Today we bring you the first half of Bishop Barron’s May 2024 address at the Star of the North Eucharistic Congress in Bemidji, Minnesota. He discusses Eucharistic Adoration, wisdom from saints and holy people, and the power of “staying close to the fire.” Enjoy!
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How should we respond when the culture becomes inhospitable if not actively hostile to Christian values? Sadly, biblical and natural law points of view are unwelcome now in many of the institutions that constitute the core of our society, including corporations, public schools, higher education, Silicon Valley, Hollywood, the legacy media, and even government entities themselves. What can Christians do to resist persecution by these secular powerhouses? How can we understand what it means to resist those who undermine Christians in light of Christ’s command to love our enemies?
A listener asks how she can share the faith with her non-religious family members.
00:00 | Intro
01:48 | Matt Walsh’s recent “Am I Racist?” film
02:50 | Distinguishing bigotry from disagreement
03:56 | Distinguishing inhospitality from hostility
06:12 | Anti-Christian sentiment in history
08:43 | Taking opposition at its word
12:47 | How the Olympics opening ceremony provoked response
14:58 | Provocative acts of nonviolence
18:08 | Unpacking “turn the other cheek”
22:24 | Recent revival of religious interest
23:38 | Resistance as an act of love
25:07 | What’s to be done with anger?
26:22 | Pacifism and forceful resistance
28:51 | How the martyrs inform the Church
30:09 | Resistance to culture as a form of evangelization
31:11 | Listener question: How do I share my faith with non-religious family and friends?
32:49 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
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Today we bring you Bishop Barron’s lecture from the 2023 New Ressourcement Conference. The New Ressourcement is a quarterly journal of theology and philosophy published by Word on Fire Academic. It serves the Church and the academy by publishing scholarly articles that demonstrate the depth and relevance of the Catholic tradition.
In the talk, Bishop Barron explains the roots of this theological movement, his own coming-of-age experience in a postconciliar Church, and the particular concerns this movement aims to address. Enjoy!
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In 1968, a book called The Population Bomb written by entomologist Paul Ehrlich helped spark panic in the west that the global population was reaching a breaking point, saying too many human beings would soon cause widespread famine and social chaos.
This view that a growing human population is an existential threat to humanity remains widespread to this day. For example, University of Chicago political philosopher Martha Nussbaum recently stated that given the world’s current population, “no one should be having any children.” Contemporary empirical evidence, however, points in exactly the opposite direction. Deaths are already outpacing births in many regions of the world, resulting in precipitous declines in national populations. Is this good news for humanity? Are public policies aimed at population control justified? Is there such a thing as an ideal population size? Should anyone care about whether others choose to have children or not?
A listener asks whether we should continue going to confession if we keep committing the same sin over and over again.
00:00 | Intro
01:49 | Seminarians kick off school year
03:00 | Assessing population decreases across the globe
05:36 | Increased attitudes against having children
08:24 | Unpacking “culture of death,” ego-drama, and theo-drama
11:33 | Childbearing as a societal good
12:35 | Population capping through public policy
14:07 | Human population and the environment
17:03 | Utilitarianism as a faulty moral theory for addressing population concerns
18:51 | Foregoing childbirth to spare potential children pain
21:20 | Foregoing childbirth to favor economic security
22:33 | Foregoing childbirth for lack of desire
24:55 | Old age without children
28:00 | The centrality of fruitfulness
29:14 | Pope St. Paul VI’s prophetic ban on artificial contraception
30:57 | How does the Church look forward?
34:05 | Listener question: Does repeating sins disqualify me from Confession?
36:35 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
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We are happy to share Bishop Barron’s keynote address at the historic 2024 National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. Enjoy.
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The nature and purpose of the human body was once considered obvious. But it has come under attack from secular culture in some strange and even disturbing ways in recent years. Now, unfortunately, it is up for grabs. The Word on Fire Institute sought to address this confusion surrounding the body at our recent Wonder Conference, “Nature and the Human Body.” Drawing on rich theological, philosophical, scientific, medical, moral, political, technological, and artistic resources, the conference sought to reclaim an authentic understanding and deep appreciation for the body—its resilience and fragility, its joys and its sufferings, its transcendence and its temporality, and, above all, its wonder.
A listener asks how Catholics should think about near-death experiences and stories.
