that follows. Once Little has our attention, he starts in with historical and contextual factoids about habits. He touches upon their practical uses, while mentioning the symbolic values as well. For instance, Little notes that Dominican saints who were known for their prayerfulness are most often depicted with their hoods up.
One of our favorite aspects of Big Questions, Little Answers is that all the questions are sourced from the public. If any viewer has a faith question for Fr. Little, all they need to do is post it in the comments section and it may very well be the next topic he discusses.
Big Questions, Little Answers is a promising new video series with a fantastic host. Although there are only two episodes currently released, we expect great things to come. The Thomistic Institute plans to release new episodes monthly, so thankfully we don’t have too long to wait.
Follow the Thomistic Institute on YouTube to see the next episode as soon as it’s released.
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