Friends, do we have a right to choose how and when we die? Should we be worried about the rapid rise of euthanasia, including in the United States?

Euthanasia has been in the news lately thanks to reports out of Canada, where last year, over 10,000 Canadians ended their lives via euthanasia. Those numbers are sure to go up, as Canada has loosened restrictions so that people can now choose euthanasia not only to avoid pain and suffering in the face of terminal disease, but simply for “mental health reasons.”

On today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss these alarming trends and how to make the case that life is worth living.

A listener asks, why does it matter where we go to worship the Lord as long as we’re doing so?

Links

• The Power of the Cross: Good Friday Sermons from the Papal Preacher by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. In the Mass, God is glorified and humans are sanctified.

In his keynote address at the recent Good News Conference, Abbot Jeremy Driscoll walks us through the beauty and richness of the Mass, in which we worship the Lord and then are sent out to proclaim the Good News of Jesus’ victory over sin and death.

Abbot Jeremy is a Benedictine monk and was elected the 12th abbot of Mount Angel Abbey, elected by the community in March of 2016. He has taught theology at Mount Angel Seminary and at Sant’ Anselmo in Rome. He continues to serve on various Vatican commissions, conducts conferences and retreats throughout the world, and continues to write and publish.

Links

• Good News Conference

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, we just marked the 60th anniversary of the opening of Vatican II, the Second Vatican Council. Six decades later, can we say the Council was a success? A failure? Something in between?

On today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt discuss a provocative pair of op-eds published in the New York Times by Ross Douthat, who argues that the Council was both necessary and a failure, and yet cannot be undone.

A listener asks, if God is without form, then at the Transfiguration, what was Jesus transformed into?

Links

• “How Catholics Became Prisoners of Vatican II” – Ross Douthat
• “How Vatican II Failed Catholics—and Catholicism” – Ross Douthat
• The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection
• The Paschal Mystery: Reflections for Lent and Easter (Word on Fire Lent booklet)

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, how do we educate the whole person? Religious sister and mental health counselor Sr. Josephine Garrett talks about this question in her keynote speech at the recent Good News Conference.

In her talk, Sr. Josephine shares how in order for the whole person to be educated, the object of the education must be properly ordered to the love of God.

Links

• Good News Conference

Friends, did you know that the birth rate in America is the lowest it’s ever been? Why have families stopped having so many kids, and what can we do about it?

On today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss a recent First Things article by Kevin DeYoung titled “The Case for Kids”.

A listener asks, how do you reconcile the fact that we have to honor our parents but also Jesus asking us to leave our parents to follow him?

Links

• “The Case for Kids” by Kevin DeYoung (First Things)

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the 265th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, has passed away at the age of 95 years old.

In this special “Word on Fire Show” discussion, Brandon Vogt and I reflect on his life, impact, and key ideas and contributions.

We specifically touch on five key areas:

1) True reform vs. false reform in the Church

2) Liturgical renewal

3) Importance of the Bible for theology

4) Synthesis of faith and reason

5) Christocentrism

Links

• Bishop Barron’s resources on Pope Benedict XVI
• The Pope Benedict XVI Reader (Word on Fire)

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, when society dismisses the natural law tradition, is it any wonder we see voluntarism take its place? I recently spoke with Ben Shapiro on his Daily Wire show about natural law, family, happiness and much more.

Links

• Bishop Barron on Ben Shapiro’s “Sunday Special”

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, many people in the Church, including the Holy Father, have been talking about “synodality.” But what is it? What does it mean? How can it help the Church, and what are possible dangers? That’s what Brandon Vogt and I discuss on today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show.”

A listener asks, what is appropriate to bring with you into Eucharistic Adoration?

Links

• Good News Conference

Friends, today we share Fr. Mike Schmitz’s keynote talk from the recent Good News Conference in Orlando, Florida.

As Fr. Mike explains, joy is a choice, just like love. We can either chase the feeling or choose the reality. Joy comes from the fact that you know that God is here and that you are known and loved by him. The Christian life is a pursuit of the One who loved us first, the One in whom we find our true joy.

Links

• Good News Conference

Friends, why is art important? An uptick in vandalism against famous pieces of art, calling to mind outbreaks of iconoclasm throughout history, has raised questions about art’s value and purpose.

On today’s “Word on Fire Show,” I discuss with Brandon Vogt why art matters.

A listener asks, is God’s true nature love or truth? What’s the interplay between those two?

Links

• The Great Story of Israel: Election, Freedom, Holiness by Bishop Robert Barron

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today we share Bishop Barron’s 2022 Commencement Address at Benedictine College, which he offered on May 14, 2022.

Well aware that he was on Benedictine ground, a place filled with the mind and spirit of St. Benedict, Bishop Barron shared some simple rules of life that flow from the heart of that great saint.

Friends, in many parts of the world the Catholic Church is shrinking. Parishes are closing or merging, pastors are devising strategies of consolidation. But for the Church to flourish, we can’t just manage decline. We need strategies for growth. That’s what Brandon Vogt and I discuss on today’s “The Word on Fire Show.”

A listener asks, why should Catholics be pro-life?

Links

• Newman on Doctrinal Corruption by Matthew Levering

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

A new Word on Fire book titled With All Her Mind: A Call to the Intellectual Life features essays by Catholic women who offer a call to pursue what is too often excluded from our picture of femininity: the intellectual life.

Full of practical advice and personal testimonies, and featuring a foreword by celebrated scholar Tracey Rowland, this collection opens readers to the endlessly unique ways for a woman to follow the first and greatest commandment: to love the Lord with all her soul, with all her heart, and with all her mind.

Today we share an interview with the editor of the book, Rachel Bulman, conducted by Haley Stewart, Editing Manager of Word on Fire Spark.

Links

• With All Her Mind: A Call to the Intellectual Life edited by Rachel Bulman

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, what is the role of religion in civic life? Must we bracket religion from the political sphere? Those are pressing questions as we near the midterm elections. On today’s “Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss the relationship between politics and religion and the proper place of tolerance.

A listener asks, do you have any recommendations for explaining the Eucharist to high schoolers?

Links

• Light of the Saints by Cory Heimann and Tricia Dugat

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today we share a recent discussion between Bishop Barron and the theologian Larry Chapp about Vatican II. The conversation ranges over several topics, including:

• Why evangelize?
• Deification through the Cross
• The 20th-century Biblical Renewal and the Liturgical Renewal
• Evangelization and the Use of Beauty
• Revival of Catholic Art

If you missed the “Bishop Barron Presents” discussion with Larry Chapp, you can listen to that in episode #299 of this podcast.

Links

• Larry Chapp’s YouTube channel
• Word on Fire Vatican II Collection

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, Tertullian famously asked in the third century, “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” What does philosophy have to do with theology, or reason with faith?

However, on today’s “Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss a provocative new article that wonders what Athens and Jerusalem have to do with Silicon Valley. How should we understand the intersection of reason, faith, and technology?

A listener asks, how do you feel about neuroscience, and how does it fit in with your understanding of the soul?

Links

• “The Three-City Problem of Modern Life” by Luke Burgis
• Food for the Soul: Reflections on the Mass Readings (Cycle A) by Peter Kreeft

Friends, today we share Lesson 1 from our new Word on Fire Institute course titled “Evangelizing Protestants.” The course is taught by Andrew Petiprin, the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen Fellow of Popular Culture at the Word on Fire Institute, also a former Episcopal priest who converted to Catholicism.

Andrew takes you inside several important texts that express how the Church thinks about Protestants and explain how they belong with us in the Catholic Church. You’ll look at works by St. John Henry Newman, Pope Pius IX, the Second Vatican Council, and Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

In this first lesson of the course, Andrew shares a little about his personal journey and encourages Catholics to support any Protestant friends or family members who may be discerning coming into full communion with the Catholic Church. He also draws on the particular experience of St. John Henry Newman. Andrew sees Newman as a role model for all our Protestant brothers and sisters who are considering making this step.

To watch the other lessons in this course, sign up for the Word on Fire Institute today!

Links

• Word on Fire Institute

Friends, what is a Holy Hour? How do you do it, and why should you start? On today’s episode of the “Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss one of the most powerful spiritual disciplines you can adopt.

A listener asks, if the Eucharist is so important, why isn’t it mentioned in the Nicene Creed?

Links

• The Holy Hour: Meditations for Eucharistic Adoration edited by Matthew Becklo
• The Word Became Flesh: Reflection for Advent and Christmas edited by Matthew Becklo

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today we share a conversation I had with leaders at Biola University on proclaiming and encountering Christ. It was wonderful to sit down with our Protestant brothers and sisters to discuss the importance of evangelization in today’s culture.

In this discussion, we explore how to evangelize through the new media, reach the disaffiliated, prepare to become an evangelist, and much more.

Links

• Story of a Soul by St. Thérèse of Lisieux (WOF Classics)

Friends, on today’s episode of the “Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss some comments recently made by Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and SpaceX, about space and religion.

What does Catholicism have to say about the universe and the possibility of alien life? Should we be curious about the cosmos? And what opportunities might space exploration introduce to Catholic evangelists?

A listener asks, given recent research on anti-aging, is aging a disease?

Links

• WonderConference.com
• With All Her Mind: A Call to the Intellectual Life edited by Rachel Bulman
• The Holy Hour: Meditations for Eucharistic Adoration edited by Matthew Becklo

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today we share a talk I recently gave to the service men and women at the United State Air Force Academy. After previously speaking at the Naval Academy about three sailors from the Bible, then at West Point about three soldiers from the Old Testament, I wondered, what should I speak of to the Air Force Academy?

What came to me was the angels, those famous fliers in the pages of the Bible. I told the Air Force men and women that they are flyers, too, and so they should consider the angelic realm, the realm of pure spirits, those who fly into the very presence of God, becoming radiant by contact with him. I encouraged them to join the angels in flight, trust their life to a higher power, and become a person of right praise.

Links

• The Holy Hour: Meditations for Eucharistic Adoration edited by Matthew Becklo
• With All Her Mind: A Call to the Intellectual Life edited by Rachel Bulman

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, on today’s episode of the “Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I recap two recent discussions I shared with Lex Fridman and Shia LaBeouf. With over two million views combined, these discussions struck a chord with people and I think they reveal several lessons for Catholics interested in drawing others closer to God.

A listener asks, how do you get so many things done?

Links

• Lex Fridman discussion
• Shia LeBeouf discussion
• The Holy Hour: Meditations for Eucharistic Adoration edited by Matthew Becklo
• With All Her Mind: A Call to the Intellectual Life edited by Rachel Bulman
• Wonder Conference

Friends, today we share my recent “Bishop Barron Presents” discussion with Shia LeBeouf. Shia is an actor famous for his roles in Transformers, Honey Boy, and Peanut Butter Falcon, among other films. His most recent role is as the young Padre Pio in a new biopic on the great saint, a role which changed his life as he explains in this discussion. His story of conversion is profound and I think you will find it deeply moving.

Links

• New book – The Holy Hour: Meditations for Eucharistic Adoration edited by Matthew Becklo
• Wonder Conference – WonderConference.com

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today on the “Word on Fire Show,” we conclude our series of discussions called “Understanding the Present Moment.” Brandon Vogt and I have examined four massively influential figures who together help explain our present moment, how we arrived at where we are today.

The ideologies undergirding much of the unrest in our culture stem from these four thinkers: Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Michel Foucault. Once we understand these figures and their key ideas, we will recognize them everywhere and be prepared to engage today’s challenges.

In today’s fourth and final discussion, we focus on Michel Foucault, perhaps the least known of the four but maybe the one with the greatest direct impact on the way many in our culture think today.

A listener asks, how do we understand God as bring if he’s both Father and Son?

Links

• Two new Thomas Aquinas books! – Thomas Aquinas: Spiritual Master by Bishop Barron and Thomas Aquinas: Selected Commentaries on the New Testament edited by Jason Paone
• Bishop Barron discussion with Lex Fridman (Youtube)
• The Holy Hour: Meditations for Eucharistic Adoration edited by Matthew Becklo

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In this new “Bishop Barron Presents” discussion, Bishop Barron sits down with bestselling author Luke Burgis to discuss his new book, Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life.

Why do we want what we want? And how do our desires shape us as people? How are desires related to freedom?

In their conversation, Bishop Barron and Burgis discuss these topics and more, such as:

• René Girard
• Mimetic desire
• Social media
• The scapegoat mechanism

Links

• Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life by Luke Burgis

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today on the “Word on Fire Show,” we continue our series of discussions called “Understanding the Present Moment.” Brandon Vogt and I are examining four massively influential figures who together help explain our present moment, how we arrived at where we are today.

The ideologies undergirding much of the unrest in our culture stem from these four thinkers: Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Michel Foucault. Once we understand these figures and their key ideas, we will recognize them everywhere and be prepared to engage today’s challenges.

In today’s third discussion, we focus on Jean-Paul Sartre.

A listener asks, how does someone be selfless and yet love himself?

Links

• The Installation of Bishop Robert Barron
• Wonder Conference – WonderConference.com

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today we share the homily I gave for my installation Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Rochester, Minnesota. Celebrating the Feast of Sts. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, I correlated those three disciples to what Pope Benedict XVI identified as the three tasks of the Church: worship, service of the poor, and evangelization.

Friends, today on the “Word on Fire Show,” we continue our series of discussions called “Understanding the Present Moment.” Brandon Vogt and I are examining four massively influential figures who together help explain our present moment, how we arrived at where we are today.

The ideologies undergirding much of the unrest in our culture stem from these four thinkers: Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Michel Foucault. Once we understand these figures and their key ideas, we will recognize them everywhere and be prepared to engage today’s challenges.

In today’s second discussion, we focus on Friedrich Nietzsche.

A listener asks, what’s the difference between the theological virtues of faith and hope?

Links

• Wonder Conference – WonderConference.com

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share the second half (listen to the first half here) of Bishop Barron’s presentation titled “Breaking Through the Buffered Self,” which he offered for the prestigious 2022 Albert Cardinal Meyer Lecture series hosted at Mundelein Seminary back in March 2022.

In the talk, Bishop Barron looks at the intellectual matrix that has made the army of the disaffiliated possible, namely, what Charles Taylor calls the culture of the “buffered self,” the ego cut off from any living contact with the transcendent. Then, using the three great transcendentals—the good, the true, and the beautiful—as his framework, he proposes ways to break through the buffered self and to open the restless heart to a consideration of God and the things of God.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, as you may have heard, Pope Francis recently appointed me the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester (Minnesota). I will be formally installed on July 29. 

On today's episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss how I found out, how the process works, how it will affect Word on Fire, and what I'm looking forward to most in my new diocese.

A listener asks, what is it like to act in persona Christi from a physical and emotional perspective?

Today we share Bishop Barron’s presentation entitled “Breaking Through the Buffered Self,” which he offered for the prestigious 2022 Albert Cardinal Meyer Lecture series hosted at Mundelein Seminary back in March 2022.

In the talk, Bishop Barron looks at the intellectual matrix that has made the army of the disaffiliated possible, namely, what Charles Taylor calls the culture of the “buffered self,” the ego cut off from any living contact with the transcendent. Then, using the three great transcendentals—the good, the true, and the beautiful—as his framework, he proposes ways to break through the buffered self and to open the restless heart to a consideration of God and the things of God.

(This is Part I of his lecture series. We will share Part II on a future episode.)

Friends, today on the “Word on Fire Show,” we kick off a new series of discussions called “Understanding the Present Moment.” Brandon Vogt and I will look at four massively influential figures who together help explain our present moment, how we arrived at where we are today.

The ideologies undergirding much of the unrest in our culture stem from these four thinkers: Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Michel Foucault. Once we understand these figures and their key ideas, we will recognize them everywhere and be prepared to engage today’s challenges. In today’s first discussion, we focus on Karl Marx.

A listener asks, what advice would you give to a man discerning the permanent diaconate?

Links

• Redeeming the Time: Gospel Perspectives on the Challenges of the Hour by Bishop Robert Barron

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In this new “Bishop Barron Presents” discussion, Bishop Barron sits down with bestselling author Tara Isabella Burton to discuss her new book, Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World.

Burton argues that while younger generations are supposedly the most secular according to surveys, they’re actually notably religious—it’s just that they have adopted strange new religions. She claims today’s Americans are embracing a kaleidoscopic panoply of spiritual traditions, rituals, and subcultures, from astrology and witchcraft to SoulCycle and the alt-right. In search of the deep and the real, they are finding meaning, purpose, ritual, and communities in ever-newer, ever-stranger ways.

In their conversation, Bishop Barron and Tara discuss topics such as:

• Are people actually moving away from religion?
• The unaffiliated
• The retreat into self
• Christian truth claims
• Why people leave organized religion
• And numerous other topics

Links

• Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World by Tara Isabella Burton
• Redeeming the Time: Gospel Perspectives on the Challenges of the Hour by Bishop Barron

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, our culture is obsessed with self-determination: finding our own voice, setting our own agenda, doing things according to our own lights. But is this problematic? And what does the Bible have to say about self-determination?

