America the Beautiful: A Catholic Perspective on 250 Years with Dr. Anthony Rizzi

Gotta Be Saints

Gotta Be Saints
America the Beautiful: A Catholic Perspective on 250 Years with Dr. Anthony Rizzi
Jun 30, 2026
Brendan Gotta

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As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Brendan welcomes Dr. Anthony Rizzi for an extended presentation on the philosophical foundations of the American experiment.

Drawing from his work on natural law, philosophy, and the history of America's founding, Dr. Rizzi shares his perspective on why America's enduring strength lies in its founding principles. Throughout the episode, he explores the relationship between truth, reason, nature, faith, and the intellectual tradition of the Church, while arguing that recovering these first principles is essential for America's future.

In This Episode

  • Why Dr. Rizzi believes America's founding principles are rooted in natural law
  • The relationship between nature, reason, and Christian revelation
  • His critique of modern culture and what he calls "scientism"
  • Why truth should be at the center of Catholic intellectual life
  • His vision for renewing American culture by recovering first principles

Learn More

Dont miss "Holding These Truths Again: Reclaiming Our Founding Principles" featuring Dr. Rizzi airing on EWTN July 2nd at 8pm CT (9pm ET). Learn more at IAPweb.org/America

See trailer: IAPweb.org/holding-these-truths

About Dr. Anthony Rizzi

Anthony Rizzi, Ph.D., Director of the Institute for Advanced Physics, gained worldwide recognition in theoretical physics by solving an 80-year-old problem in Einstein's theory. He has physics degrees from MIT and Princeton University; has been senior scientist for Caltech's Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), whose work contributed to the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics; taught graduate courses at Louisiana State University; worked on the Manned Mars Craft and the Mars Observer spacecraft; and received both the NASA Award and the Martin Marietta New Technology Award.

He is the author of The Science Before Science: A Guide to Thinking in the 21st Century and A Kid's Introduction to Physics (and Beyond). In addition to numerous professional articles, he authored the Physics for Realists series: Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, and Quantum Mechanics. The first two volumes were recommended by the American Association of Physics Teachers, and his recent work includes groundbreaking contributions to quantum mechanics.

Dr. Rizzi is also recognized for his work in history, particularly his articles on America's founding principles, which have drawn praise from scholars and contributed to discussions on the philosophical and Christian roots of the American experiment.


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