The Word On Fire Show - Catholic Faith And Culture

It's been widely hailed as the greatest sermon ever preached and a masterpiece of religious and social ethics. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7, commences with the "beatitudes", a series of eight blessings that Jesus gives to those who suffer, mourn, and express purity of heart. Bishop Barron walks through each beatitude and unveils its deeper meaning. A listener asks whether, according to Thomas Aquinas, God loves everyone the same or has a special hatred for sinners. NOTE: Click here to donate to our new Pivotal Players series and receive your free gifts! Topics Discussed 0:26  - Bishop Barron's new film series, CATHOLICISM: The Pivotal Players 1:34 - What does "beatitude" mean? 4:35 - How the beatitudes of Jesus are different than other religious teachings 6:25 - How can the "poor in spirit" be blessed? 7:32 - How will those who mourn be comforted? 9:15 - The future promise of comfort for those who mourn 10:06 - What does it mean to be "meek"? 11:21 - How will the meek "inherit the land"?

We all face the Big Questions of life—it doesn't matter whether we're religious or not. We wonder about God, identity, meaning, morals, and death. Bishop Barron tackles some of the Big Questions and compares how the world generally answers them with how the Catholic Church responds. A listener asks about the relationship between God's providence and our free will. Topics Discussed 0:14  - The power of spiritual fatherhood 2:44 - Father Barron, Bishop Barron, or Grandpa Barron? 2:54 - Question #1 - Does God exist? 6:19 - The big "why?" question 8:40 - Question #2 - Who am I? 12:05 - What about those who reduce all life to "genetic machines"? 13:11 - Question #3 - What is the meaning of life? 17:21 - Do we just make up meaning for ourselves? 18:54 - Question #4 - What is moral? 23:00 - How do we discover what's right and wrong? 26:18 - Question #5 - What happens after death? 30:22 - Bishop Barron's one-sentence answer to each Big Question 31:27 - Question from listener: Where does God's providence end and our

There's a common tendency to read the opening chapters of Genesis as scientific texts. But is this the best way? Or even the right way? Bishop Barron offers guidance on how to properly understand the Biblical creation story. A listener wonders how we should manage the relationship between Church and state. Topics Discussed 1:05 - The most surprising part about being a bishop 2:29 - How do people often misread Genesis? 5:01 - Why the Genesis narratives cannot be scientific 6:23 - What genre is Genesis 1-2? 7:43 - The main theological insights in Genesis 1-2 9:41 - How Genesis 1-2 points forward to the non-violence of Jesus 11:29 - The objects of creation are not worshiped 14:39 - Why it's important that the world is created, not divine 16:49 - What it means that man was made in God's "image and likeness" 18:25 - The first man as the first philosopher 20:24 - How the Church Fathers read Genesis 21:58 - What Genesis 1-2 is ultimately trying to teach us 23:16 - Question from listener: how do we balance the relat

As Bishop Barron shows in his new book, Vibrant Paradoxes, Catholicism is both/and, not either/or. It celebrates the union of contraries—grace and nature, faith and reason, Scripture and tradition, body and soul—in a way that the full energy of each opposing element remains in place. In this episode, Bishop Barron explores several examples of this both/and embrace. A listener asks about the difficult passage in Acts 5 involving Ananias and Sapphira. Topics Discussed 0:22 - Exciting upcoming events for Bishop Barron 2:04 - What does it mean to say Catholicism is "both/and" 5:29 - G.K. Chesterton on red, white, and the Church's healthy hatred of pink 7:42 - Why Catholics "want it all" 8:38 - The extreme demands of sin and mercy 11:25 - Why reason and faith are no mutually exclusive 15:58 - Faith/reason in the realm of science 17:59 - Bruce Jenner and the dichotomy of matter and spirit 21:59 - How discipline leads to real freedom 25:53 - The path from suffering to joy 27:59 - Question from listener: how can we

Thomas Aquinas not only shaped the Church, but influenced much of Western civilization. Who was this great saint? What are some of his important writings? And how should we begin to read his masterful Summa theologiae? Bishop Barron offers some answers in this week's episode. A bright 14-year-old listener asks about Bertrand Russell's famous criticism of Aquinas, and how to respond. Topics Discussed 0:27 - Updates from Bishop Barron's life 1:53 - How did Bishop Barron discover Thomas Aquinas? 3:23 -  Who was Thomas Aquinas? 4:45 - Surveying Aquinas' major works 7:42 - Best entry-level books on Thomas Aquinas 10:03 - Aquinas' unique disputatio style 13:07 - How Thomas Aquinas would engage the New Atheists 15:36 - Why is it worth reading Thomas Aquinas? 17:16 - How should we begin reading the Summa theologiae? 19:40 - The landscape and structure of the Summa 21:44 - Why Aquinas is a spiritual master 24:40 - Question from listener: how to respond to Bertrand Russell's crtiqiue of Aquinas? Bonus Resources Book

Normally, in each episode we take one listener question. But today, we've devoted the entire episode to questions from listeners like you. Bishop Barron answers several questions, rapid fire, on many different topics. Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.

