Bearded Wisdom

In this farewell episode, Heath and Shawn discuss the "W's" of evangelization, answering why we evangelize, what evangelization is meant to be, how to go about it, and when to do it.

Heath and Shawn explore the four characteristics of the earliest Christian community as expressed in Acts 2:42, along with ways to live these out in our lives.

Heath and Shawn explore what is means for Jesus to have risen from the dead, how it changes human history, and what the implications are for each of us.

Is predestination a Catholic word? What exactly is predestination? Heath and Shawn discuss these questions and others as they explore what the idea of predestination has to do with your spiritual life and confidence in God.

Heath and Shawn discuss the three great temptations from 1 John 2:16, examining why these are emphasized in the scriptures, why we struggle with them, and how to combat them (particularly in the season of Lent).

Heath and Shawn explore ways to discover and appreciate the activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives and why that is important to our spiritual growth.

Heath and Shawn give their best 1 minute pitches for a variety of faith issues in a fun experiment in "speed apologetics."

Heath and Shawn discuss various perspectives on purgatory, from voices of the ancient Church to modern voices of today, examining what Purgatory is, what it means for us experientially, and what it implies about relationship with God.

Heath gives Shawn a pop quiz on St. Joseph facts as they discuss the Year of St. Joseph and their favorite elements of devotion to him. Can you beat Shawn's quiz score? Listen and play along!

Heath and Shawn discuss the Catholic tradition of All Soul's Day, as well as the Catholic moral teachings on the care of the terminally ill and proper treatment of the deceased.

Heath and Shawn discuss the response of the Catholic Church to gene therapy, organ transplants, cloning, stem cell research and other medical treatments, highlighting which therapies the Church supports and which therapies it finds negative ethical implications.

Heath chats with Kevin Grillot, Executive Director of WeDignify, asking important questions about care for women in unplanned pregnancies, perspectives on adoption, and what dialogue with dignity concerning abortion and life issues looks like. Traumatic experiences and sensitive situations are discussed in this episode.

Heath discusses with Dr. Kenneth Howell various perspectives on the Eucharist throughout Church History and delves into the question, "what does it mean for Christ to be truly present in the Eucharist?"

Heath and Shawn discuss the relationship between faith and science and address the surprising Catholic response to the question of Evolution.

Heath and Shawn discuss the Catholic Illini Retreats offered at St. John's Catholic Newman Center and get to know Kaitlin McFarland, Director of Retreats and Christian Encounter at SJCNC.

Heath and Shawn discuss questions about how we know everything in the New Testament is genuinely the Word of God and whether or not there were errors in the selection of books included in the New Testament.

Bearded Wisdom returning for a 4th season. Episode 75 coming soon!

Heath and Shawn discuss some of the various Christian writings in circulation in the early Church, why they exist, what they talk about, and what they tell us about early Christian culture and the formation of the New Testament.

Heath and Shawn muse over their favorite religious poets and how the beauty of their work influences the expression and experience of faith.

Heath and Shawn discuss some wise words from the scriptures and other sources to live by and take with you as the semester comes to a close.

Heath and Shawn play a game of "Two Doctrines & A Heresy" in a lighthearted exploration of various heresies the Church has addressed and how the everyday experience of the gospel would be altered by what these heresies propose.

Heath and Shawn address questions from a Bearded Wisdom listener, exploring how fallen angels know how to tempt us, what can they do to tempt us, and why doesn't Satan just give up?

Heath and Shawn chat about the recent document on Catholic hymnody by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, highlighting important insights about the intersection between hymns and faith experience. Heath and Shawn also reveal the hymns they are not so fond of and review what they appreciate most about their favorite hymns.

Heath and Shawn look at how the Catholic faith sees its relationship with other faiths, along with an exploration of the similarities and differences in the worldviews and religious aims of Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism compared to Christianity.