On today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss how, in the Christian tradition, heroes are never those who “find themselves,” but rather those who heed the voice of God and remain obedient to the mission that God has given them.

A listener asks, how do you possibly balance a passion for baseball with your faith life?

Links

• “Why Doing What Is Right in Your Own Sight Is Such a Bad Idea” by Bishop Barron
• The New Apologetics: Defending the Faith in a Post-Christian Era edited by Matt Nelson

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In this new “Bishop Barron Presents” discussion, Bishop Barron sits down with evolutionary biologists Dr. Heather Heying and Dr. Bret Weinstein, the best-selling authors of A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century: Evolution and the Challenges of Modern Life. They discuss several topics, such as:

• Evolution, science, and religion
• The importance of public discourse
• G.K. Chesterton’s fence
• The problems of pornography

Links

• The New Apologetics: Defending the Faith in a Post-Christian Era

Friends, in the book of Revelation, Jesus says, “Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you and you with me.” But how does this work? How do we allow him into our hearts? That’s what Brandon Vogt and I discuss in today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show.”

A listener asks, what do you think about the series, The Chosen?

Links

• Word on Fire Liturgy of the Hours

Friends, did you know that nearly 60% of religious believers agree with the statement that “religion and science conflict with one another”? This tragic confusion is especially prevalent among young people.

In today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss five ways to help young people escape this false dilemma and come to understand that there is no actual conflict between true faith and legitimate science.

A listener asks, how can adult children evangelize their parents who have left the faith?

Links

• Word on Fire Liturgy of the Hours

Friends, today we share a sample lesson from another great Word on Fire Institute course titled “To the Peripheries!,” taught by Fr. Damian Ference.

In this course, Fr. Damian Ference will take us through numerous examples from the Gospels, his own life, and the philosophy of several saints on ways in which we evangelize. Each of these examples are modeled on the life of Christ.

Want more? Join the Word on Fire Institute at https://wordonfire.institute/

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today we share a sample lesson from another great Word on Fire Institute course titled “The Five S’s of Effective Evangelization,” taught by Elizabeth Scalia.

In this course, Elizabeth Scalia walks us through the five S's of effective evangelization: storytelling, Scripture, sacraments, saints, and small moments.

Want more? Join the Word on Fire Institute at https://wordonfire.institute/

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, the Liturgy of the Hours is the highest form of prayer after the Mass. It is an ancient, structured way of praying Scripture throughout the day, focusing especially on the Psalms. In today’s episode of the “Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss why this prayer is so powerful and how to get started with it.

We also introduce a new resource from Word on Fire that makes it easier to pray these sacred prayers.

A listener asks, is there much point to praying anything other than the Lord’s will?

Links

• Word on Fire Liturgy of the Hours

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, I recently had the privilege of speaking with Fr. Mike Schmitz, host of the popular “Bible in a Year” podcast. We spoke at the 2021 Good News Conference, and our conversation ranged over a variety of topics, including our vocation stories, our early efforts on YouTube, our favorite movies, arguing on social media, and much more. We also shared what inspired us to take creative new approaches to the Bible, and how the success of these projects reveals a hunger for a deeper understanding of Scripture. Enjoy!

Links

• The Word on Fire Bible
• The “Bible in a Year” Podcast
• More Content from the Good News Conference
• Word on Fire Liturgy of the Hours

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today I take several questions from kids all over the world, including:

• 1:40 - Why did Jesus appear so long ago?
• 4:26 - Why did God the Father send Jesus to be born if God could be born himself?
• 7:28 - How can you be happy in heaven if someone you love isn’t there?
• 12:10 - What would happen if Jesus didn’t get crucified?
• 14:38 - Can God die?
• 18:35 - How will God end the world?
• 21:08 - How did the devil get kicked out of heaven? By my research, once you’re in heaven, I thought you can’t get kicked out?
• 26:10 - Does God like when we discover something?

Friends, today we share a sample lesson from a new Word on Fire Institute course titled “Living the Liturgical Year in the Home,” taught by Haley Stewart.

In her course, Haley Stewart unpacks the treasures of the Liturgical Year and explores how liturgical living can strengthen the Domestic Church or the life of faith in the family.

Want more? Throughout the month of Lent, enjoy a FREE trial of the Word on Fire Institute at https://wordonfire.institute/lent

Friends, cynicism is on the rise. Our culture is increasingly pessimistic, characterized by a general distrust of others people's motives. So, how do we escape this decline? That's what Brandon Vogt and I discuss in today's episode of “The Word on Fire Show.”

A listener asks, how can adult children evangelize their parents who have left the faith?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Links

• Upworthy - “We are being lured by the siren song of cynicism. We have to choose a different route”

Friends, today we share a sample lesson from a new Word on Fire Institute course titled “The Art of Happiness,” taught by Dr. Arthur Brooks.

Blending social science and Catholicism, this course combines cutting-edge research and top-notch scholarship with the lives of great saints and our incredible inheritance of Church teaching. There are even surprising places to discover where secular science reinforces sacred wisdom. Plus, you’ll receive clear take-aways and action items that you can put into practice right now—to build more happiness for yourself, and to help you share more joy and peace with your family, your friends, and everyone else God puts before you!

Want more? Throughout the month of Lent, enjoy a FREE trial of the Word on Fire Institute at https://wordonfire.institute/lent

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Bishop Barron recently had the experience of recording all 150 Psalms for the Catholic app Hallow. Listen as he shares about that experience, discusses his favorite Psalm, and helps us better understand this songbook of the Church.

A listener asks, how do I fall in love with God?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Links

• Hallow app - https://hallow.com/wordonfire
• Confessions by St. Augustine (Word on Fire Classics)
• Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton (Word on Fire Classics)
• With All the Saints: My Journey to the Roman Catholic Church by Mark Galli

Friends, today we share a sample lesson from a new Word on Fire Institute course titled “The One Christ: Augustinian Deification.” In this course, Fr. David Meconi, SJ, explores the history of deification, or theosis (i.e. becoming like God), in the Christian tradition, particularly focusing on St. Augustine’s understanding of deification.

Access the rest of the lessons by joining the Word on Fire Institute at https://wordonfire.institute.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today we conclude our “Word on Fire Show” series on how to understand Genesis by focusing on Joseph, the great figure who went from slave to ruler of Egypt.

How should we understand his sinking into slavery and prison? Or his gift for interpreting dreams? As Christians, what’s the big takeaway from the Joseph story?

A listener asks, how do you begin learning philosophy casually without getting bogged down?

Links

• With All the Saints: My Journey to the Roman Catholic Church by Mark Galli
• “Thomas and the New Atheists” – Bishop Barron talk

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today we share a sample lesson from Bishop Barron's new Word on Fire Institute course titled “Reading Scripture with the Early Church Fathers.” In this course, Bishop Barron introduces the spiritual dynamics of Biblical exegesis in Origen and St. Augustine of Hippo. The Church Fathers did not separate Scripture and spirituality but saw the form of the spiritual life within the Scripture. As the key of the Scriptures, Christ is the key to the spiritual life. This course delves into the riches of how the Church reads Scripture, greatly inspired by the writings of Origen and St. Augustine.

Get the rest of the lessons by joining the Word on Fire Institute at https://wordonfire.institute.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today we discuss an interesting new book titled​​ Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World by Tara Isabella Burton. Burton argues that while younger generations are supposedly the most secular according to surveys, they’re actually notably religious—it’s just that they have adopted strange new religions. She claims today's Americans are embracing a kaleidoscopic panoply of spiritual traditions, rituals, and subcultures, from astrology and witchcraft to SoulCycle and the alt-right. In search of the deep and the real, they are finding meaning, purpose, ritual, and communities in ever-newer, ever-stranger ways.

A listener asks, if religious faith is based on our response to the revealing God, how do we reconcile this with the plurality of religions?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Links

• Word on Fire Bible, Volume II (Acts, Letters, and Revelation)

Friends, today we share a sample lesson from a new Word on Fire Institute course titled “Evangelizing the Open-Minded.” In this course, Dr. Matthew Nelson explains how to engage people who are confident in their nonbelief but willing to seriously consider reasons for believing in Christianity.

Get the rest of the lessons by joining the Word on Fire Institute at https://wordonfire.institute.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, the long-awaited Word on Fire Bible, Volume II (Acts, Letters, and Revelation) is now available! Today, we give you a peek inside. Brandon Vogt and I discuss what’s new about this volume and why it’s even better than Volume I.

A listener asks, if God is full of love, does God love the devil?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Links

• Word on Fire Bible, Volume II (Acts, Letters, and Revelation)

Today we share Lesson 1 from Bishop Barron's latest Word on Fire Institute course titled "Dante's Catholic Imagination." Listen as Bishop Barron leads us on a journey through the life of Dante and his major work, The Divine Comedy, the great literary treasure dedicated to the dynamics of the Christian spiritual life.

In this first lesson from the course, Bishop Barron introduces us to Dante Alighieri, the thirteenth-century Italian poet who authored the epic poem. This seminal work captures the Catholic imagination of the dynamic afterlife in three distinct sections: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.

Join the Word on Fire Institute today to get access to the rest of this great course!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

What makes life meaningful? What is meaning, and where do we find it? Those are the pressing questions Brandon Vogt and I discuss today on “The Word on Fire Show.” We also recap my conversation with Jordan Peterson, Jonathan Pageau, and John Vervaeke, and highlight two recent surveys dealing with the question of meaning.

A listener asks whether it's really true that nobody pursues evil for its own sake.

Links

• Evangelization and Culture Journal - new issue on “Freedom”
• “The 4 Horsemen of Meaning” (YouTube) - Bishop Barron, Jordan Peterson, Jonathan Pageau, and John Vervaeke
• Lifeway Research Poll - “Americans’ Views of Life’s Meaning and Purpose Are Changing”
• Pew Research Center Poll - “What Makes Life Meaningful? Views From 17 Advanced Economies”

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share a sample from our new Word on Fire Institute course titled "Faith, Science, and Sin" taught by Dr. Christopher Baglow.

Dr. Baglow considers the mysteries of the Catholic faith in dialogue with scientific discoveries, allowing us to avoid the shallowness that John Paul II says debases the Gospel and leaves us ashamed before history.

This course introduces us to some of the richest insights of the Catholic intellectual tradition. We confront the problem of evil amidst God’s good creation and consider these fundamental questions: What makes being human so special? How might modern science become a stepping-stone rather than a stumbling block to understanding what we believe?

Links

• Join the Word on Fire Institute!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today we continue our "Word on Fire Show" series on how to understand Genesis by focusing on Jacob, the son of Isaac and a patriarch of the ancient Jews.

How should we understand his early struggle with Esau, the famous "Jacob's ladder," and his mysterious wrestling match and name change? That's what we discuss today.

A listener asks, why is it that we just got this information from God, from the Bible, only 2,000 years ago? What happened to all those people who lived before the Bible?

Links

• Word on Fire Institute

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

During the past five decades, the Second Vatican Council has been alternately celebrated or maligned for its supposed break with tradition and embrace of the modern world.

But what if we’ve gotten it all wrong?

Have Catholics—both those who embrace the spirit of Vatican II and those who regard it with suspicion—misunderstood what the council was really about?

Fr. Blake Britton discovered the truth and beauty of the council while he was in seminary and he has witnessed firsthand the power of its teachings in the life of his own parish.

In  his new book, Reclaiming Vatican II: What It (Really) Said, What It Means, and How It Calls Us to Renew the Church, Britton presses beyond the political narrative foisted upon the post-conciliar Church and contends that Vatican II was neither conservative nor liberal, but something much more beautiful and challenging.

Today, Word on Fire Institute Fellow Robert Mixa sits down with Fr. Britton to discuss how Catholics can reclaim the teaching of Vatican II and embrace it as one of our greatest resources for being in the Church in a way that is faithful, engaged, and effective if we answer its radical call to worship and renewal.

Links

• Reclaiming Vatican II book - https://wordonfire.org/reclaim

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Bishop Barron takes several questions from non-Catholics, including:

• How does the Catholic Church think about sola Scriptura and Bible interpretation?
• Since we can’t know beyond a reasonable doubt that Christianity is true, why should I become a Christian?
• Any tips for a Protestant transitioning to Catholicism?
• Why are some sins considered mortal?
• Is there a realistic possibility of reuniting the Christian churches, and if not, what are the major stumbling blocks?
• What is the role of saints? Why aren't they considered to be idols?
• What is the Catholic view of the apocrypha (deuterocanonical books)?
• What about apparent contradictions in the Bible? Does this undermine the Bible’s inerrancy?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In a recent talk, Bishop Barron presented on the importance of not dumbing down the faith as we engage in religious education. Young people enjoy asking about and discussing the big questions, from God’s existence, to how to be a good and moral person, to the problem of suffering. A disconnect takes place when we meet these intellectual questions with watered-down catechesis. Instead, we must remember the central teachings of Christianity. We must present the fullness of truth, the reality of the Incarnation, and the good news of grace.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, today we continue our “Word on Fire Show” series on how to understand Genesis by discussing Abraham and Isaac. Watch and learn about these two pivotal figures in salvation history.

A listener asks, where can I learn more about God’s non-competitive transcendence?

Links

• Fear and Trembling by Soren Kierkegaard
• Against Heresies by St. Irenaeus
• The God of Faith and Reason: Foundations of Christian Theology by Robert Sokolowski

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, at the recent FOCUS SEEK, seminarians and young people discerning their vocation asked me range of questions about calling and vocations, including:

• Did Bishop Barron ever consider religious life?
• How should we use philosophy to approach and interact with theology?
• What should we do about a “dark night of the soul” when it comes to discernment?
• How should one discern between dating versus pursuing a religious vocation?
• What should women in particular look for when discerning a religious order?
• How should one sift through fears and anxieties during discernment?
• What is something that Bishop Barron learned as a priest, that he wish he had known as a seminarian?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Modern psychiatry tends to downplay spirituality, but in today's episode of "The Word on Fire Show," Bishop Barron and Brandon discuss a new Scientific American article suggesting that "Psychiatry Needs to Get Right with God."

The author explains how belief in God is associated with significantly better treatment outcomes for many patients, and therefore patients should have the option to include spirituality in their treatment. 

A listener asks, where does one go to get the Catholic Church’s official interpretation of Scripture?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Earlier this year, Bishop Barron joined Sal Di Stefano from Mind Pump Media for a great conversation. They discussed the great social upheaval and political division in our culture—including its intellectual, moral, and spiritual dimensions—and why a purely secular framework is not enough to solve it.

Links

• Dei Verbum Reading Challenge

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we continue our series on “Understanding Genesis.” Last time we focused on Creation and today we’re discussing Adam, Eve, and the Fall. How should we understand the creation of Adam and Eve? What actually happened at the Fall? Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss.

A listener asks, why would Mark end his Gospel with the women not telling the Apostles about the resurrection?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share a Q&A session between Bishop Barron and Maronite clergy following a talk he shared on the priesthood. In the Q&A, he answered several questions, including:

• Did Adam love Eve for the sake of God?
• What is Mary’s role in Jacob’s ladder?
• Do you have practical advice for people feeling confined by their vocation?
• How should we pick our battles as we wrestle with the world?
• How do you approach the concept of free will and reconcile it with our slavery to God?
• What practical steps can we take in our parishes to keep people from disaffiliating from the Church?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Pope Francis just announced he’s planning to declare a new Doctor of the Church, St. Irenaeus of Lyon. Who was he? What were his key ideas? Why does he still matter? That's what Bishop Barron and Brandon discuss in today's episode. Topics include:

• What’s a Doctor of the Church, and why should Irenaeus be declared one?
• How did Bishop first become acquainted with Irenaeus?
• What was Irenaeus’ approach to battling Gnosticism?
• Irenaeus taught that God has no need of anything outside of himself. What does this mean, and why is it good news?
• How to understand Irenaeus’s pithy line, “The glory of God is man fully alive”?
• Irenaeus’ theology of recapitulation
• How Irenaeus remains a great spiritual and theological bridge between Eastern and Western Christians
• Why Irenaeus is still relevant today

A listener asks, how should I respond to the idea that nothing really exists because we can’t prove that it exists?

Links

• New editions of Bishop Barron's books: https://bookstore.wordonfire.org

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In today's episode, we share a talk Bishop Barron offered earlier this year to the Catholic educators of the Archdiocese of Vancouver. He exhorted teachers to boldly proclaim the resurrection and lordship of Jesus, affirming that all Catholic teachers are, fundamentally, evangelizers.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we begin a five-part series of discussions on the book of Genesis. In this first episode, we focus on the Creation story.

