The Word On Fire Show - Catholic Faith And Culture

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 m

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 a

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

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!