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.
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Kids ask the best questions, and today Bishop Barron responds to many from around the world:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Bishop Barron answers questions from non-Catholics around the world, including:
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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!
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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
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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.
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In today’s episode, Bishop Barron fields questions from people all over the world, including:
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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.
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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:
A listener asks whether to pray for people who are sick or simply accept pain and suffering as part of God’s plan.
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!