Genesis is of course the first book in the Bible and perhaps the most foundational, but it’s also the source of so much confusion. Bishop Barron clarifies what the author is intending to convey and the theological and spiritual truths we can pull from the narrative.

A listener asks, how do I start mental prayer, especially if I’m always distracted?

Links

• Get your copy of the new Evangelization & Culture issue on poetry!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

C.S. Lewis wrote more than 30 books which have collectively sold over 100 million copies, including the Chronicles of Narnia series, Mere Christianity, and The Screwtape Letters. But of those thirty books, there was only one which Lewis described himself as “almost my favorite among my books,” yet he was disappointed that “in general [the book] has been almost totally ignored by the public.”

The book was his prophetic text titled The Abolition of Man. It’s an important book but one that many readers find dense and challenging.

Thankfully, Michael Ward, one of the world’s leading C.S. Lewis scholars, has stepped in to help. His groundbreaking new book titled After Humanity: A Guide to C.S. Lewis's ‘The Abolition of Man was just published by Word on Fire Academic.

Today, Brandon Vogt sits down with Michael to discuss Lewis' original text and how Michael's new guide and commentary help readers make sense of Lewis’s argument.

Learn more: https://www.wordonfire.org/humanity

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Dr. Christian Smith has written a new book titled Handing Down the Faith: How Parents Pass Their Religion on to the Next Generation. It's based on new research about how parents successfully raise children to become religiously-practicing adults.

In this episode, Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt walk through his findings and discuss what actually helps our kids to retain their faith into young adulthood.

A listener asks, how do we know which religion is right, Catholicism or Protestantism?

Links

• Handing Down the Faith: How Parents Pass Their Religion on to the Next Generation by Christian Smith
• "Keeping the Faith" by Christian Smith (First Things)
• Return: How to Draw Your Child Back to the Church by Brandon Vogt

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In this Q&A session with students at Yale University from February 2021, Bishop Barron answered a variety of questions from students, including:

• Do you think that the culture’s view of sex has kept people outside of the Church? How do we charitably share our view?
• What did you decide to give up for Lent?
• How do we discern if bad things are tests from God, Satan, or just the way of the world?
• What are some opportunities for evangelization that COVID has produced?
• Why is confession necessary for the forgiveness of mortal sins?
• If you could have dinner with one saint, who would it be and why?

Links

• A Journey with Jonah: The Spirituality of Bewilderment by Fr. Paul Murray, OP

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

A recent poll from the Survey Center on American Life revealed that people are rapidly losing their close friends, especially men. The number of American men who view themselves as having "no close friends" quintupled over the last 30 years, increasing from 3 percent in 1990 to 15 percent in 2021. 

Why is this happening, and how can we reverse it? How can we develop closer friendships? Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss those questions today.

A listener asks, why does God love us?

Links

• “The Creed” film series and Light from Light book

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share the latest “Bishop Barron Presents” discussion, featuring theologian and educator Dr. Larry Chapp. 

Larry and Bishop Barron discuss topics such as:

• Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement
• Traditionalism and liberalism in the Catholic Church
• The Second Vatican Council
• And several other topics

Stay tuned for future “Bishop Barron Presents” conversations. These intellectually invigorating discussions feature varying religious and political perspectives to encourage greater understanding and civility.

Links

• Gaudium et Spes 22 - Larry Chapp's blog
• The Creed film series and Light from Light book by Bishop Barron

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we continue our discussion of a recent article by Tim Keller, the popular Protestant pastor, titled “The Fading of Forgiveness: Tracing the Disappearance of the Thing We Need Most.”

We previously explored why forgiveness has faded in our culture. Today, we focus on the path forward, how we can practice and encourage more forgiveness.

A listener asks, what is, for Bishop Barron, the most annoying passage in the Bible?

Links

• “The Creed” film and Light from Light book >> https://wordonfire.org/creed

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share the latest “Bishop Barron Presents” discussion, this one featuring American legal scholar, political philosopher, and public intellectual Robert George.

Robert and Bishop Barron discuss virtue, focusing on topics such as Natural law, the “woke” phenomena, how we can engrain virtue in our society today, and more.

Stay tuned for future “Bishop Barron Presents” conversations. These intellectually invigorating discussions feature varying religious and political perspectives to encourage greater understanding and civility.

Links

• The Creed film series and Light from Light book by Bishop Barron

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we discuss a recent article by Tim Keller, the popular Protestant pastor, titled “The Fading of Forgiveness: Tracing the Disappearance of the Thing We Need Most”. Why are people increasingly skeptical about forgiveness? Keller proposes two reasons: a therapeutic culture, and religion without grace. 

A listener asks, how did God create the universe if not from potentiality?

Links

• WOFI Faith & Science Summit >> https://wordonfire.institute/science

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share the latest “Bishop Barron Presents” discussion, this one with author Dr. Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen.

Jennifer and Bishop Barron discuss the history of ideas that shaped American culture, and her two books, American Nietzsche: A History of an Icon and His Ideas and The Ideas That Made America: A Brief History.

Stay tuned for future “Bishop Barron Presents” conversations. These intellectually invigorating discussions feature varying religious and political perspectives to encourage greater understanding and civility.

Links

• Jordan Peterson, God, and Christianity: The Search for a Meaningful Life by Christopher Kaczor and Matthew R. Petrusek

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share the latest “Bishop Barron Presents” discussion, featuring author and political science professor Dr. Jason Blakely. In Jason's conversation with Bishop Barron and Jared Zimmerer, he discussed topics found in his new book, We Built Reality: How Social Science Infiltrated Culture, Politics, and Power, including hermeneutics, economics, and more.

Stay tuned for future “Bishop Barron Presents” conversations. These intellectually invigorating discussions feature varying religious and political perspectives to encourage greater understanding and civility.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share in interview about Brandon Vogt’s new book Return: How to Draw Your Child Back to the Church, recently published by Word on Fire. The book is full of concrete advice and practical strategies to help draw any loved one back to the Church.

Return includes one of the best summations of why people dismiss the Church’s faith. He doesn’t cast aspersions or blame, and he avoids the scapegoating that marks some approaches to this problem.

Instead, he focuses on the solution, using a positive emphasis on what parents can say and do to respond to their child’s objections, rebuild relationships, and ultimately draw them back to the Church.

Return offers no magic-bullet guarantee that your loved one will come back. But you will find a complete game plan to create the best possible environment to reintroduce them to Christ and his Church. Learn more at https://wordonfire.org/return.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share the latest “Bishop Barron Presents” discussion, featuring literary and theological scholar Jessica Hooten Wilson. Jessica recently sat down with Bishop Barron and Jared Zimmerer to discuss caring for the soul through human formation, focusing on topics such as:

- The humanities within education
- Flannery O’Connor
- Dostoevsky
- Walker Percy

Stay tuned for future “Bishop Barron Presents” conversations. These intellectually invigorating discussions feature varying religious and political perspectives to encourage greater understanding and civility.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Is parenthood suffocating or liberating? Do children keep you from self-discovery, or can they facilitate you finding your identity? Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss those questions in light of two controversial articles about parenting, one in Time Magazine and another in the New York Times.

A listener asks, what does a priest go through that validates his authority for the sacraments?

Links

• Catholicism After Coronavirus: A Post-COVID Guide for Catholics and Parishes (free eBook)
• Time Magazine - “The Childfree Life” (Bishop Barron's commentary)
• New York Times - “I Became a Mother at 25, and I’m Not Sorry I Didn’t Wait”

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share the latest episode in our “Bishop Barron Presents” series, featuring editor and author Sohrab Ahmari. Bishop Barron sits down to discuss Sohrab's new book, The Unbroken Thread: Discovering the Wisdom of Tradition in an Age of Chaos. Sohrab named his son after St. Maximillian Kolbe, and the book originated in his hope to inculcate in his son the virtues and values that shaped this great saint. We also examine:

• The problem of “scientism”
• How Catholic morality can serve as a referee for society
• The paradox of freedom from restraint
• St. Thomas’ teaching on how our longings are satisfied in God
• The loss of Sabbath, leisure, and spiritual rituals
• How to avoid egocentric self-invention and instead accept an invitation to spiritual adventure

Stay tuned for future “Bishop Barron Presents” conversations. These intellectually invigorating discussions feature varying religious and political perspectives to encourage greater understanding and civility.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Bishop Barron recently joined Jordan Peterson for a second long discussion titled “Christianity and the Modern World,” which has been viewed over 780,000 times. On today's episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” we revisit and reflect on some of the key moments in the dialogue.

A listener asks, how can I answer my Protestant friend who claims that Catholics focus too much on Jesus' suffering and death, and not enough on his Resurrection?

More Jordan Peterson Resources >> https://wordonfire.org/peterson

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Bishop Barron recently delivered the commencement address to the graduating class at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. The entire point of a Catholic intellectual formation is to produce great souls. A great soul doesn’t invent her own values; rather, she intuits the marvelous intellectual, moral, and aesthetic values that are found in the objective order—and then she responds to them with her whole heart.

New book >> The Wisdom of the Word: Biblical Answers to Ten Pressing Questions About Catholicism

According to a recent Wall Street Journal headline, “Catholic Schools Are Losing Students at Record Rates, and Hundreds Are Closing.” Catholic schools peaked in the 1960s with about 5.5 million students in 11,000 schools. Today, Catholic schools boast only 1.6 million students in 5,900 schools. What explains this decline? And what can we do about it?

Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss the situation of Catholic schools, the purpose of Catholic education, and where Catholic schools should move in the future. 

A listener asks, how can we be better friends with our friends who are not Christian?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Bishop Barron recently visited the University of St. Thomas in Houston, where he had the great privilege of preaching at their baccalaureate Mass. In his homily, shared today on the podcast, he said we must remember that the primary purpose of a Catholic university is evangelization, the proclamation of the lordship of Jesus Christ. Therefore, education must equip and form graduates to sanctify the world, so that the light of Christ can be brought into workplaces, classrooms, and trades.

On today's episode, Brandon Vogt and I discuss my recent conversation with Alex O'Connor (aka @CosmicSkeptic), one of the most popular atheists in the world. We replay and unpack some of the most important clips from the dialogue. (Watch the full dialogue here.)

A listener who was raised Christian, but became atheist for many years, asks advice on re-engaging with Christianity.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share the second half of Bishop Barron's 2020 address at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, titled “Called Into the Depths.” He discussed three sailors from the Bible: the patriarch Noah, the prophet Jonah, and our Savior Jesus Christ.

The sea can be thought of as something frightening and terrifying, standing athwart the purposes of God with its unforgiving power and discouraging darkness. However, when we allow ourselves to be swallowed up by the Lord’s will, we will find a peace that is sure and unshakable, even in the midst of the worst storms.

Links

• Support the Word on Fire Bible project, and get a sneak peek at Volume II!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

A new Gallup survey found that the proportion of Americans who consider themselves members of a church, synagogue, or mosque has dropped below 50% for the first time in American history. In 1999, around 70% of Americans attended a church, synagogue, or mosque--today it's just 47%. Bishop Barron and Brandon discuss these results, what they mean, and why it matters whether someone belongs to a church. They also respond to commenters on Reddit who reveal why they stopped going to church and will never go back.

A listener asks, why doesn't the spiritual life get easier?

Links

• Support the Word on Fire Bible project

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share the first half of Bishop Barron's 2020 address at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, titled “Called Into the Depths.” He discussed three sailors from the Bible: the patriarch Noah, the prophet Jonah, and our Savior Jesus Christ.

The sea can be thought of as something frightening and terrifying, standing athwart the purposes of God with its unforgiving power and discouraging darkness. However, when we allow ourselves to be swallowed up by the Lord’s will, we will find a peace that is sure and unshakable, even in the midst of the worst storms.

Links

• Support the Word on Fire Bible project, and get a sneak peek at Volume II!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

The Word on Fire Bible series is one of the most ambitious and significant projects we’ve ever taken on. Listen as Bishop Barron and Brandon discuss where the idea came from and the future of the project. They also give you a sneak peek at Volume II of the series, which will cover Acts, Letters, and Revelation.

Support the Word on Fire Bible project and claim your copy of Volume II!

A listener asks, why doesn’t the spiritual life get easier?

Links

• The Pope Benedict XVI Reader
• Support the Word on Fire Bible project

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share Bishop Barron's talk at the 2021 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress titled “Catholics, Media Mobs, and the Culture of Contempt.” The talk focuses on how to address the swell of negative and nasty behavior we're seeing online, not just in general but especially among Catholics. 

Links

• The Pope Benedict XVI Reader from Word on Fire
• Support the Word on Fire Bible project, and get a sneak peek at Volume II!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

From politics to COVID, this past year has been filled with disagreement. That led Christian apologist Natasha Crain to write an article titled “Disagreement Fatigue and 2020: How the Events of the Year Will Shape Christian Interactions in 2021 and Beyond.”

Bishop Barron and Brandon discuss the article, focusing on three of Crain's predictions for 2021: more Christians will be hesitant to speak publicly about their faith, Christians will increasingly see apologetics as a contributor to (unhealthy) disagreement, and belief in a generic God will continue to be acceptable in culture, but belief in Jesus as God will become increasingly gauche.

A listener asks, what form was Jesus in before the incarnation?

Links

• The Rosary w/ Bishop Barron
• Word on Fire Vatican II Collection

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share Bishop Barron's talk from the FOCUS SEEK 2021 conference. The talk is titled “The Identity of Jesus” and explores how Christ had the authority to fulfill the Law of the Old Testament and bring about the will of God through the Church.

Links

• Support the Word on Fire Bible series!
• FOCUS

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

What is the “dark night of the soul”? How does it differ from general depression, sadness, or confusion? Bishop Barron and Brandon explore this spiritual concept from St. John of the Cross, and discuss a famous saint from recent times who experienced this “dark night” in a profound way.

A listener asks, does God have a sense of humor? If so, is it objective so that everyone should find it funny?

Links

• The Rosary w/ Bishop Barron
• Word on Fire Vatican II Collection

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share the second half of Bishop Baron's talk titled "Knocking Holes in the Buffered Self: Approaches to the Question of God." (Click here to listen to the first half.) He gave the talk at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary as part of their Kenrick Lecture series.

Many—especially the young—in today’s time have absented themselves from the practice of faith. Our culture and time is anomalous in the extreme, in that it’s the first ever to widely entertain God’s nonexistence. Christians, at least in the West, are facing a practically unprecedented crisis of disaffiliation. But there are paths out of the cave, and that's what Bishop Barron reveals.

Word on Fire Vatican II Collection: https://wordonfire.org/vatican2

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Parts of the Old Testament depict God commanding the Israelites to massacre entire populations—every man, woman, child, and animal. How should Christians make sense of these passages? They seem to present God as angry, vindictive, and genocidal, contradicting the New Testament presentation of God as loving and merciful. That’s what Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss in today’s episode.

A listener asks, what are your thoughts on Carl Jung? What do you agree with and disagree with?

LINKS

• Word on Fire Vatican II Collection
• The Rosary with Bishop Robert Barron

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share the first half of Bishop Baron's talk titled "Knocking Holes in the Buffered Self: Approaches to the Question of God." He gave the talk at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary as part of their Kenrick Lecture series.

Many—especially the young—in today’s time have absented themselves from the practice of faith. Our culture and time is anomalous in the extreme, in that it’s the first ever to widely entertain God’s nonexistence. Christians, at least in the West, are facing a practically unprecedented crisis of disaffiliation. But there are paths out of the cave, and that's what Bishop Barron reveals.

Word on Fire Vatican II Collection: https://wordonfire.org/vatican2

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade's spiritual classic, Abandonment to Divine Providence, taught that everything falls under God's will, from our delights to our challenges, and our happiness will only be fully realized in cooperating with that will. But does this include painful and traumatic experiences? What about COVID? Bishop Barron and Brandon discuss these questions as well as a priest, Fr. Walter Ciszek, who heroically embodied this spiritual principle.

A listener asks, if all of us were like Jesus, wouldn't the world be really boring?

LINKS

• The Rosary with Bishop Robert Barron
• Abandonment to Divine Providence by Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade
• With God in Russia by Fr. Walter Ciszek
• He Leadeth Me by Fr. Walter Ciszek

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Bishop Barron recently joined students from Princeton University in a virtual Q&A about God, faith, reason, and evangelization. The event was led by Leah Libresco Sargeant, a fellow of the Word on Fire Institute, and graciously hosted by The Aquinas Institute at Princeton’s Catholic Campus Ministry. Today on the podcast, we share the second half of the Q&A (click here to listen to the first half.)

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Why do so many young people drift away from God and the Church, and how can we help them return? This is a pressing question for all Catholics, but especially for parents who are brokenhearted about their own sons or daughters who have become unaffiliated.

In today's episode, Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss Brandon's new book, just published by Word on Fire, titled Return: How to Draw Your Child Back to the Church, which provides a game plan for parents hoping to see their loved ones come back to the faith.