What does God want me to do with my life? And how can I discern God's will for my day-to-day decisions? We all ask these questions and today Bishop Barron offers his advice. A listener also asks how Bishop Barron discerned his own call to the priesthood. Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.

How did God use a little-known seminary professor to launch a worldwide evangelization ministry? Bishop Barron shares the story behind his Word on Fire ministry, including the many twists and turns along the way. A Protestant listener who is interested in Catholicism asks for some good book recommendations. Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.

During this Easter season, when Christians around the world celebrate the rising of Jesus from the dead, Bishop Barron looks reflects on the evidence for this extraordinary event and what it means for us today. A listener asks, in response to a previous episode, how to teach our kids about God without watering down the faith. Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.

Today we discuss a viral video from Bill Nye the Science Guy, a pop-science leader, who wonders whether philosophy can provide any real answers to the questions of life. A listener asks whether Bishop Barron would accept an invitation to appear on HBO's "Real Time" with religious skeptic Bill Maher. Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.

Today we're sharing the second part of a talk Bishop Barron recently gave titled "Against the YouTube Heresies." (If you missed the first part, be sure to listen to it first!) Modeled after St. Irenaeus' classic work from the second century, Against the Heresies, Bishop Barron identifies the most common objections people have to Christianity today, especially on the Internet, and then shows us how to respond. Enjoy! (Note: You can now pre-order Bishop Barron's newest book, Vibrant Paradoxes: The Both/And of Catholicism. For a limited time, when you pre-order the book, we'll also send you a FREE CD containing reflections from Bishop Barron on the Resurrection. So be sure to pre-order your copy today!) Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.

Today we're sharing the first part of a talk Bishop Barron recently gave titled "Against the YouTube Heresies." Modeled after St. Irenaeus' classic work from the second century, Against the Heresies, Bishop Barron identifies the most common objections people have to Christianity today, especially on the Internet, and then shows us how to respond. You'll hear the first half of the talk in this episode, and the second half in the next episode. Enjoy! (Note: You can now pre-order Bishop Barron's newest book, Vibrant Paradoxes: The Both/And of Catholicism. For a limited time, when you pre-order the book, we'll also send you a FREE CD containing reflections from Bishop Barron on the Resurrection. So be sure to pre-order your copy today!) Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.

This week, Baker Academic released a new hardcover edition of Bishop Barron's book, The Priority of Christ: Toward a Postliberal Catholicism. Bishop Barron discusses the book's main ideas including the problem with liberalism, how Jesus Christ is the proper foundation of knowledge and ethics, and how the saints unveil the good life. A listener asks about Jesus' words from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Note: For a limited time, get "The Priority of Christ" at a huge discount through Word on Fire by visiting http://WordOnFire.org/priority.) Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.

Bishop Barron recounts his time at the annual Los Angeles Religious Education Congress held from February 25-28, 2016. He shares about his talk on 1 and 2 Samuel, having breakfast with philosopher-priest Fr. Robert Spitzer, and the best approaches to evangelization. A listener asks about the nature of sin and whether it's a privation of the good or something real and substantial. Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.

As we move deep into Lent, the liturgical season of “going into the desert”, Bishop Barron explains why these 40 days are needed and meaningful. He unveils the season's biblical basis and offers practical advice on celebrating it well. A listener asks how to respond to secular critics of Mother Teresa, such as the late atheist polemicist, Christopher Hitchens. Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.com.

Bishop Barron recently celebrated his first Confirmations as bishop, confirming several people at Holy Cross Parish in Moore Park, CA. He shares about that, and also discusses the purpose of Confirmation and the gifts of the Holy it provokes. For this week's listener question, Richard wonders why Jesus had to die on the cross instead of God just snapping his fingers and forgiving everyone. Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.com.

Bishop Barron is back from the Philippines and catches us up on what's been going on, including his recent interfaith dialogue event on Pope Francis and the environment. He also reflects on why so many Evangelicals are drawn to the Pope, and takes a question from a listener wondering how God could allow natural evils such as tsunamis, earthquakes, and animal violence. Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.com.

What is the Eucharist? How do Catholics understand it as meal, sacrifice, and Real Presence? In this episode, we share Bishop Barron's full keynote talk on the Eucharist from the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in the Philippines. Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.com.

How can we share our faith more effectively with friends and family? That's what the New Evangelization is all about, and in this episode, Bishop Barron details his seven qualities of a New Evangelist. He also answers a question from a listener who asks how he can prepare for the work of apologetics. Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.com.

What does it mean to be a saint? Bishop Barron shares the three-fold path to holiness, which involves finding the center, knowing you're a sinner, and discovering that your life is not about you. This week, Bishop Barron also answers a question about the relationship between mercy and justice. Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.com.