00:00 | Intro
01:23 | Hosting the Wonder Conference in Bishop Barron’s own diocese
02:25 | Why we needed Wonder
03:50 | Understanding the false dichotomy of faith and science
06:20 | Addressing the question of body/soul unity
12:38 | Inherent dangers in dividing body and soul
15:36 | Can Catholic ministries give platforms to evolutionary biologists?
17:11 | Highlights from Dr. Heather Heying’s Wonder talk
18:45 | Beginning with the logos and intelligibility
20:04 | The human difference
21:04 | Bishop Barron Presents: liturgical artist Jonathan Pageau
23:06 | Materialism as an incoherent philosophy vs. scientific worldview
26:30 | The intelligibility of creation
27:36 | Fr. Robert Spitzer and the transcendent body
33:46 | Hope for reconciling faith and science in the public square
35:16 | Listener question
37:54 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
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Recently, Bishop Barron traveled to the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. He gave a homily during a breakout session to all the priests present there, and now we are bringing it to you. Enjoy!
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Some recent polling suggests that the number of those who identify with no religion has hit a ceiling, and it may even be declining. At the same time, a number of high-profile cultural influencers—even some formerly hostile to the faith—have either converted to Christianity or announced that they now identify as “cultural Christians.” Moreover, religion and politics, once considered verboten to mix, now seem to find themselves deeply intertwined.
How do we assess these cultural and political developments from an evangelical perspective? Is it really the case that society is becoming more receptive to Christianity? Are all these developments positive for the Church, or should we take a more cautious approach to evaluating what all this means for the future?
A listener asks what he can share with non-Catholics to perhaps change their minds.
00:00 | Intro
01:32 | Bishop Barron’s update on the diocesan pastoral center
02:24 | Tracing the decline of Christianity in the West
06:07 | Assessing the decline of “nones” today
09:59 | Men, women, and trends of religious disaffiliation
13:45 | Public conversions and the indispensability of Christianity in culture
18:46 | Christianity, moral principles, and the legal system
23:09 | Is there broader cultural significance for the National Eucharistic Revival?
24:26 | Hopeful signs for Christianity in conversation
27:54 | Is interest in a broad Christianity simply good?
28:59 | What we can learn from the African and Eastern Churches
30:42 | Listener question
33:00 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
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Today, we bring you the latter half of Bishop Barron's conversation with Patrick J. Deneen, a professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame. In this engaging discussion, the two address topics relating to freedom, truth, and the political order.
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Does being committed to social justice necessarily entail neglecting the liturgy? Conversely, do reverent liturgies entail downplaying or even ignoring the Church’s mission to care for the poor? The answer to both questions is a resounding, no. How should we understand the right relationship between the liturgy of the Church and the virtue of justice, including social justice? And practically speaking, how can we, as a Church, overcome the unnecessary divisions between so-called “liberal Catholics” and “conservative Catholics”?
A listener asks if someone can be Catholic but not believe in the Resurrection.
00:00 | Intro
01:20 | 10th National Eucharistic Congress recap
02:32 | Understanding the role and meaning of the liturgy
05:06 | The power of the spoken word in the liturgy
07:16 | The physicality of the liturgy
09:10 | Distinguishing between authentic and inauthentic liturgies
11:13 | Did Vatican II negatively effect the liturgy?
12:45 | Understanding justice as a cardinal virtue
14:45 | Relating justice and charity
18:24 | Social justice within a Catholic framework
20:34 | The relationship between loving God and loving neighbor
26:00 | Connecting the liturgy and social justice
27:33 | Is social justice possible without the liturgy?
28:51 | How cloistered monks and nuns serve the Church
30:01 | Bridging the divide between separated Catholics
31:40 | Listener question
33:50 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
Bishop Barron’s article: https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/barron/the-higher-you-go-liturgically-the-lower-you-should-go-in-service-of-the-poor/
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Today, we bring you the first part of Bishop Barron's conversation with Patrick J. Deneen, a professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame. In the discussion, they touch on topics relating to freedom, truth, and the political order.
NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.
We bring to you the second part of Bishop Barron’s discussion with Dr. Tod Worner on the way a Catholic, and indeed all Christians, should approach the crossroads of Religion and politics.
Enjoy!