A listener asks, what is the promise that God gives us if we keep His commandments? Eternal life, or something else? And what, exactly, is eternal life?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Bishop Barron recently joined students from Princeton University in a virtual Q&A about God, faith, reason, and evangelization. The event was led by Leah Libresco Sargeant, a fellow of the Word on Fire Institute, and graciously hosted by The Aquinas Institute at Princeton’s Catholic Campus Ministry. Today on the podcast, we share the first half of the Q&A.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today, Bishop Barron answers questions from children all over the world, including:

• Is God bigger than an elephant?
• Why did God make bad germs?
• How did God come to exist?
• How can God see us from up in heaven if we can't see him?
• Do you think animals go to Heaven?
• Why do bad things happen?
• If God knows everything, did he make my thoughts?
• Why did God not give the 10 commandments to Adam and Eve?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

It's commonly assumed that J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, was an arch-conservative, a backward-looking person, and that he valued nothing that smacked of the modern day. But in a groundbreaking new book titled Tolkien's Modern Reading: Middle-earth Beyond the Middle Ages, the first in our Word on Fire Academic line of titles, Dr. Holly Ordway reveals that Tolkien was a much broader reader than previously believed. He was quite familiar with contemporary writers and books, and those modern sources significantly shaped his Middle-earth stories.

Today, Brandon Vogt interviews Holly about her new book and some of the modern writers Tolkien enjoyed.

Pick up your copy of Tolkien's Modern Reading: Middle-earth Beyond the Middle Ages at wordonfire.org/tolkien.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

According to YouVersion, the popular Bible app, 2020’s most-read Bible verse was Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Bishop Barron discusses this verse, the Bible's repeated encouragement not to be afraid, and how we can overcome our fears of sickness, loss, and death.

A listener asks, was Jesus subject to things like doubt and ignorance?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Listen to this sample lesson from Fr. Paul Murray's new course inside the Word on Fire Institute titled “Prayer, Beauty, Mission: The Hidden Springs of the New Evangelization.” The spiritual life is typically understood to begin in ascent. However, in Christianity it begins with descent, namely the descent of God. As 1 John 4:10 says, God has loved us first. In this lesson, Fr. Paul Murray explores the significance of such a beginning.

Join the Institute and listen to the rest of the course! >> https://wordonfire.institute

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

As 2020 winds to a close, Bishop Barron reflects back on his five most popular YouTube videos of the decade. He and Brandon Vogt discuss why these videos, in particular, resonated with so many people.

A listener asks, if Jesus already did what he came to do, and Satan realized he was beat, why wasn't that the end of the story? What are we still doing here?

Links

• Bishop Barron on The Devil (July 2012)
• Bishop Barron on Gay Marriage & the Breakdown of Moral Argument (April 2013)
• Bishop Barron on The Holy Spirit (May 2012)
• Bishop Barron on Whether Hell is Crowded or Empty (March 2011)
  
  • "Dare We Hope FAQ" - https://wordonfire.org/hope
• Bishop Barron on the Jordan Peterson Phenomenon (March 2018)

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Listen as Fr. Steve Grunow, CEO of Word on Fire, speaks to a group of young Jesuits about the perils of artificial intelligence and the online world.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

A hit Netflix documentary, “The Social Dilemma,” is a film about the dark side of social media explained by the Silicon Valley innovators behind it. Bishop Barron discusses some of the film's insights and offers a Catholic perspective on social media, technology, and their addictive qualities.

A listener asks, if Joseph descended from David, but is not Jesus' biological father, how is Jesus considered to be related to David?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today, we share the second half of Bishop Barron's recent discussion with Dave Rubin on the topic "Has Liberalism Failed?" (Click here to listen to the first half.) It's part of the "Bishop Barron Presents" series of conversations with various thinkers and cultural influencers.

In this discussion, Bishop Barron and Dave uncover the underlying issues fueling today’s partisan politics and the culture of contempt. Further, they discuss how to engage in constructive dialogue for the sake of the common good.

To listen to the full conversation, and gain access to dozens of courses, films, and other resources, become part of the Word on Fire Institute.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

There seems to be a growing sentiment, both within the Church and the wider culture, that if you share a public conversation with someone, or say something nice about one particular aspect of their work, you’re necessarily endorsing everything they’ve ever said or done and can therefore be easily dismissed, a fallacy known as "guilt by association."

Bishop Barron discusses this problem, how it undermines evangelization, and why he chooses to engage people from across the religious and cultural spectrum.

A listener asks, how do you respond to people who discredit Catholicism based on the sex abuse scandals?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today, we share the first half of Bishop Barron's recent discussion with Dave Rubin on the topic "Has Liberalism Failed?" It's part of the "Bishop Barron Presents" series of conversations with various thinkers and cultural influencers.

In this discussion, Bishop Barron and Dave uncover the underlying issues fueling today’s partisan politics and the culture of contempt. Further, they discuss how to engage in constructive dialogue for the sake of the common good.

To listen to the full conversation, and gain access to dozens of courses, films, and other resources, become part of the Word on Fire Institute.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today, we look at Bishop Barron's favorite books of all time, from theology to poetry, fiction to stage plays. Download a full PDF guide to his favorite books at wordonfireshow.com/books.

A listener asks about Thomas Aquinas' views on women.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we hear the second half of Bishop Barron's recent talk to the Knights of Malta, in which he explains that behind much of the rioting and deep unrest in our country stand ideas stemming from four influential thinkers: Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Michel Foucault. Once we understand some of their most basic ideas, we will recognize their influence everywhere today.

(If you missed the first half of the talk, click here to listen.)

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In this bonus “Word on Fire Show” episode, Bishop Barron discusses the long-awaited “McCarrick Report” (PDF), which the Holy See just released on Tuesday, November 10. This long and exhaustive report, spanning over 450 pages, shares the results of a two-year investigation into former-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, exploring how he rose through the ranks of the Catholic hierarchy despite years of sexual abuse and cover up. Bishop Barron shares his thoughts, impressions, and offers a way forward through this awful crisis.

Links

• Bishop Barron resources on sexual abuse crisis: https://www.wordonfire.org/sexual-abuse

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

A new survey from Ligonier Ministries titled “The State of Theology” revealed lots of interesting things. But one finding that stood out, and generated lots of headlines, was that most Christians believe about Jesus. Nearly 70% of Catholics believe “Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God,” while 57% of Catholics believe “Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God.” Bishop Barron and Brandon discuss this survey and the ancient heresy these statements reflect.

A listener asks if confirmation is supposed to make us fiery defenders of the faith, then why do some Protestants seem to have more fire for the faith, even without this sacrament?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In a recent talk given to the Knights of Malta, Bishop Barron addressed this convulsive time in our national history, demonstrated by the global pandemic, unstable politics, and outbursts of violence. What he shows is that behind much of the rioting and deep unrest stand ideas stemming from four influential thinkers: Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Michel Foucault. Once we understand some of their most basic ideas, we will recognize their influence everywhere today.

In today's episode, we share the first half of the talk (the second half will be coming soon).

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today, Bishop Barron answers questions from children all over the world, including:

• If God is the most powerful being, how isn’t he corrupt?
• How can God answer all our prayers at once?
• Did God like us better when we were cavemen?
• If Jesus walks on earth why can’t we see him?
• Can Jesus come to us in dreams and bring messages to us?
• Does God love the Devil?
• Why did God make wasps and bees?
• Does God like sports?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In this special episode, Word on Fire's John Barron interviews the design team responsible for the mesmerizing Word on Fire Bible, including Rozann Lee, Michael Stevens, and Nic Fredrickson. Listen as they share the story behind its creation and the workings of Providence that made it happen.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

With the presidential election around the corner, Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt consider principles that should inform our voting decisions. They also discuss a recent Pew Research Center report titled “8 facts about Catholics and politics in the U.S” and explore the voting guidance provided by the U.S. bishops through their document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.

A listener asks, what can a person of faith do that an atheist can’t do?

Listen to this sample lesson from Dr. Anthony Pagliarini's course for the Word on Fire Institute titled “How Nones Can Misread the Bible.” To access the other six lessons in this course, join the Word on Fire Institute today. You'll also receive a copy of Bishop Barron's new book, the latest issue of the Evangelization & Culture Journal, and immediate access to all of Bishop Barron's films and study programs!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

What is postmodernism? What gave rise to it, what are its main characteristics, and how should Catholics assess it? In this episode, Bishop Barron and Brandon discuss the postmodern turn and its results.

A listener asks, is it impossible for some people to believe in God?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Listen to the second part of this sample lesson from Bishop Barron's study program, "Untold Blessing," which explores the three paths of holiness. This is from the third path, knowing that your life is not about you. Enjoy! (Want access to the rest of the talks in this study program? Join the Word on Fire Institute today and get immediate access to all of Bishop Barron's films and study programs!)

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In his wildly popular book, A Manual for Creating Atheists, Peter Boghossian, a philosophy professor at Portland State University, outlines his process of “street epistemology,” which is intended to be a process of anti-evangelization, or talking people out of their religious faith. Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss this method of “street epistemology” and whether it's a good approach for religious dialogue. 

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Listen to this sample lesson from Bishop Barron's classic study program, "Untold Blessing," which explores the three paths of holiness. Today, we'll hear the first half of Bishop Barron's reflections on the third path, knowing that your life is not about you. Enjoy!

(Want access to the rest of the talks in this study program? Join the Word on Fire Institute today and get immediate access to all of Bishop Barron's films and study programs!)

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today, Bishop Barron answers questions from several non-Catholics, including:

• How to foster unity between Protestants and Catholics?
• Why focus on Mary and the saints instead of the Trinity?
• I'm converting to Catholicism, but how will that affect my wife?
• Why doesn't the Church canonize non-Catholics?
• How to recognize genuine spiritual movements of the soul?
• What is apostolic succession?
• Why must bread and wine be used in the Eucharist?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Listen to this sample lesson from Bishop Barron’s course inside the Word on Fire Institute on “The Theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar.” Then join the Word on Fire Institute to get access to all twelves lessons in the course (along with all of Bishop Barron’s films and study programs!)

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Our culture holds many different concepts of morality. In this episode, Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss three major theories–consequentialism, deontology/legalism, and virtue ethics–and how compatible each is with Catholicism.

A listener asks about the Word on Fire strategy for discipleship after we evangelize someone.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Listen to this sample lesson from Bishop Barron's film and study program "Eucharist," and then get access to the full study program by joining the Word on Fire Institute.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

It's an exciting day as we celebrate the launch of Bishop Barron's newest book, Renewing Our Hope: Essays for the New Evangelization (CUA Press). The book pulls together 17 academic essays, talks, and papers that Bishop has composed over the past few years, and covers everything from evangelization, to theology, philosophy, the sex abuse crisis, the priesthood, relativism, liberalism, and even contemporary movies. Brandon and Bishop discuss the book in today's episode.

A listener asks how to dialogue with those who believe that Jesus is just one of many incarnations of God.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

How do we share the Faith in a culture where many people don’t understand what we mean by words like "sin" or "salvation"—and where the media constantly bombards us with the idea that the teachings of the Church are irrelevant, outdated, or bigoted?

All too often, people aren’t even interested in hearing about the Faith! Especially when we seek to reach young people or bring back those who have left the Church, we must find ways to communicate more effectively—in short, to make our arguments meaningful. Here, the imagination is essential, but often neglected.

In this sample lesson from her Word on Fire Institute course, Dr. Holly Ordway focuses on the role of the imagination in apologetics, showing how attention to language and meaning can make the work of catechesis and evangelization much more effective.

Want access to the rest of the course? Join the Word on Fire Institute today!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Last month, Jon Steingard, frontman of the Christian rock group Hawk Nelson, revealed that “he no longer believes in God” after spending his life as a devout Christian. His prominent de-conversion was profiled by The TODAY Show, People Magazine, NPR, and numerous other outlets. In today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt explore the reasons Jon Steingard gave to explain why he lost his faith.

A listener asks how to explain to a “none” the role of the Church’s magisterium.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

The narrative that science and Christianity are enemies is false. Not only are they not enemies but Christianity helped science develop beyond the limits imposed on it by ancient cosmologies. In this sample lesson from her Word on Fire Institute course titled "Science for Evangelists," Dr. Trasancos introduces us to the basics of science and why there is no real conflict between science and Christianity.

Want access to the rest of the course? Join the Word on Fire Institute today!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In today’s episode, Bishop Barron fields questions from people all over the world, including:

• How do we reconcile love as willing the good of the other with more exclusive love, such as the love between a husband and wife?
• Some Protestant theologians say that John 6 is not talking about transubstantiation because this dialogue took place before the institution of the Eucharist. What do you think?
• What does the Catholic Church say about predestination and free will?
• Why does God need to be worshipped and glorified, and need sacrifices? On human terms, this sounds like his love is conditional and he is insecure.
• Can dogma be changed or overthrown?
• Was Jesus a socialist?
• What are the essential qualities/qualifications needed for evangelism? Degrees or degree program recommendations?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we share a sample lesson from Fr. Stephen Gadberry’s course inside the Word on Fire Institute titled “The People You Will Meet.” Knowing your audience is very important in effective evangelization. In this course, Fr. Gadberry distinguishes the different types of people you will likely meet. His advice is based on years of experience as a Catholic priest engaging people about the faith. 

If you enjoyed this sample lesson from his course, you can enjoy the rest of them by signing up for the Word on Fire Institute!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

We’re all hyper-distracted, pulled in so many directions from our phones, to TV, to social media. We’re plagued by notifications, texts, pings, and alerts. Why do we put up with all these distractions? How can we avoid them? Bishop Barron shares how to fight back and find pleasure in “useless things.”

A listener asks how to prove there’s a transcendent dimension if it’s not mathematically or scientifically provable.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

NOTE: Due to enormous demand, the leather edition of The Word on Fire Bible: The Gospels ($59) and the Evangelization Pack (1 Leather + 4 Paperbacks for $99) are both out of stock. Both should be available to order again in September when the second printing is complete.

Today marks the launch of the long-anticipated Word on Fire Bible! Learn more about this project, which has been four years in the making. Discover what makes The Word on Fire Bible unique, how we chose the translation, and why its captivating beauty and insights can lure even nonbelievers to pick up the Scriptures.

A listener asks why Jesus waited until age thirty to begin his public ministry.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

If you aren't familiar with the sweeping story of salvation, the "theo-drama," you won't fully grasp any particular part of the story. Today, Bishop Barron unveils the five acts of the biblical drama: Creation, the Fall, the formation of Israel, Jesus Christ, and the Church.

A listener asks for some recommended biographies on the life of St. Thomas Aquinas.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Kids ask the best questions, and today Bishop Barron responds to many from around the world:

• Why did Jesus die on the cross rather than some other death?
• Why did God make other planets that people can’t live on?
• Where does God sleep?
• Will you have friendships in Heaven and will they be the same as friendships on Earth
• If God can do anything, can he make a mistake?
• Is an angel a spirit or soul? Also, could there be two Supreme Beings?
• Why did God allow the Devil to exist?
• What is the point of people? Why did God decide to create us?

Links

• The Sacraments film series

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

An article by the Protestant pastor Timothy Keller offers “6 Principles for How to Argue When You Disagree.” Bishop Barron and Brandon walk through the article and discuss how we can have better conversations with people who hold very different views than us.

A listener asks if, as a priest, Bishop Barron ever gets bored at prayer.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

One day in 1961, the famous physicist Richard Feynman stepped in front of a Caltech lecture hall and posed this question to a group of undergraduate students: “If, in some cataclysm, all of scientific knowledge were to be destroyed, and only one sentence was passed on to the next generation of creatures, what statement would contain the most information in the fewest words?”

In today’s episode we apply that same thought experiment to some of the greatest thinkers and saints from our tradition. What one sentence would encapsulate their thought? We look at Moses, Jesus, Paul, Augustine, Aquinas, Merton, and even Bishop Barron’s own “cataclysm sentence”!

A listener asks whether God made a mistake in creating humans.

Links

• Watch “Sacraments” film
• Radio Lab episode – “The Cataclysm Sentence”

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

A recent New York Times story claimed to reveal “Why the Big Bang Produced Something Rather Than Nothing.” Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss the article and whether science is capable of answering this classic philosophical question.

A listener asks about the fear of God, and whether it’s appropriate since God is all loving.

Links

• “Why the Big Bang Produced Something Rather Than Nothing” (New York Times)
• Word on Fire Bible

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

What are the basics we should know about the Holy Spirit? Who is he? And why is the Holy Spirit even necessary? Why not just God the Father and God the Son? In today's episode Bishop Barron reflects on the Holy Spirit and explains how to grow closer to him and receive all his gifts.

A listener asks, what type of items would belong in a home devotional corner?

