Francis Beckwith, Ph.D.

Professor of Philosophy & Church-State Studies, Affiliate Professor of Political Science Baylor University

  • Waco TX

Nationally recognized philosopher & legal expert in the areas of religion, jurisprudence, politics & ethics

Contact

Baylor University

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Biography

Francis J. Beckwith, Ph.D., is Professor of Philosophy & Church-State Studies at Baylor University, where he also serves as Associate Director of the Graduate Program in Philosophy and Co-Director of the Program on Philosophical Studies of Religion in Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR).

With his appointment in Baylor’s Department of Philosophy, he also teaches courses in medical humanities, political science, religion, and church-state studies. From July 2003 through January 2007, he served as the Associate Director of Baylor’s J. M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies.

A graduate of Fordham University (Ph.D. and M.A. in philosophy), he also holds the Master of Juridical Studies (M.J.S.) degree from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, where he won a CALI Award for Academic Excellence in Reproductive Control Seminar.

His books include Taking Rites Seriously: Law, Politics, and the Reasonableness of Faith (Cambridge University Press, 2015 ); (w/R. Sherlock) The Catholic Invitation to Latter-Day Saints (Ignatius Press, forthcoming); (w/ R. P. George, S. McWilliams) A Second Look at First Things: A Case for Conservative Politics (St. Augustine Press, 2013); Politics for Christians: Statecraft as Soulcraft (InterVarsity Press, 2010); Return to Rome: Confessions of an Evangelical Catholic (Brazos Press, 2009), among many others.

Professor Beckwith has been quoted in a variety of publications including the New York Times, the Dallas Morning-News, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Christianity Today, World Magazine, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Las Vegas Sun, the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Los Angeles Times, the Waco Tribune-Herald, the Washington Times, Touchstone Magazine, the National Catholic Register, Commonweal, Moody Magazine, Christian Research Journal, the Baptist Standard and the Salt Lake Tribune.

Areas of Expertise

Philosophy and Theology
Religious and Political Ethics
Church and State

Education

Fordham University

Ph.D.

Philosophy

Fordham University

M.A.

Philosophy

Washington University School of Law

M.J.S.

.

Media Appearances

On Religion: Why Battles Over Parental Rights Are Not Going Away

Religion Unplugged  online

2024-08-11

Francis Beckwith, Ph.D., professor of philosophy and church-state studies at Baylor, is quoted in the article about the recent legal battles regarding parental rights.

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Unpacking Philosophy & Religion / How to Seek The Truth & Cultivate Faith

Finding Genius Podcast  online

2024-02-07

AUDIO: In this conversation, Francis J. Beckwith, Ph.D., professor of philosophy and church-state studies at Baylor, sits down with host Richard Jacobs to talk about philosophy, how worldviews are shaped and the importance of listening to people you disagree with.

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U.S. Supreme Court to hear arguments about religious rights of Texas death row inmates

KRLD-AM  radio

2021-11-09

AUDIO: Francis Beckwith is interviewed about a U.S. Supreme Court case on the rights of death row inmates to have spiritual advisers in the execution chamber.

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Articles

What’s So Special About Religious Liberty? Law, Philosophy, and Serving God

George Mason University Civil Rights Law Journal

Francis Joseph Beckwith

2023-03-13

This paper addresses the question of the specialness of religious liberty.

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Violinists, Burglars, People-Seeds, Samaritans, and Reluctant Bone Marrow Donors: Why Do We Need Analogies to Pregnancy in Order to Understand It?

Agency, Pregnancy, and, Persons: Essays in Defense of Human Life

Francis Joseph Beckwith

2022-08-24

Do we need an analogy to pregnancy in order to understand its meaning and the moral obligations that may arise from it?

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Separated at Baptism: What the Mortara Case Can Teach Us About the Rejection of Natural Justice by Integralists and Progressives

Brigham Young University Law Review

Francis Joseph Beckwith

2022-07-13

In recent years two Catholic scholars--Fr. Romanus Cessario, O.P and Dr. Mary McAleese—have taken seemingly contrary positions on the rights and obligations of the Church in relation to baptized children.

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