00:00 | Intro
00:26 | The relationship between morality, religion, and democracy
04:03 | The public nature of Christianity
06:04 | Is vitriol built into democratic politics?
09:34 | Argument over quarrel
14:32 | What is "the herd" doing today and how should Catholics respond?
15:57 | Life without transcendence
19:00 | The role of mediating institutions
22:07 | Catholic social teaching on wealth and power
23:50 | Remembering humanity's fallenness
26:06 | Principles for voting faithfully
27:28 | Is democracy worth retaining?
31:37 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
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We recently hosted a Word on Fire Institute member event in London. At the event, Bishop Barron reflected on five animating sensibilities for evangelization. Enjoy.
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Today, we bring to you the first part of Bishop Barron’s discussion with Dr. Tod Worner on the way a Catholic should navigate the crossroads of religion and politics. Enjoy!
NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.
Bishop Barron had the privilege of speaking to members of Parliament in London, England. He reflects on the presence of the Church in society, her endurance throughout the ages, and why Christianity is consistently a powerful cultural force. Enjoy.
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Over 83 percent of Americans still believe in miracles, but what, specifically, are miracles? What are the grounds for believing in them, especially for non-eye witnesses? In the Catholic context, who has the authority to deem an event miraculous? Should Catholics incorporate devotions to Church-approved supernatural events like apparitions of the Virgin Mary and post-Ascension appearances of Jesus Christ into their faith life? We discuss the Catholic understanding of miracles and how the miraculous fits with a comprehensive evangelical vision of the life of the Church.
A listener asks if it was a sin when those healed by Jesus in the Bible told others of their miraculous healing, though Jesus had told them not to tell.
00:00 | Intro
01: 20 | Update on Winona-Rochester's new pastoral center
03: 10 | Distinguishing miracles from improbable or impossible events
06:15 | Conditions necessary for the miraculous
10:58 | The relationship between nature and grace
14:10 | How miracles are confirmed
16:44 | Science and miracles
20:09 | Miracles and the Bible
23:19 | If God's revelation is complete, why do miracles continue?
25:50 | The Vatican's recent document on apparitions
27:14 | Addressing skepticism of the miraculous
31:05 | Listener question
32:54 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
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We have arrived at the end of our journey with Dante. At the top of Mount Purgatory, Dante ascends the Paradiso and in the highest heaven, he beholds the divine glory of the beatific vision: God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Bishop Barron's course, “Dante’s Catholic Imagination,” is timeless and ever-relevant. Watch it in its entirety in the Word on Fire Institute.
NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.
The atheist political commentator and television host Bill Maher has long been a bitter critic of Christianity. In additional to regular swipes at Christians on his shows, Maher also devoted an entire documentary film, sardonically entitled Religulous, to lampoon what he takes to be Christianity’s moral and theological absurdities. However, Maher has recently tempered his anti-Christian rhetoric and started focusing his biting wit on criticizing progressive woke ideology and condemning positions like neo-racism, the denial of biology, and the stifling of free speech in ways that the Catholic tradition would largely agree with.
In light of this apparent shift, is it time for people of faith to reassess Bill Maher? Has one of Christianity’s most vocal opponents now become an ally or, perhaps, even a friend?
A listener asks, “What is truth?”
00:00 | Intro
01:32 | Bishop Barron’s recent diaconate ordinations
02:35 | Bill Maher’s analysis of religion
04:47 | What rationalism misses in its critique of religion
06:35 | Historic interpretive strategies for reading the Bible
10:31 | Freedom of speech and cancel culture
12:14 | On racial emphases
14:11 | Equality vs. equity
17:05 | Oppressors and the oppressed
18:21 | The philosophical roots of classical liberalism
20:01 | The value of classical liberalism over political progressivism
22:14 | Critiquing classical liberalism
26:18 | Is classical liberalism necessarily doomed?
28:39 | Finding points of agreement
30:41 | Listener question
32:48 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
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Our journey continues through Dante's poetic imagery of the seven deadly sins. As Bishop Barron describes them in order of their severity, we discover that in order to atone for each sin, those in purgatory are punished with the repetitive practice of a countervailing virtue.
Bishop Barron's course, “Dante’s Catholic Imagination,” is timeless and ever-relevant. Watch it in its entirety in the Word on Fire Institute.
NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.