Links

• Saint Catherine of Siena by Fr. Paul Murray, OP

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In a recent article for The Atlantic, David Brooks claims “The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake.” He contends that the model of a married couple with 2.5 kids was an anomaly in the 1950s and 1960s, and that this nuclear family model is no longer working for many Americans, especially those who are less privileged. To address this family crisis, Brooks argues we need to break out of the nuclear-family-is-best mindset and “thicken and broaden” family relationships by incorporating extended families and “families of choice” (e.g., friends, co-religionists, and other voluntary groups living together) as better ways to raise children.

Bishop Barron offers his thoughts on the article and how they compare with Catholic social teaching on the family.

A listener asks how to define beauty prove that it’s objective?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Jesus has naturally been a key person of interest for Western thought, but over the last few hundred years, there have been some major shifts in what scholars describe as the “quest for the historical Jesus.”

Bishop Barron provides an overview of these developments and the problematic attempt to separate the “Jesus of history” from the “Christ of Faith.”

A listener asks what Bishop Barron would say about Jesus walking on water.

Links

• The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians by N.T. Wright
• Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration by Pope Benedict XVI
• Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week by Pope Benedict XVI
• Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives by Pope Benedict XVI

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Alleluia! We've just entered into the joyous season of Easter, where we celebrate the Lord's Resurrection, but what does it mean to say that Jesus is risen from the dead? That's what Bishop Barron answers in today's episode.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

On this Good Friday, we share Bishop Barron's “Tre Ore” reflections, which Cardinal Dolan invited him to deliver in 2012 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (New York, NY).

The “Tre Ore,” or Three Hours’ Agony, is a liturgical service held on Good Friday from noon until three o'clock to commemorate the Passion of Christ, and includes a series of homilies on the seven last words spoken by Christ. Bishop's seven reflections last around 90 minutes, so we encourage you to listen to them sometime today.

• 1:24 - Introduction
• 5:31 - First Word ("Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.")
• 18:11 - Second Word ("Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.")
• 34:08 - Third Word ("Woman, behold your son... Behold your mother.")
• 46:36 - Fourth Word ("My God, my God, why have your forsaken me?")
• 1:02:49 - Fifth Word ("I thirst.")
• 1:12:43 - Sixth Word ("Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.")
• 1:20:44 - Seventh Word ("It is finished.")
• 1:28:10 - Conclusion

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

As Holy Week begins, listen to Bishop Barron’s reflections on the 14 Stations of the Cross. Stream it all at once, or throughout the week, as we approach the memorial of Christ’s Passion.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Bishop Barron answers questions from non-Catholics around the world, including:

• If we are beloved children of God, how could he banish anyone to an eternity of Hell?
• Why do priests have to be celibate?
• What's the difference between the Jewish Bible, Catholic Bible, and the Koran?
• How do we read similarities between the Virgin birth and similar stories found in other myths/religions?
• Why do Catholics need to confess their sins to a priest, and not directly to God?
• Why is the Church so obsessed with sexual issues but not other sins, such as gluttony?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Friends, the coronavirus outbreak has left countless people all over the world asking themselves: Why is God allowing this to happen? How do we respond? And where can we find hope? In this bonus episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” we discuss these and other questions, exploring the ancient problem of evil, the impact of the virus on Catholic sacramental life, and other spiritual dimensions and effects of this crisis. Please listen and share!

In last week's episode, we shared the first half of Bishop Barron's talk on “The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.” It focused on the Biblical and patristic basis for the doctrine. This week, we hear the second half of his talk which looks at the Eucharistic theology of Thomas Aquinas, the Council of Trent, and a letter on the Eucharist from Pope Paul VI. Enjoy!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

As a result of the coronavirus outbreak, Catholic dioceses throughout the United States have now suspended public Masses.

We know this is heartbreaking. The Catechism affirms that "the Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day and his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life"—making this a particularly difficult day in an already difficult time.

For this reason, we would like to invite you to join Bishop Barron online for Mass each day at 8:15am ET from his chapel in Santa Barbara:

https://wordonfireshow.com/mass

Whether you live alone or with family, you will still be gathering with Catholics around the world to worship God, keep his day holy, and receive the grace of an act of spiritual communion (a prayer for this will be provided on screen).

We will continue to offer these daily online Masses for the foreseeable future, so please join us each day, or as often as you can.

And please continue to pray for all those impacted by the coronavirus.

God bless you all!

The fathers of the Second Vatican Council referred to the Eucharist as the source and summit of the Christian life, that from which authentic Christianity flows and that toward which it tends. Yet a recent Pew Forum study found that only 30% of church-going Catholics believe what the Church teaches about the Eucharist, that under the forms of bread and wine, Christ is really present in the sacrament.

That alarming statistic is why Bishop Barron devoted an hour-long keynote address to the topic at the 2020 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. Today we share the first half of his talk, which looks at the Biblical and patristic basis for the doctrine of the Real Presence, and next week we'll share the second half. Enjoy!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Gnosticism was one of the earliest heresies of the Church, and it remains among the most enduring. With an emphasis on special knowledge acquired only by a small group of enlightened elites, as well as a sharp division between spirit and matter, with spiritual things being good and material things being evil, Gnosticism still thrives today everywhere from crack conspiracy theories to Hollywood movies to our culture of self-invention. Bishop Barron discusses Gnosticism and why it ultimately fails to satisfy.

A listener asks Bishop to help her understand the resurrection of the body.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Just recently, Catholics were devastated to learn of another case of sexual abuse, this time involving Jean Vanier, the esteemed founder of L’Arche and a man once considered to be a living saint. Vanier, who passed away last year, was accused of sexually assaulting six women in France, using his religious position to abuse and manipulate them. How do we make sense of all this? How can a man who produced enormous good fruit fail so abysmally? And how should Catholics respond to this sort of abuse, and prevent it from happening again? Bishop Barron offers advice on all these questions and more.

A listener asks how energetic young people, passionate about apologetics and evangelization, can take their study to the next level.

Links

• Word on Fire Institute
• Centered: The Spirituality of Word on Fire

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

With the beginning of Lent right around the corner, Bishop Barron talks about this ancient period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in preparation for Easter, and offer several recommendations on how to have a more spiritually powerful Lent.

A listener asks: If God made us in his image, and the family is composed of a husband, wife and children, then is there a motherly dimension in God?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Links

• Free Daily Lent Reflections from Bishop Barron
• ENGAGE program, free for Lent

Stoicism is experiencing a cultural moment, especially among Millennial techies. What is this ancient school of philosophy? Why is it experiencing a revival? And how does it compare to Christianity? Bishop Barron discusses all that and more in today's episode of the "Word on Fire Show."

A listener asks if the word “holy” means set apart for a particular purpose, what exactly does it mean when we say God himself is holy?

Links/Books

• The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
• Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
• The Porch and the Cross by Dr. Kevin Vost

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

How did Bishop Barron get drawn into the life of the mind? What are his reading and writing habits like? In this episode, he discusses the intellectual life and gives advice to aspiring intellectuals.

A listener asks which literature books Bishop would recommend for a Catholic high school English class.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In today’s episode, Bishop Barron fields questions from people all over the world, including:

• How do I evangelize in remote areas where people are simple, and can’t even read the Bible, without dumbing down the message?
• What’s the Catholic response to worry and anxiety?
• Was Purgatory divinely revealed or just a human invention?
• How to evangelize young people about hot-button issues without sounding preachy and condemnatory?
• When praying, should we always go to God with requests or can we sometimes just praise him?
• How can God be outside the universe but still have an effect on it?
• Can you talk about Rabbi Wolpe’s argument against the Trinity, that if God is perfect, how could there be three persons in the Trinity?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

The hit movie 1917 vividly depicts the horrors of World War I, including its great spiritual peril. In this episode, Bishop Barron reflects on the Great War, discussing its impact on twentieth-century theology and philosophy, the Pope, and the Catholic Church’s relationship to the world.

A listener asks why Jesus chose to live a quiet, mostly obscure life.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today, we share a sample lesson from a course inside our Word on Fire Institute on “Reaching the Different.” The course is taught by Dr. Matt Nelson and teaches how to evangelize friends and family who are apathetic about God and don't care about religion. To get the rest of the course, along with 10 other full courses and all sorts of bonuses, join the Institute at https://wordonfire.institute.

In this third and final part of our series on the Church Fathers (listen to Part 1 and Part 2), Bishop Barron examines four influential Fathers from the post-Nicene period:

• John Chrysostom (349 – 407)
• Jerome (347 – 420)
• Augustine (354 – 430)
• Gregory the Great (540 – 604)

A listener asks whether to pray for people who are sick or simply accept pain and suffering as part of God’s plan.

Links + Book Recommendations

• Websites
  • ChurchFathers.org
  • Church Father writings online (New Advent)
• Church Father books mentioned
  • Clement (35 – 99)
    • Letter to the Corinthians
  • Ignatius (35 – 108)
    • Epistles of Ignatius
  • Polycarp (69 – 155)
    • The Martyrdom of Polycarp
  • Justin Martyr (100 – 165)
    • First and Second Apologies
  • Irenaeus (130 – 202)
    • Adversus Haereses (Against the Heresies)
  • Origen (184 – 253)
    • De Principiis (On First Principles)
    • Biblical Commentaries
  • Athanasius (292 – 373)
    • On the Incarnation of the Word
  • Gregory of Nyssa (335 – 395)
    • Life of Moses
  • John Chrysostom (349 – 407)
    • On Wealth and Poverty
    • On Marriage and Family Life
  • Jerome (347 – 420)
    • Letters
  • Augustine (354 – 430)
    • Confessions (Word on Fire Classics edition)
    • De Civitate Dei (The City of God)
    • De Trinitate (On the Trinity)
  • Gregory the Great (540 – 604)
    • Pastoral Rule
• Church Father collections
  • Early Christian Writings: The Apostolic Fathers
  • Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Series
  • Faith of the Early Fathers: Three-Volume Set by William Jurgens
• Church Father commentaries/introductions
  • The Fathers of the Church by Mike Aquilina
  • The Fathers (Volume 1) by Pope Benedict XVI
  • The Fathers (Volume 2) by Pope Benedict XVI
  • The Fathers Know Best: Your Essential Guide to the Teachings of the Early Church by Jimmy Akin
  • Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words by Rod Bennett
  • When the Church Was Young by Marcellino D’Ambrosio

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In this second part of our series on the Church Fathers (listen to Part 1), Bishop Barron takes a look at some important Church Fathers from the pre-Nicene and Nicene periods, including:

• Justin Martyr (100 – 165)
• Irenaeus (130 – 202)
• Origen (184 – 253)
• Athanasius (292 – 373)
• Gregory of Nyssa (335 – 395)

A listener asks how we can understand Purgatory and Heaven in relation to time.

Links + Book Recommendations

• Websites
  • ChurchFathers.org
  • Church Father writings online (New Advent)
• Church Father books mentioned
  • Clement (35 – 99)
    • Letter to the Corinthians
  • Ignatius (35 – 108)
    • Epistles of Ignatius
  • Polycarp (69 – 155)
    • The Martyrdom of Polycarp
  • Justin Martyr (100 – 165)
    • First and Second Apologies
  • Irenaeus (130 – 202)
    • Adversus Haereses (Against the Heresies)
  • Origen (184 – 253)
    • De Principiis (On First Principles)
    • Biblical Commentaries
  • Athanasius (292 – 373)
    • On the Incarnation of the Word
  • Gregory of Nyssa (335 – 395)
    • Life of Moses
  • John Chrysostom (349 – 407)
    • On Wealth and Poverty
    • On Marriage and Family Life
  • Jerome (347 – 420)
    • Letters
  • Augustine (354 – 430)
    • Confessions (Word on Fire Classics edition)
    • De Civitate Dei (The City of God)
    • De Trinitate (On the Trinity)
  • Gregory the Great (540 – 604)
    • Pastoral Rule
• Church Father collections
  • Early Christian Writings: The Apostolic Fathers
  • Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Series
  • Faith of the Early Fathers: Three-Volume Set by William Jurgens
• Church Father commentaries/introductions
  • The Fathers of the Church by Mike Aquilina
  • The Fathers (Volume 1) by Pope Benedict XVI
  • The Fathers (Volume 2) by Pope Benedict XVI
  • The Fathers Know Best: Your Essential Guide to the Teachings of the Early Church by Jimmy Akin
  • Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words by Rod Bennett
  • When the Church Was Young by Marcellino D’Ambrosio

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

With the new year coming up, many of us will make resolutions. Some of us will pledge to exercise more, lose weight, or pick up new habits. But what spiritual resolutions should we make for 2020? In this short episode, Bishop Barron offers three suggestions.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

How many Christmas cards and nativity scenes have you seen presenting the baby Jesus as soft and saccharine? Well, that’s not how the Bible describes him. There, Jesus is presented as a warrior king, who came with a heavenly army to battle against the dark powers of the world.

In this episode, excerpted from Bishop Barron’s CATHOLICISM film series, discover the real meaning of Christmas, and the extraordinary infant king at its center.

Click here to watch the video version of this episode!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Who were the Church Fathers, and why do they still matter today? Bishop Barron introduces these spiritual masters and shares their key contributions. In the first episode of our three-part series, he also discusses the three main Apostolic Fathers:

• Clement (35 – 99)
• Ignatius (35 – 108)
• Polycarp (69 – 155)

A listener asks about the difference between faith and hope.

Links + Book Recommendations

• Websites
  • ChurchFathers.org
  • Church Father writings online (New Advent)
• Church Father books mentioned
  • Clement (35 – 99)
    • Letter to the Corinthians
  • Ignatius (35 – 108)
    • Epistles of Ignatius
  • Polycarp (69 – 155)
    • The Martyrdom of Polycarp
  • Justin Martyr (100 – 165)
    • First and Second Apologies
  • Irenaeus (130 – 202)
    • Adversus Haereses (Against the Heresies)
  • Origen (184 – 253)
    • De Principiis (On First Principles)
    • Biblical Commentaries
  • Athanasius (292 – 373)
    • On the Incarnation of the Word
  • Gregory of Nyssa (335 – 395)
    • Life of Moses
  • John Chrysostom (349 – 407)
    • On Wealth and Poverty
    • On Marriage and Family Life
  • Jerome (347 – 420)
    • Letters
  • Augustine (354 – 430)
    • Confessions (Word on Fire Classics edition)
    • De Civitate Dei (The City of God)
    • De Trinitate (On the Trinity)
  • Gregory the Great (540 – 604)
    • Pastoral Rule
• Church Father collections
  • Early Christian Writings: The Apostolic Fathers
  • Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Series
  • Faith of the Early Fathers: Three-Volume Set by William Jurgens
• Church Father commentaries/introductions
  • The Fathers of the Church by Mike Aquilina
  • The Fathers (Volume 1) by Pope Benedict XVI
  • The Fathers (Volume 2) by Pope Benedict XVI
  • The Fathers Know Best: Your Essential Guide to the Teachings of the Early Church by Jimmy Akin
  • Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words by Rod Bennett
  • When the Church Was Young by Marcellino D’Ambrosio

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

At the recent USCCB meeting, Bishop Barron gave a presentation to all the American bishops in which he offered five ways to draw young people back to God. Today, we discuss each way.

A listener asks which books Bishop Barron would recommend to counter his biology teacher who tells him to read Bertrand Russell and Christopher Hitchens.

Links + Book Recommendations

• Bishop Barron’s USCCB presentation on “Reaching Out to the Religiously Unaffiliated” (YouTube)
• William Lane Craig vs. Christopher Hitchens debate (YouTube)
• StrangeNotions.com
• “20 Arguments for God’s Existence” by Peter Kreeft
• The Last Superstition: A Refutation of the New Atheism by Edward Feser
• Aquinas: A Beginner’s Guide by Edward Feser
• On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision by William Lane Craig
• Answering Atheism: How to Make the Case for God with Logic and Charity by Trent Horn

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Should theology be a core subject studied in universities? John Henry Newman certainly thought so. Today, we share a sample lesson from Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire Institute course on Newman, titled “The Queen of the Sciences.” It focuses on Newman’s book, Idea of a University, and his comments on the role of religion in the circle of university disciplines.

Join the Word on Fire Institute today and get access to all 12 lessons in Bishop Barron’s course on Newman.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

The first words out of Jesus’ mouth—and the central theme of his preaching—concerned the Kingdom of God. As we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, Bishop Barron explores three dimensions of his unique kingship.

A listener asks if God is love, and love is an act of the will, is God reducible to will?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

This week, Bishop Barron answers questions from listeners all over the world. These include:

• If animals have distinct personalities, then why does the Church teach they don’t have souls?
• What is being conveyed by identifying Jesus as the New Adam and Mary as the New Eve?
• Do you believe we have a predestined “purpose”?
• What can we say about the love of God to someone who has lost an infant to disease, or a parent to suicide?
• If evil is a privation of good (non-being), how can demons be pure non-being?
• Why do some people say, after they die, they wish to see God “face to face”? What does this mean?
• Does the Incarnation bring about the fulfillment of nature, or is Jesus’ divinity something supernaturally added to an already-complete human nature?