In this second installment, Heath and Shawn address some final themes in Pope Francis' latest encyclical, Fratelli Tutti (On Fraternity and Social Friendship), and explore how he uses the parable of the Good Samaritan to express novel ideas about true social justice.

Heath and Shawn return to chat about Pope Francis' newest encyclical, Fratteli Tutti (On Fraternity and Social Friendship). In this first of two parts, Heath and Shawn examine four of seven key themes Pope Francis writes about and why they are important in a world pursuing peace and human solidarity.

Bearded Wisdom will return next semester (Spring 2021) with all new episodes.

In this second installment of a special two part Halloween episode, Heath and Shawn look at arguments for aliens in the bible and explore Church teaching and scientific claims, as they ask - do aliens exist?

In the first installment of a special two part Halloween Episode, Heath and Shawn discuss evidence for ghosts from the bible, the catechism, and other sources, as they ask the question - do ghosts exist?

Heath and Shawn discuss how the ideals and values of the Catholic Church developed various institutions of Western Civilization.

Heath and Shawn discuss the Second Vatican Council and three of the most important ways it has impacted the daily life of Catholics today.

Heath and Shawn discuss some unexpected teachings in the Universal Catechism of the Catholic Church and why they are important.

Heath and Shawn discuss passages in the Bible that they were surprised to find (and ways of looking at what these passages mean).

New episodes start back up Fall 2020 semester

Shawn and Heath chat about Jesus's Farewell Discourse from the last half of the Gospel of John.

Quarantine Mini-Episode 3: Wandering in the Desert by Bearded Wisdom

Keeping Easter Easter-y by Bearded Wisdom

Quarantine Mini-Episode 1: Holy Week reflections by Bearded Wisdom

Heath and Shawn chat with Dr. Paula Carns about Christian art through the ages, ways to interpret and pray with it, and a brief explanation about the significance of the stained glass windows in St. John's Chapel.

In this encore episode, Heath and Shawn discuss fasting in the Bible, their own experiences with fasting, and announce the Bearded Wisdom Fasting Challenge.

Heath and Shawn chat with Joe Taylor (UIUC Alumnus, former Newman Hall resident, and Director of Religious Education at St. Matthew Church) about RCIA - what it is, what it looks like, and stories of how people experience it.

Heath and Shawn chat with Fr. Timothy Hepner about what vocations are, why discernment of vocation is important, how to go about the process of discernment, and a little about Fr. Hepner's story of his own discernment of the priesthood.

Heath and Shawn chat about the ideas of Relativism, Judgment, and Tolerance, asking questions such as: What do people mean by these terms? What would motivate adoption of these ideas? What ways do these concepts reflect or contradict actual, lived experience?

Heath and Shawn survey Catholic themes(such as redemption, sacrifice, mercy, providence, dignity of life)in various popular movies, highlighting especially Lord of the Rings, Groundhog Day, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Heath and Shawn chat about a few of the most commonly asked questions about angels.

Heath and Shawn discuss the lesser known Advent emphasis on the Second Coming of Jesus, along with different theories about what that will look like.

Heath and Shawn muse over strange foods from the Bible that you should be thankful you are not eating this Thanksgiving.

Heath and Shawn chat with Sr. Brooke Marie about growing up in a small town, her vocation story, and what she appreciates about the charism of her religious community.

Heath and Shawn chat with Newman Hall Resident Director, Jenna Fesemyer, about her role in the Hall, her athletic career, her faith life, and cold brewed coffee.

Heath and Shawn chat with Chelsey Young, Team Director for the FOCUS missionary team at UIUC, about what discipleship is, what the qualities of a disciple are, and how to cope with some of the challenges of being a disciple of Jesus.

Heath and Shawn chat with SJCNC Director of Marketing and Communications, Jenn LaMontagne, about her rediscovery of the Catholic faith, life as a wife and mom, and her role here at SJCNC. Listen to the end to see if Jenn correctly answers a guest round of Strange Things in Catholic History.