Is Christianity a useful religion to the West? Atheist Richard Dawkins recently claimed that, while still an atheist, he considers himself a “cultural Christian” because of Christianity’s utility in supporting Western cultural and political values, which he laments are under attack. Former atheist Ayaan Hirsi Ali also recently shared that she became a Christian upon realizing that Christianity is necessary to preserve Western political norms.
There are some complex and even troubling underlying questions about making the connection between Christianity and utility, especially as it relates to contemporary “Western values.” How is the utility defined and in response to what specific societal goals? Is Christianity’s utility limited to the West alone? Aren’t there some “Western values” that are antithetical to Christianity?
A listener asks how to respond to the common criticism from atheists that Christians only believe in God because they are scared of death.
00:00 | Intro
01:32 | Bishop Barron’s recent farm visit
03:00 | Recapping Richard Dawkins and the New Atheism
07:14 | Unpacking Richard Dawkins as a “cultural Christian”
12:38 | Can Christianity be culturally useful without a fixed cultural aim?
14:13 | Making moral judgments without a fixed standard
16:43 | The fundamentality of Christian thought in the West
19:51| Remembering the doctrinal dimension of Christianity
21:51 | Other influences in Western thought
25:16 | Is linking Christianity and Western thought evangelically helpful?
27:23 | Listener question
29:44 | Join the Word on Fire Institute
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Continuing the journey in the fourth lecture of Bishop Barron’s course, “Dante’s Catholic Imagination,” we see notion that “we’re damned alone, but we’re only saved together” on full display as Dante climbs Mount Purgatory. While hell was a place of violence and self absorption, purgatory is a place of charity, hope, and faith.
This timeless and ever-relevant course is available in its entirety in the Word on Fire Institute.
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Terms like “safe spaces,” “trigger warnings,” “harm reduction,” “micro-aggression,” “emotional wellbeing” and “fragility” are dominating the culture as well as the governance of many institutions. But by some measurements, our society is more physically compromised and mentally delicate than ever. Today, we discuss the contemporary embrace of “safety” and whether it overlaps with a Catholic understanding of the individual and common good.
A listener asks, can a priest ever deny absolution during confession?
00:00 | Intro
01:51 | Bishop Barron’s Confirmation season
02:30 | Understanding the contemporary use of “safety”
07:45 | The relationship between risk, safety, and flourishing
12:23 | The emotional life and its role
16:14 | Physical safety as the highest good
21:36 | Speech as a form of violence
24:04 | The spiritual works of mercy vs. coddling
25:16 | Safety and the cardinal virtues
26:42 | Christ crucified and the value of safety
27:58 | Listener question
30:03 | Word on Fire Institute
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We continue with the third lecture of Bishop Barron’s course, “Dante’s Catholic Imagination.” We uncover the horrors of hell as Virgil takes Dante on a journey to see the three levels of sin and their corresponding punishments. This ever-relevant course is available in its entirety inside the Word on Fire Institute.
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Most in contemporary secular culture have probably never heard of the name “Thomas Aquinas.” However, his thought remains more pertinent than ever—not only to theology and philosophy but also to current conversations on how to build a more stable, just, and prosperous political order. Today, we discuss the evergreen genius of St. Thomas Aquinas and how his legacy continues in the life and work of the contemporary Dominican theologian, Fr. Paul Murray.
A listener asks, does the devil know that his rebellion is ultimately futile?
00:00 | Intro
01:12 | Bishop Barron in Rome
02:01 | Aquinas’ impact on Bishop Barron’s formation
03:56 | Why medieval thinkers like Aquinas still matter
06:18 | The relationship between metaphysics and ethics
07:29 | God as Being itself rather than as the greatest of beings
12:43 | How God can be both transcendent and immanent
15:58 | God’s non-competitive relationship with Creation
21:29 | Defining true human and social goods
23:00 | Does metaphysical speculation have a role in politics?
25:45 | Fr. Paul Murray, St. Thomas Aquinas, and the Dominican charism
29:54 | Listener question
31:49 | Word on Fire Institute
Show Notes:
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We continue now with the next lecture from Bishop Barron’s popular course, “Dante’s Catholic Imagination,” available in its entirety inside the Word on Fire Institute. We follow as Dante tries to go forward on his journey, but he is blocked by the beasts of sin. Enjoy this further glimpse into Dante’s always-relevant, poetic, moral, and theological genius.
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