If you have a question, be sure to send it in via AskBishopBarron.com.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

What did St. Ignatius mean when he counseled followers to “discern the spirits”? How do we do this? Bishop Barron unpacks the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and offers practical tips on how to discern God’s will in your life.

A listener asks how to discern whether God is calling him to marriage or the priesthood.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

oday we discuss the second half of Joe Rogan’s interview with atheist Richard Dawkins about Dawkins’ new book, Outgrowing God: A Beginner’s Guide. (If you missed the first half, check out last week’s episode!)

A listener asks whether Bishop Barron has considered making Word on Fire into a religious order.

Links

• Joe Rogan interviews Richard Dawkins (full video)
• Outgrowing God: A Beginner’s Guide by Richard Dawkins
• Five Proofs for the Existence of God by Edward Feser
• Word on Fire Institute

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Joe Rogan, host of the one of the world’s most popular podcasts, recently interviewed Richard Dawkins about Dawkins’ new book, Outgrowing God: A Beginner’s Guide. It’s a follow-up book to Dawkins’ bestselling The God Delusion, although this one is aimed at younger readers. The Rogan/Dawkins interview went immediately viral, drawing over a million views within 48 hours.

Today, Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt talk through the first half of the interview, responding to arguments raised against God and religion.
(Check back next week for our discussion of the second half!)

A listener asks whether Bishop Barron has considered making Word on Fire into a religious order.

Links

• Joe Rogan interviews Richard Dawkins (full video)
• Outgrowing God: A Beginner’s Guide by Richard Dawkins
• “Debunking the One God Further Objection” (Strange Notions)
• Word on Fire Institute

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Surveys show 61% of people sleep with their phones and 75% grab their phones as soon as they wake up. We’re addicted to our smartphones. In this episode, Bishop Barron reflects on this problem (including his own smartphone use), offering guidance from some of the greatest saints and spiritual masters in the Catholic tradition.

A listener asks whether saints feel emotions in heaven, such as feeling sad when friends or family on earth struggle with sin.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Last month, Bishop Barron visited Reddit for another #AMA (ask me anything). Over 15,000 comments poured in from young skeptics around the world, making it the third most-commented on #AMA of the year, and the ninth most popular in Reddit history. Today, Bishop Barron reflects on the experience and four main patterns of questions he noticed.

A listener asks for a concrete example of mercy mocking justice.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

How do we make sense of all the names, groups, and movements surrounding the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965)? What are the key things to know, and how have they shaped today’s Catholic Church? Bishop Barron explains.

A listener asks why secular philosophy departments tend to discount Scholasticism in favor of modern philosophy.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

A recent article in The Atlantic claimed “A Famous Argument Against Free Will Has Been Debunked". It focused on a famous experiment during the 1980s that seems to show our brain "decides" on our behavior before we actually make particular choices. Many believed this confirmed we don't have free will, that all our thoughts and behaviors are determined.

But is this the case? Is free will just an illusion? Bishop Barron explains some of the classic arguments for free will and its relationship to God and Christianity.

A listener asks why in Catholicism pride is a deadly sin, but Aristotle describes it as a virtue.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

This week, we share the second half of a talk from Bishop Barron on John Henry Newman’s book, The Grammar of Assent. We shared the first half last week, so be sure to listen to that first.

The Grammar of Assent concerns question about how we come to believe in God, and is widely considered Newman’s most important text.

Also, it’s a timely topic, since John Henry Newman will be canonized in just a couple weeks, on October 13. Bishop Barron will be attending the canonization, then a few days later will deliver a talk at Oxford University on “John Henry Newman and the New Evangelization.” That talk, which we’re planning to livestream, will focus primarily on The Grammar of Assent.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

This week, we share the first half of a talk from Bishop Barron on John Henry Newman’s book, The Grammar of Assent. The book concerns the question of belief–how we come to believe in God–and is widely considered his most important text.

Also, it’s a timely topic, since John Henry Newman will be canonized in just a couple weeks, on October 13. Bishop Barron will be attending the canonization, then a few days later will deliver a talk at Oxford University on “John Henry Newman and the New Evangelization.” That talk, which we’re planning to livestream, will focus primarily on The Grammar of Assent.

So enjoy the first half of this talk, and we’ll share the second half next week.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Bishop Barron takes questions from kids, including:

• Why did Jesus pick Judas to be one of his disciples when he knew Judas would betray him?
• Does Heaven have night time?
• How is St. Michael an angel and a saint?
• How does a family with young kids perform the corporal/spiritual works of mercy?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

The annual United Nations World Happiness Report, which measures the happiness of different countries, is always dominated by Scandinavian nations. Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland have always been in the top ten. But what’s striking is that these happiest countries are also those which rank among the least religious. On the flip side, most African countries, which tend to be the very religious, consistently land near the bottom of the U.N. Happiness Report.

What does Bishop Barron make of this? How should we actually define happiness, and what have the great thinkers and saints throughout time said about finding happiness? That’s what we discuss in today’s episode.

A listener asks how we reconcile all the violence/competition seen in nature with the Creator God of peace.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today, Bishop Barron answers questions from all over the world about God, the Church, and the culture. Will it be possible to upload one’s consciousness to a computer and attain immortality? Why was Christianity started in the West? If humans are born with original sin, then why does the Bible encourage us to have children and increase the amount of sin in the world? Listen for Bishop Barron’s answers!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

A recent Pew Research Center study revealed that “just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is body, blood of Christ.” What’s the cause of this? And moving forward, how do we fix the problem? Bishop Barron discusses in today’s episode.

(Explore a collection of my resources on the Eucharist here: https://www.wordonfire.org/presence)

A listener asks if the Eucharist gives us life, why do we reserve it only for Catholics?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today, we discuss a recent article in Teen Vogue titled "Who is Karl Marx?" which shows how many teens and teachers have begun dabbling in Marxism. There have been a slew of other articles noting the rise of Millennials supporting socialism. Having done his masters work in philosophy on Karl Marx, Bishop Barron introduces us to this influential thinker and his main ideas, noting the problems the Catholic Church has with them.

A listener asks why the Apostle's Creed says Jesus "descended into Hell."

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today, we use Google's autocomplete feature to have Bishop Barron respond to some of the top questions people search for beginning with the phrase "Does God...". Does God love everyone? Does God change his mind? Does God have a name? Listen and find out!

A listener asks what evidence we have for the existence of Jesus.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Bishop Barron is traveling overseas to film the last two episodes of his Pivotal Players series. So in this episode, we share a clip from one of his classic study programs, “Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues”.

The clip focuses on the sin of pride and the corresponding virtue of humility. Get access to the full study program (and all of Bishop Barron’s films) when you join the Word on Fire Institute at wordonfire.institute.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Why does Bishop Barron focus heavily on ad extra evangelization, the type of ministry aimed at the peripheries of the culture? That’s the focus of this episode. Bishop also responds to some of the criticisms he’s received for his appearances at Facebook, Google, and Amazon, along with his interviews with Dave Rubin, Ben Shapiro, and Jordan Peterson.

A listener asks how why Jesus often tells people not to tell anyone about his healing miracles.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Bishop Barron spoke to all the U.S. bishops about the “nones” during their recent USCCB gathering. In this episode, we walk through Bishop Barron’s talk and discuss some of the criticism he’s received about his presentation, particularly his reference to the Jordan Peterson phenomenon.

A listener asks how we can stay optimistic as Catholics in light of all the challenges the Church faces.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

As the Word on Fire Institute launches a new course by Dr. Christopher Kaczor on “Myths of the Catholic Church,” Bishop Barron and host Jared Zimmerer talk about seven of the most common misunderstandings people have about Catholicism.

A listener asks how Catholics should view the advancement of AI technology.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In his recent interview with Ben Shapiro, Bishop Barron said that he wants to “re-Judaize Catholicism,” to read Christ, the Bible, and the Christian Faith through the lens of Israel. How do we do this? That’s what he and host Jared Zimmerer discuss in today’s episode.

A listener asks why the East and West churches split, and why they haven’t been reunited.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Non-Catholic listeners send in their questions for Bishop Barron. Questions include:

• As a Christian, do you ever think, "What if God doesn't exist"?
• How are Adam and Eve guilty of disobedience if they had no knowledge of good/evil until after they ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?
• Why did the disciples betray Jesus despite seeing miracles?
• Why is God almost exclusively referred to as a masculine entity in the Catholic Church?
• How do I understand Mary's important in the Catholic Faith? Is it essential?
• How can we trust the Bible, when evidence shows the Old Testament isn't true?
• Did John Henry Newman have any disagreements with the Catholic Church before his conversion?

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Several recent bestselling books have focused on the Enlightenment, including Stephen Pinker's Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress. But what was the Enlightenment, and how should we view its effects? Bishop Barron offers his take today.

A listener asks how Christians determine which parts of the Mosaic law in the Old Testament are still in effect today.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

The great novelist, J.R.R. Tolkien, has enchanted generations of readers with his Hobbitand Lord of the Rings, and is the subject of a new feature film, titled Tolkien. But in today’s episode, Bishop Barron talks about Tolkien’s Catholic faith, which was mostly absent in the new film, but critical to his upbringing and his stories of Middle-earth.

A listener asks what he should if he’s unable to find a spiritual director.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Articles Mentioned

• I was an Atheist Until I Read “The Lord of the Rings”
• Gimli, Galadriel, and Guadalupe: An image of Our Lady in the Lady of Lothlorien
• Where the Rosary Appears in “The Lord of the Rings”
• Tolkien’s Catholic Genius

Books Mentioned

• The Battle for Middle-earth: Tolkien’s Divine Design in The Lord of the Rings by Fleming Rutledge
• Tolkien: Man and Myth by Joseph Pearce
• Bilbo’s Journey: Discovering the Hidden Meaning of The Hobbit by Joseph Pearce
• Frodo’s Journey: Discover the Hidden Meaning of The Lord of the Rings by Joseph Pearce

A recent bill proposed in the California Senate will force priests to report any crimes of sexual abuse they hear about in the confessional, breaking the seal of Confession. Bishop Barron speaks about the sacredness of this sacrament and what the Church should do if, suddenly, the sacrament of Confession becomes functionally illegal.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Today we discuss Bishop Barron's new book, titled Letter to a Suffering Church: A Bishop Speaks on the Sexual Abuse Crisis.

In light of this current crisis, many Catholics are understandably asking, “Why should I stay? Why not abandon this sinking ship before it drags me or my children under?"

This book explains why this is not the time to leave, but the time to stay and fight. Reading the current crisis through the lenses of Scripture and Church history, Bishop Barron shows that we have faced such egregious scandals before; that the spiritual treasures of the Church were preserved by holy men and women who recommitted themselves to fighting evil; and that there is a clear path forward for us today.

Thanks to generous donors, you can claim a free copy of the print book (you just cover shipping handling) and place bulk orders of 20+ copies for just $1 per copy (with free shipping.)

Get your copies here >> https://wordonfireshow.com/letter

And encourage your pastor and staff to order copies for your whole parish!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In today's episode, we share the second half of a talk Bishop Barron gave on John Henry Newman's famous book, An Essay on the Development of Doctrine.

If you missed the first, click here to listen to Part 1.

Also, be sure to pick up your Word on Fire Classics edition of Newman's Development of Doctrine, which includes a Foreword by Bishop Barron!

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

In March 2019, Bishop Barron was interviewed by Dr. Jordan Peterson for the Jordan B. Peterson Podcast. To say the discussion was highly anticipated is an understatement. Fans of both Dr. Peterson and Bishop Barron have asked for these two great minds to meet, and their wide-ranging, nearly two-hour discussion is worth the wait.

Although the interview hasn't been made public yet on Jordan Peterson's channels, in this episode we discuss some of the most interesting parts of the interview.

(Sign up here to be notified when the interview goes live >> https://wordonfire.org/peterson)

A listener asks about the term logos and what it means.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Recently, The New York Times featured an op-ed by philosophy professor Peter Atteton, who tried to show that the idea of God is incoherent. Bishop Barron responds to Atteton's points and shows how there are no logical problems with believing in God.

A listener asks whether Catholic universities should begin offering an evangelization major or concentration.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

We record this episode the day after a tragic fire at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris has destroyed the spire, roof, and interior of one of the most important and magnificent religious sites in the world. Bishop Barron shares his close ties to Notre Dame, including his time as tour guide, and explains why these Gothic churches are so significant.

A listener asks about Robert Sokolowski and which of his books to read.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

As Holy Week begins, listen to Bishop Barron's reflections on the 14 stations of the Cross. Stream it all at once, or throughout the week, as we approach the memorial of Christ's Passion.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Kids from around the world ask Bishop Barron their burning questions about God's favorite food, whether heaven has an edge, and why the ground shook when Jesus died on the Cross.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt record live from Rome, where they visited for Bishop's reception of an honorary doctorate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (aka The Angelicum.)

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

We started the Word on Fire Show back in 2015, right after Bishop Barron was consecrated bishop. Now, three years later, after 170 episodes and 6 million downloads, we're ready for the next phase. But to get there, we need your help! Learn about the future of the show and why your support will be critical to making it happen.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners...like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

John Henry Newman's classic book, An Essay on the Development of Doctrine, shows how doctrine isn't stagnant but in fact develops over time, much like an acorn grows into a sprouting oak tree. In today's episode, we share the first half of a talk Bishop Barron gave on the book and its influence. (Pick up your Word on Fire Classics edition of Newman's Development of Doctrine, which includes an Introduction by Bishop Barron!)

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping at http://wordonfireshow.com/patron. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners...like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today.

What's actually happening when we pray? In this episode, Bishop Barron answers the deepest questions about prayer, not necessarily how to pray but what is prayer? A listener asks about the Rosary prayer and how it operates.

NOTE: As we move into Lent, sign up for Bishop Barron's free daily Lent reflections at LentReflections.com

Bishop Barron recently visited the headquarters of Amazon, in Seattle, WA, to take part in a "Fishbowl" discussion about his new book, Arguing Religion. Around 200 Amazon employees were in attendance. Listen to the whole conversation in today's episode.

Pick up your copy of Arguing Religion >> http://wordonfireshow.com/religion

Recently, Bishop Barron watched several YouTube conversation between Sam Harris, a well-known atheist, and Dr. Jordan Peterson, one of the most prominent and beguiling intellectuals today. We've talked in past episodes about Dr. Peterson's reliance on Carl Jung, and his archetypal reading of the Bible, but today we explore Dr. Peterson's similarities to Immanuel Kant, especially when it comes to the question of God. A listener asks why a Hindu should become Christian if Hinduism seems to have a more peaceful history.

The recent confrontation between a grinning young high school student and a Native American elder has led to much anger and vitriol, especially on social media. But as Bishop Barron suggests, it also exemplified the "scapegoating mechanism" described by philosopher René Girard. How do we avoid this scapegoating? How can we bring more light to the online world? Bishop Barron has some advice. A listener asks whether our memories will transfer to Heaven.

In this episode, Bishop Barron discusses a recent New York Times article by David Brooks titled “The Morality of Selfism: The Gospel of Saint You.” It’s a tongue-in-cheek affirmation of a culture that puts tremendous emphasis on self, self-care, and self-display. Bishop Barron explores some of the dangerous outcomes of such a culture. A listener asks whether it’s helpful or troubling that the Catholic tradition includes so many definitions of God.

Ross Douthat recently published an op-ed in the New York Times titled "The Return of Paganism." He argues that maybe there actually is a genuinely post-Christian future for America, one that mixes pantheism with civic religion.Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss the article. A listener asks why God needed a second coming of Christ and couldn't have accomplished everything during his first coming.

Bishop Barron takes listener questions from all over the world, including:

• What are examples of popular films that convey the Gospel without being preachy or poorly produced?
• Which beings have souls, and where do we draw the line?
• If prayer doesn't change God's mind, then when we get what we pray for, would we have gotten it anyways?
• How can laypeople encourage priests to do more evangelization?
• Since there's no time in heaven, when I die, will the rest of my family already be there even if they’re not dead yet?
• How do you defend the faith through social media when so few people are willing to engage serious arguments?
• How can Catholic laypeople determine which Church leaders to follow and imitate?
• Are we at a spiritual disadvantage without deep friendships in our lives? Are there any virtues of loneliness?

According to data from BibleGateway.com and YouVersion, the popular Bible app, the most popular Bible verse of 2018 was Isaiah 41:10: "Do not fear." Bishop Barron looks at several other verses that cracked the list and reveals the right (and wrong) ways to understand them. A listener asks for clarification on Bishop Barron's comments about the salvation of Jews on Ben Shapiro's interview show.

