One of Newman's best and most accessible books, The Idea of a University stands among the central texts of the Oxford Movement and remains a crucial reference point for the modern revival of Catholic education.

Newman assembles a series of his key discourses and lectures exploring the purpose and mission of Catholic liberal education, the primacy of theology and its relation to other disciplines, classical studies, modern science, and intellectual rigor. The result is a profound and energetic exploration of the centrality of wisdom in academic culture and Christian life.