A recent Christianity Today article titled, “Christian, What Do You Believe? Probably a Heresy About Jesus, Says Survey” explores a State of Theology survey conducted in the United States by LifeWay Research, based on interviews with 3,000 Americans. Bishop Barron discusses the alarming results. A listener asks what it feels like for Bishop Barron to act in persona Christi capitis.

How should Christians use social media? How can we escape its dangers (venomous rhetoric, echo chambers, etc.) and instead use these tools well? Bishop Barron offers his advice and shares how he personally uses these tools. A listener asks whether Bishop Barron is now part of the Intellectual Dark Web after speaking with Ben Shapiro and Dave Rubin.

On Christmas Eve, the night before the great Solemnity of the Nativity of Jesus, Bishop Barron talks about the Incarnation. What do we mean by this? What do people often get wrong about the Incarnation? And how is the Incarnation extended throughout space and time? A listener asks about Buddha's famous maxim, "Life is suffering."

NOTE: Click here to support Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire ministry as we move into 2019 >> wordonfireshow.com/religion

According to Bishop Barron, we need more religious argument, not less. But how do we talk about religion productively? In today’s episode he offers several practical tips along with the fallacies you'll want to avoid. A listener asks how to engage relativistic friends.

NOTE: Click here to get Bishop Barron’s newest book, Arguing Religion >> wordonfireshow.com/religion

William Wordsworth called Mary, the mother of Jesus, "our tainted nature's solitary boast." Who was this extraordinary woman, and how should we understand the key dogmas about her life and nature? Bishop Barron offers a crash course on Mary in today's episode. A listener asks why God created us as humans instead of as angels.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast, and Bishop Barron's other great work? Help support us by donating at http://wordonfireshow.com/giving. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners...like you! So be part of this mission, and donate today.

Is the season of Advent just a cozy, sentimental period before Christmas? Or is it a time of spiritual revolution? Bishop Barron discusses this important period and shares some of his Advent recommendations. A listener asks how to make sense of slavery in the Bible.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast, and Bishop Barron's other great work? Help support us by donating at http://wordonfireshow.com/giving. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners...like you! So be part of this mission, and donate today.

John Henry Newman’s spiritual autobiography, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, is widely recognized as a classic of religious literature. Chronicling his conversion from Anglicanism to Catholicism, it explores the arguments and discoveries that convinced the Anglican churchman to cross the Tiber. In today’s episode, we share the second half of talk Bishop Barron gave on the book and its influence.

(Click here to listen to the first half.)

NOTE: Do you like this podcast, and Bishop Barron’s other great work? Help support us by donating at http://wordonfireshow.com/giving. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and donate today.

John Henry Newman’s spiritual autobiography, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, is widely recognized as a classic of religious literature. Chronicling his conversion from Anglicanism to Catholicism, it explores the arguments and discoveries that convinced the Anglican churchman to cross the Tiber. In today’s episode, we share the first half of talk Bishop Barron gave on the book and its influence.

NOTE: Do you like this podcast, and Bishop Barron’s other great work? Help support us by donating at http://wordonfireshow.com/giving. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and donate today.

This week, Bishop Barron answers questions from all over the world. If you have a question, be sure to visit AskBishopBarron.com.

In Stephen Hawking's new book, Brief Answers to the Big Questions, published just a few months after his death, the famed scientists suggests that God does not exist and the universe does not require an explanation. Is he right? Bishop Barron discusses those claims in today's episode.

As the Synod on Youth wraps up at the Vatican, Bishop Barron shares his final thoughts on the meeting.

Today we share a sample lesson from Bishop Barron's flagship course inside our new Word on Fire Institute. His 12-part course is on Hans Urs von Balthasar, and it explores Balthasar's impact, his major works, and his key ideas. This first lesson covers Balthasar's life and times. Enjoy!

NOTE: To get the other 11 lessons from the course, sign up today for the Word on Fire Institute >> https://wordonfire.institute

A few days before leaving for the 2018 Synod on Youth in Rome, Bishop Barron hosted a listening session with a group of young people at Villanova Preparatory School in his region. The goal was to invite the kids to share their ideas, desires, and concerns, so that Bishop Barron could bring those insights with him to the Synod discussions. Today we share the audio of that discussion. Enjoy!

NOTE: Be sure to visit WordFromRome.com to see all of Bishop Barron's daily video updates from the Synod!

Today marks the grand opening of the Word on Fire Institute! It's one of the pillars of our Word on Fire Movement, and it's a place where you'll find online training in evangelization, theology, and the spiritual life. You'll get courses taught by Bishop Barron, his Word on Fire team, and world-class professors. In today's episode, we get more details from Bishop Barron and learn how to sign up.

Click here to learn more >> https://wordonfire.institute

Bonus Link >> Bishop Barron's Reddit Q&A

This week, we're sharing the second half of Bishop Barron's keynote talk at the recent 2018 World Meeting of Families in Dublin, Ireland. His talk was titled "Pope Francis on the Gospel of the Family." Enjoy!

This week, we're sharing the first half of Bishop Barron's keynote talk at the recent 2018 World Meeting of Families in Dublin, Ireland. His talk was titled "Pope Francis on the Gospel of the Family." We'll share the second half in next week's episode. Enjoy!

Bishop Barron was recently appointed as a representative of the U.S. Bishops for the upcoming Synod in Rome on "Youth, Faith, and Vocational Discernment." In this episode, he shares why he thinks this Synod is more important that other recent gatherings, and some of the main reasons why people become "nones" and leave the Church. He also explains why accompaniment involves apologetics and how the two are mutually implicative. A listener asks when Bishop Barron says "love the other, as other," what does he mean by "as other"?

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction
• 3:30 - Why is the upcoming synod so important?
• 5:00 - Why are young people becoming "nones"?
• 9:45 - What is the number one reason people leave the Church and why?
• 12:00 - Why do accompaniment and apologetics go hand and hand?
• 19:30 - What questions does the New Apologetics need to respond to?
• 24:30 - Listener Question: When you say "love the other, as other," what do you mean by "as other"?

Friends, in light of the recent scandals, I know many people are wondering whether they should remain in the Catholic Church. And I totally get that; the outrage is warranted. But in this time of crisis, I beg you not to flee, but to fight--not violently, with the weapons of the world, but with the weapons of the Spirit. We need you.

Many of you have asked for Bishop Barron's thoughts on the McCarrick abuse crisis, the Pennsylvania grand jury report, and the recent report from Archbishop Viganò. We're all devastated by the horrific suffering of these many victims, and we're all wondering what to do next.

Bishop Barron shared some thoughts a couple weeks ago, in an article, but we thought it might be helpful to have a more candid conversation today, building on the USCCB's recent statement.

Listen to the discussion here, and together let's pray for the victims and the entire Body of Christ.

The first annual Word on Fire Conference for Priests brought 300 Catholic priests to Huntington Beach, CA, for a three day reflection on the art of preaching. Bishop Barron delivered four talks, in addition to a talk by Dana Gioia, California's state Poet Laureate, and the conference closed with a lively Q&A where priests asked Bishop Barron whatever questions they had about preaching. Today, we share the Q&A with you. Enjoy!

In this episode you'll hear the full Episode 1 from Bishop Barron's new film series, The Mass. Listen as Bishop Barron explains why the Mass is so important, and why it's not just a lecture or performance but a continual response between Christ and his people.

Be sure to visit Mass.WordOnFire.org, where you can pick up the new special edition set of the series, which includes immediate streaming access to the videos and free USA shipping for the box set.

Ten years ago, Bishop Barron and his Word on Fire team set out to create something the world had never seen: a large-scale film series about the Catholic faith that put the intelligence and beauty of Catholicism on full display. The resulting CATHOLICISM series has touched millions of people, becoming one of the most effective evangelistic resources of the twenty-first century.

As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the CATHOLICISM series this week, we share a special Live Q&A with Bishop Barron about the series, and offer a special way to watch all ten episodes free online. Learn more at https://CatholicismSeries.com!

Pope Francis has encouraged priests to "get out of the sacristy into the streets," to find the Church's lost sheep and evangelize them. Bishop Barron agrees with this advice, and in this episode, he offers his take on the best ways to do that. A listener asks why we need to repent if God's love is unconditional.

Topics Discussed

• 04:00 - Bishop Barron's favorite memories from the Pivotal Players film trip
• 4:00 - What is Bishop Barron's article about?
• 8:15 - How does a parish shift gears to evangelization?
• 14:00 - What has been the common perspective on evangelization?
• 17:30 - How will the Word on Fire Movement serve this mission?
• 22:00 - What advice does Bishop Barron have for evangelizers, both lay and clergy?
• 26:15 - Listener Question: Is the love of God really unconditional?

What do we mean by religious liberty? Why should all people, including non-religious people, care about protecting religious liberty? Bishop Barron recently joined the U.S. Bishop's Committee for Religious Liberty, and has been thinking about these questions more deeply. Today, he gives an overview of the topic, including a look at John Courtney Murray, Vatican II, and what ordinary Catholics in the pew can do to promote religious liberty. A listener asks about the divide which has arisen between academic theology and spirituality.

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction, USCCB meeting in Florida
• 2:00 - What is religious liberty?
• 5:50 - Why should atheists care about religious liberty?
• 9:00 - What is the history of religious liberty in the USA?
• 16:00 - Is religious liberty under attack in America now?
• 19:50 - What are the best ways to propose religious liberty, and how can we defend religious liberty in our own way?
• 25:45 - Listener Question: How to we heal the gap between theology and spirituality?

In this episode Bishop Barron answers Questions about the Mass.

Go to ReasonScienceFaith.com to get your free Catholic scientist posters!

In this episode, Bishop Barron answers questions from the Word on Fire Community.

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction
• 1:45 - Why have my emotions cooled off after my conversion?
• 6:30 - What should we tell people who think religion is superstition?
• 10:36 - How should we respond to people who claim to be "spiritual but not religious"?
• 14:30 - Does religion have a smart people problem?
• 19:30 - Why does Dante's explanation of Heaven have varying levels?
• 23:40 - Are all religions at the core fundamentally the same?
• 27:25 - What are some ideas for evangelizing a college campus?

To join the Word on Fire Community go to www.wordonfire.org/community 

In this episode, Bishop Barron discusses the content of his great book, And Now I See. A listener asks about the role of our conscience in relation to Church teaching.

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction, Bishop Barron's trip to the National Eucharistic Congress in Atlanta.
• 2:15 - What is the central crux of And Now I See?
• 5:30 - Why is the idea of sight used to explain Christian transformation?
• 7:40 - How does Dante reveal the "mind of fear" in all of us?
• 13:45 - How does Thomas Merton reveal the "mind of trust" that comes from Christ?
• 18:30 - How can a aggressive spirituality become a detriment to us? 
• 22:50 - How is the Incarnation the key to changing our vision?
• 25:10 - What should we do if our conscience is at odds with Church teaching?

Visit www.AskBishopBarron.com to submit a listener question.

Nearly every day we hear about natural disasters, school shootings, and profound tragedies. Each of us experiences pain and suffering. So why does God allow it? Why doesn't he just prevent all evil from occurring? That's what Bishop Barron discusses in today's episode. A listener asks

Topics Discussed

• o:04 - Introduction, Bishop Barron talks about his The Mass Study Program
• 3:14 - How did St. Augustine wrestle with the problem of evil?
• 10:00 - How did Thomas Aquinas deal with the problem of evil philosophically and theologically?
• 17:00 - How could God under any circumstances permit the Holocaust?
• 20:00 - How did God deal with the problem of evil on the Cross?
• 23:00 - How would Bishop Barron explain evil to a grieving sufferer?
• 24:50 - Question: Why did God not make us more capable of understanding him?

In this episode, we discuss a recent article in GQ magazine which described the Bible as overrated, along with a new report from Barna titled State of the Bible 2017: Top Findings. We explore whether people are reading the Bible, how much they're doing it, and how we can all read the Bible better.

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction, Bishop's reflections on his Google talk, the Pope Francis movie
• 5:25 - Why does GQ Magazine think the Bible is overrated?
• 11:30 - How does Bishop Barron engage people who want to read the Bible but struggle with the task?
• 17:00 - How can the Bible, itself, be used as an evangelical tool?
• 21:30 - Why is the printed text of the Bible so important to people rather than the ebook version?
• 27:30 - Question: Is the God of the Bible in contrast with the God of natural theology?

Bonus Resources

• Links
  • State of the Bible 2017: Top Findings (Barna)
  • 3 Takeaways from New Research on Americans and the Bible (Trevin Wax)
  • GQ magazine puts Bible on list of 20 classic books not worth reading (USA Today)
• Videos
  • Bishop Barron on How to Read the Bible
  • Bishop Barron on Biblical Religion
• Articles
  • Pope Benedict and How To Read the Bible (Bishop Barron)

Bishop Barron was recently invited to speak at the Google headquarters (aka the Googleplex) in Mountain View, CA. He addressed a room full of Google and YouTube employees on how religion doesn't shut down the questing intellect, but in fact opens up our minds, causing us to seek the fulfillment of our deepest longings.

We shared the first half of his talk in last week's episode. Today we listen to the second half along with the post-talk Q&A with Google/YouTube employees.

Bishop Barron was recently invited to speak at the Google headquarters (aka the Googleplex). in Mountain View, CA. He addressed a room full of Google and YouTube employees on how religion doesn't shut down the questing intellect, but in fact opens up our minds, causing us to seek the fulfillment of our deepest longings.

NOTE: This episode includes the first half of Bishop Barron's talk. We'll play the second half next week, including the post-talk Q&A with Google/YouTube employees.

Bishop Barron answers several questions from young listeners, ranging from three-year-olds to eight-year-olds, about God, Adam and Eve, and robbers. Enjoy this kids Q&A episode!

Be sure to record your questions—or your kids' questions—at AskBishopBarron.com.

Topics Discussed

• 2:20 - Update about Word on Fire Institute video recording
• 4:00 - Did Jesus really see his Father on the Cross?
• 5:15 - Why did Peter deny Jesus three times?
• 8:05 - Why didn't God warn Adam and Eve about the serpent?
• 13:00 - Why didn't God make us perfect in the beginning?
• 18:20 - Why did God make robbers?
• 20:45 - Why did God make tigers?
• 24:20 - How is it that God did not come into existence?

The new film Avengers: Infinity War, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers, has already grossed over $1 billion worldwide and had the highest-grossing opening in film history. In this episode, Bishop Barron and Jared Zimmerer explore some of the movie's philosophical and spiritual themes.

*SPOILER ALERT!* This episode contains spoilers so only listen after you've seen the film, or if you don't plan to see it.

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction, confirmation season
• 4:30 - What does Bishop Barron think of comic book movies and the villain, Thanos?
• 6:17 - How does Thanos mirror Nietzsche and alchemy?
• 9:45 - How does Thanos reflect the totalitarian regimes of the World War II?
• 13:05 - How does the Church stand against the idea that "the end justifies the means"?
• 15:45 - What are the shortcomings of the Marvel heroes, and how do they reflect the Greek gods?
• 21:50 - How did Bishop Barron react to the surprise ending?
• 25:00 - Who is Bishop Barron's favorite super hero?
• 26:00 - Question - By what criteria to you criticize movies?

Part two of Bishop Barron’s talk on Catholicism and beauty from the 2018 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress.

Part One of Bishop Barron's talk on Catholicism and beauty.

Bishop Barron answers several listener questions during this episode, ranging from classic education to the Great Story of Israel to living the faith while under persecution. Enjoy this listener Q&A episode!

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Updates about Confirmation season
• 2:00 - Video made by students at Bishop Sullivan High School (Virginia Beach, VA)
• 5:00 - What do you think about the movement promoting Catholic classical education?
• 7:40 - Does Psalm 23 demand some sort of prosperity Gospel (e.g., Joel Osteen)?
• 11:00 - What books do you recommend to understand God's relationship with Israel, and the Great Story?
• 14:30 - What do make of the Scripture that says, "God did not do the evil he had been planning to do." How should we read this?
• 18:00 - What key topics and elements do you think every parish religious education program should have?
• 22:15 - Is it possible to be gluttonous in the pursuit of knowledge about God? How do we address that?
• 25:45 - What did John Paul II do to facilitate the downfall of communism?
• 30:15 - Any advice for people living in places where you can't outwardly practice your faith?

John Krasinski's new film, A Quiet Place, which he both directs and stars in, may at first seem like a typical thriller, with lurking monsters threatening to kill everyone in their path. But it's actually a surprisingly religious movie, as Bishop Barron explains, witnessing to the monastic response to evil, the dignity of life, and the sacrificial death of Christ on the Cross. A listener asks about the next steps for someone who has said "yes" to Jesus and the Church.

*SPOILER ALERT!* This episode contains spoilers so only listen after you've seen the film, or if you don't plan to see it.

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction, Bishop Barron's vacation
• 2:25 - What is the plot summary of the movie?
• 4:40 - Did John Krasinski intend on making this a religious movie?
• 6:25 - What are some of the key religious motifs presented in the film?
• 10:20 - How does this movie display the beauty of the pro-life argument?
• 15:25 - How does the Christus Victor theory of atonement become a motif within this film?
• 18:50 - How does the Church draw parallels with the ending of A Quiet Place?
• 21:40 - Question - What are the next steps for someone who has said "Yes" to Jesus/Church?

Have a question for Bishop Barron? Go to AskBishopBarron.com!

In this episode, Bishop Barron recounts his visit to the headquarters of both Google and YouTube. He was there to deliver a talk to Catholic Googlers on "Religion and the Opening of the Mind." He reflects on the hungering intellect and why wealth, power, pleasure, and honor all fail to satisfy its restless longings. A listener asks why Jesus didn't appear to more people after his Resurrection.

NOTE: Join the Word on Fire Community here >> http://wordonfire.org/community

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction, Holy Week in Bishop Barron's Santa Barbara pastoral region
• 2:20 - What was Bishop Barron's impression of the Google and YouTube offices?
• 7:00 - Why did Bishop Barron choose the topic "Religion and the Opening Up of the Mind"?
• 10:10 - How does Thomas Aquinas's epistemology explain the "agent intellect"? 
• 13:40 - Why does Bishop Barron bring up Elijah and the priest of Baal while at Google?
• 17:00 - Why can't wealth, power, pleasure or honor be the greatest good?
• 25:00 - What can satisfy the questing mind?
• 32:30 - Question: After his Resurrection, why did Jesus show himself only to a few people and not to the Pharisees, Pontius Pilate, or to a large crowd?

This week we enjoy a live recording of Bishop Barron's inspiring Easter homily.

In this week’s episode Bishop Barron discusses an intrinsic aspect of evangelization; community. Not only is there an intrinsic need of mankind to have a community, which the Church teaches is part of man’s nature, but also the need to have a certain kind of community within the Christian life. A listener asks how we ought to distinguish between authentic conscience and what CS Lewis called "the poison of subjectivism"?

BONUS: Learn more about the first ever Word on Fire National Conference for Priests >> http://wordonfire.org/priest

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction, Bishop Barron's recent trips
• 3:00 - Why does contemporary culture bring a sense of isolation and loneliness?
• 5:45 - How do we find a balance between the autonomy of the individual and the need for community?
• 8:15 - What are the benefits and drawbacks of social media in community building?
• 11:45 - Why do humans need each other?
• 14:30 - How do we bolster parish community?
• 17:30 - What role will the Word on Fire Movement play in building Catholic community?
• 20:30 - What does Bishop Barron recommend for those looking for community?
• 22:00 - Listener Question: What is the difference between the authentic conscience and individual subjectivism?

In this episode, Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt record live from the L.A. Congress, discussing Bishop Barron's keynote talk on beauty and interacting with visitors at the booth. Enjoy!

In last week's episode, we discussed the Jordan Peterson phenomenon, wondering how the Canadian clinical psychologist exploded so quickly in popularity. In this week's episode, we continue the discussion as Bishop Barron reflects on Peterson's religious views and Biblical interpretation. A listener wonders why we spend so much money on churches instead of giving it to the poor.

BONUS: Learn more about the first ever Word on Fire National Conference for Priests >> http://wordonfire.org/priest

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction,  Bishop Barron's upcoming travels
• 3:10 - What does Bishop Barron like about Jordan Peterson's religious perspectives?
• 5:00 - What issues does he take with Peterson's work?
• 10:45 - What are Jordan Peterson's religious views?
• 16:00 - What does Jordan Peterson believe about the Resurrection and what is Bishop Barron's reaction?
• 20:00 - What is the connection between C.S. Lewis and Jordan Peterson?
• 25:20 - What can Christian evangelists learn from Jordan Peterson?
• 28:30 - Listener question: How can the Church spend so much money on building fancy churches when there are so many poor people in need?

Bonus Resources

• Articles
  • The Jordan Peterson Phenomenon (Bishop Barron)
  • 12 Rules: The Review (Matthew Hosier)
  • What Pastors Could Learn from Jordan Peterson (Alastair Roberts)
• Videos
  • Jordan Peterson's YouTube Channel
  • Jordan Peterson interview with Patrick Coffin about the Catholic faith
• Books
  • 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos (Jordan Peterson)
  • Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief (Jordan Peterson)

Dr. Jordan Peterson, a clinical psychologist and mythology enthusiast, has exploded onto the scene, becoming the world's most popular intellectual figure in just a few short months. Who is he and what should know about him? And why have his ideas gained so much traction, especially young men? Over the next couple episodes, Bishop Barron and Brandon Vogt discuss the Jordan Peterson phenomenon and reflect on his work from a Catholic perspective. A listener asks whether it's fine to use secular mindfulness meditation to relieve anxiety.

BONUS: Learn more about the first ever Word on Fire National Conference for Priests >> http://wordonfire.org/priest

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction, Bishop spends time with Jim Caviezel
• 4:45 - How did Bishop Barron first come to know Jordan Peterson?
• 7:20 - Who are some of the philosophical influences of Jordan Peterson?
• 10:40 - Why does Jordan Peterson place such an emphasis on the Bible?
• 14:10 - How does Peterson view Nietzsche and our reaction to life's suffering?
• 24:05 - What is Jordan Peterson's reading of the Garden of Eden in Genesis?
• 28:15 - What is Jordan Peterson's take on Buddhism and Christian redemptive suffering?
• 30:00 - Why does Jordan Peterson believe you should absolutely never tell a lie?
• 33:00 - Why has Jordan Peterson become so popular especially amongst young men?
• 37:30 - Listener question: Is it okay for a Catholic to engage in secular mindfulness meditation in order to relieve anxiety?

Bonus Resources

• Articles
  • The Jordan Peterson Phenomenon (Bishop Barron)
  • 12 Rules: The Review (Matthew Hosier)
  • What Pastors Could Learn from Jordan Peterson (Alastair Roberts)
• Videos
  • Jordan Peterson's YouTube Channel
  • Jordan Peterson interview with Patrick Coffin about the Catholic faith
• Books
  • 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos (Jordan Peterson)
  • Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief (Jordan Peterson)

The Academy Awards are just around the corner and nine films have been nominated for Best Picture. Bishop Barron has seen seven of them, and in this episode, he shares his thoughts on each. A listener asks whether free will is essential to Christianity.

BONUS: Sign up for the Word on Fire National Conference for Priests >> WordOnFireShow.com/priest

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Discussing Billy Graham's death and legacy
• 5:00 - Dunkirk
• 8:40 - Darkest Hour
• 13:30 - Get Out
• 16:10 - Lady Bird
• 21:25 - The Post
• 24:10 - The Shape of Water
• 27:00 - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
• 30:10 - Listener question: How essential is the concept of free will to Christianity?

Bonus Resources

• Articles
  • Lady Bird and the Breakthrough of Grace by Bishop Barron
• Videos
  • Bishop Barron on Lady Bird

The Eucharist is at the foundation of the Word On Fire Institute. In this episode of the Word On Fire Show, Bishop Barron discusses what it means to be grounded in the Eucharist and how all Catholics can draw closer to the Blessed Sacrament as meal, sacrifice, and Real Presence of Jesus Christ.

NOTE: Get your free Lent Reflections booklet from Bishop Barron here >> http://wordonfireshow.com/lent

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction, recap of the natural disasters in Santa Barbara County
• 2:45 - What does it mean to be grounded in the Eucharist?
• 5:00 - How is the Eucharist religiously themed as "meal"?
• 9:30- How does the Eucharist as "sacrifice" illuminate our understanding of Communion?
• 14:50 - How does the Eucharist as the "real presence" relate the power of this sacrament?
• 18:55 - How can we learn from the Eucharistic miracles?
• 21:40 - How can we better ground ourselves in the Blessed Sacrament?
• 24:00 - Listener Question: How can we explain God's non-competitive transcendence in light of transubstantiation?

To ask Bishop Barron a question for the Word on Fire Show visit AskBishopBarron.com!

At Mundelein Seminary you'll find a statue of St. George slaying a dragon below which reads, "Athleta Christi Nobilis" —The Noble Athlete of Christ. As we head into the spiritual desert of Lent, we benefit by examining the lives of those saints who courageously embraced a life of profound asceticism and self-sacrifice. In this episode of the Word On Fire Show, Bishop Barron discusses three great spiritual athletes from across the centuries. The listener question asks how to remain charitable when you disagree with your interlocutor.

NOTE: Get your free Lent Reflections booklet from Bishop Barron here >> http://wordonfireshow.com/lent

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction, the Churchill movie
• 2:45 - What is a spiritual athlete?
• 6:25 - Why is St. Anthony of the Desert a great spiritual athlete?
• 9:55 - Is there something wrong with living your entire life in the desert?
• 12:25 - What can Thomas Merton teach us about the purpose of asceticism?
• 16:45 -Why is St. John of the Cross a great spiritual athlete?
• 20:00 - What is the Dark Night of the Soul?
• 24:30 - Why is Pier Giorgio Frassati a great spiritual athlete?
• 28:25 - Listener Question: How might we remain charitable with someone we passionately disagree with?

To ask Bishop Barron a question go to www.AskBishopBarron.com

On January 13, 2018, Bishop Barron joined Dr. William Lane Craig, the esteemed Protestant apologist, for an evening of dialogue at Claremont McKenna College. On today's episode, we recap both the afternoon session, which was an academic symposium attended by a couple dozen scholars, and the big evening dialogue in which Bishop Barron and Dr. Craig discussed faith, science, secularism, evangelization and more. A listener asks what Bishop Barron thinks of David Bentley Hart's work.

Click here to watch the full dialogue between Bishop Barron and Dr. Craig, and to listen to the afternoon symposium >> http://wordonfireshow.com/wlc

BONUS: Click here to get your free Lent Reflections booklet from Bishop Barron!

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Intro, Why is Bishop Barron in Philadelphia?
• 1:30 - What was Bishop Barron's overall impression of the event with Dr. William Lane Craig?
• 6:4o - What was discussed during the daytime symposium?
• 16:25 - During the evening event, how did Bishop Barron and Dr. Craig agree about evangelization?
• 19:03 - What are Bishop Barron and Dr. Craig's favorite arguments for the existence of God?
• 21:40 - How did a book change the lives of both Dr. Craig and Bishop Barron?
• 23:25 - Why didn't Dr. Craig agree that beauty can be a source of evangelization?
• 29:00 - What happened when Bishop Barron asked Dr. Craig, "Why aren't you Catholic?"
• 33:00 - Listener Question: What does Bishop Barron think about the writings of David Bentley Hart?

Bonus Resources

• Books
  • Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics (William Lane Craig)
  • The Kalām Cosmological Argument (William Lane Craig)
  • The New Testament: A Translation (David Bentley Hart)
  • The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, Bliss (David Bentley Hart)
• Articles
  • An Evening with William Lane Craig (Bishop Barron)
• Videos
  • Dialogue with William Lane Craig (Bishop Barron)

Have a question for Bishop Barron? Go to AskBishopBarron.com!

On January 13, 2018, Bishop Barron joined Dr. William Lane Craig, the esteemed Protestant apologist, for an evening of dialogue at Claremont McKenna College. On today's episode, we recap both the afternoon session, which was an academic symposium attended by a couple dozen scholars, and the big evening dialogue in which Bishop Barron and Dr. Craig discussed faith, science, secularism, evangelization and more. A listener asks what Bishop Barron thinks of David Bentley Hart's work.

Click here to watch the full dialogue between Bishop Barron and Dr. Craig, and to listen to the afternoon symposium >> http://wordonfireshow.com/wlc

BONUS: Click here to get your free Lent Reflections booklet from Bishop Barron!

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Intro, Why is Bishop Barron in Philadelphia?
• 1:30 - What was Bishop Barron's overall impression of the event with Dr. William Lane Craig?
• 6:4o - What was discussed during the daytime symposium?
• 16:25 - During the evening event, how did Bishop Barron and Dr. Craig agree about evangelization?
• 19:03 - What are Bishop Barron and Dr. Craig's favorite arguments for the existence of God?
• 21:40 - How did a book change the lives of both Dr. Craig and Bishop Barron?
• 23:25 - Why didn't Dr. Craig agree that beauty can be a source of evangelization?
• 29:00 - What happened when Bishop Barron asked Dr. Craig, "Why aren't you Catholic?"
• 33:00 - Listener Question: What does Bishop Barron think about the writings of David Bentley Hart?

Bonus Resources

• Books
  • Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics (William Lane Craig)
  • The Kalām Cosmological Argument (William Lane Craig)
  • The New Testament: A Translation (David Bentley Hart)
  • The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, Bliss (David Bentley Hart)
• Articles
  • An Evening with William Lane Craig (Bishop Barron)
• Videos
  • Dialogue with William Lane Craig (Bishop Barron)

Have a question for Bishop Barron? Go to AskBishopBarron.com!

The Second Vatican Council called for a more active collaboration between the ordained and lay people. In this episode of The Word on Fire Show, Bishop Barron discusses the proper roles of the laity and the clergy in our evangelization efforts and how the collaboration of both vocations, within those proper roles, can lead toward a more effective outreach.

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Introduction: Mudslides in Montecito, California
• 3:00 - What does it mean that Word on Fire is a collaborative apostolate?
• 5:30 - What role does the clergy have in evangelization?
• 8:35 - Why is it important that the clergy and the laity assume some different roles?
• 11:00 - Why is it so important for the laity to get involved in evangelization?
• 15:00 - How can we stay inspired to continue to evangelize the culture?
• 21:00 - How has Word On Fire served as an example of an effective collaboration between the laity and clergy?
• 23:15 - Listener Question: How can a teenager discern his vocation?

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Humanae Vitae, the controversial encyclical by Pope Paul VI which defended the classic sexual framework and prophesied the devastating consequences that would result upon its rejection. As Bishop Barron reveals, those prophecies have since been strongly vindicated. A listener asks whether God hates anything since he is defined by love.

NOTE: Get your free Lent Reflections booklet from Bishop Barron here >> http://wordonfireshow.com/lent

Topics Discussed

• 0:04 - Intro, What is Bishop Barron currently reading?
• 2:10 - Who was Pope Paul VI?
• 5:1o - What is the import of Evangelii Nuntiandi?
• 8:45 - What does Pope Paul mean when talks about the unitive and procreative dimensions of the sexual act?
• 11:45 - What are the prophecies Pope Paul makes in Chapter 17 of Humanae Vitae?
• 23:00 - How is Humanae Vitae more powerful now than when it was written in 1968?
• 27:54 - Listener Question: How can God "hate" something if God is love?

Bonus Resources

• Books
  • Humanae Vitae (Pope Paul VI)
  • Evangelii Nuntiandi (Pope Paul VI)
• Articles
  • Paul VI, Prophet (Bishop Robert Barron)
• Videos
  • 5 Bishop Barron Videos on Marriage and the Family (Bishop Robert Barron)

On January 13, 2018, Bishop Barron joined Dr. William Lane Craig, the esteemed Protestant apologist and evangelist, for a dialogue event at Claremont McKenna College. The event was hosted by the Claremont Center for Reason, Religion, and Public Affairs and was moderated by Dr. Edward Feser and Dr. Stephen Davis.

Bishop Barron and Dr. Craig discussed faith, science, secularism, evangelization and more!

Enjoy this special bonus episode of the Word on Fire Show, and look forward to another episode soon where Bishop Barron will offer reflections and recap the dialogue.

NOTE: Watch video of the dialogue here.

What does Bishop Barron have in store for 2018? Find out in this episode where he talks through several exciting new projects, talks, and initiatives. A listen asks how to choose good books, ones that help your faith rather than harm it.

NOTE: Get your free Lent Reflections booklet from Bishop Barron here >> http://wordonfireshow.com/lent

Topics Discussed

• 0:05 - Introduction, the FOCUS Conference, the Santa Barbara mudslides
• 5:50 - What are the upcoming talks Bishop Barron has scheduled for 2018?
• 8:00 - What is special about the upcoming vocation conference?
• 9:45 - What are the upcoming CATHOLICISM: The Pivotal Players episodes Word On Fire is filming?
• 13:40 - What are the Word On Fire Classics?
• 16:30 - What is the new Word On Fire Institute?
• 18:20 - What will be the purpose of the Word on Fire Bible
• 20:55 - What will Word On Fire's partnership with Flocknote provide?
• 23:15 - What is the Mystery of the Mass film series?
• 25:22 - What does Bishop Barron's USCCB committee on Evangelization and Catechesis entail?
• 28:15 - How do you judge whether a spiritual book will help or hinder your faith?