Group of ancient and influential Christian theologians and writers
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In this episode, Matt sits down with Adrian Lawson (@sipswithserra on YouTube) to talk about his wild childhood, what it was like growing up in a broken home, living in the foster care system, dealing with parents who were drug addicts, to becoming Catholic and defending that decision against his Protestant family.
Want to reach out to us? Want to leave a comment or review? Want to give us a suggestion or berate Anthony? Send us a text by clicking this link!A flooded basement, a dead furnace, and three kids shivering through a New York winter. We start with a human story and a fundraiser that turned into a lesson in Christian charity—how a community can change a family's life overnight. Then we pivot into one of the most charged theological conversations of the moment: Scott Hahn's interview with Gavin Ashenden and the fault lines it exposed.We unpack why Hahn refused to let the conversation stall at labels, and instead zeroed in on a deeper danger: bicovenantalism. Is it anti-Semitic to critique Zionism? Hahn says no—and shows why conflating political critique with hatred is lazy and misleading. Walking through Romans 9–11, he offers a vivid image: remaining within the Old Covenant without Christ is like living in a mansion on fire. That line reframes everything. We explore how Catholic liturgy—altar, priest, sacrifice—fulfills biblical worship, while post-70 AD rabbinic Judaism marks a real discontinuity from temple-centered Israel. Along the way, Augustine and Aquinas remind us why the preservation of the Jewish people is providential and prophetic, pointing toward a future conversion near the eschaton.The conversation broadens with clips of Benjamin Netanyahu invoking “Jews against Rome” and calling the United States the “new Rome.” We connect that to the Church Fathers on the “restrainer,” the unraveling of Christendom, and how propaganda pressures Catholics to fall silent. The challenge is clear: resist panic labels, reject hatred, speak truth, and stay rooted in doctrine. We close with a heartfelt letter from a 27-year-old father discerning Catholicism while priced out of housing and ignored by leadership. It's a sobering snapshot of the moment—and a call for the Church to engage young men with honesty and hope.If this resonates, share it with a friend, subscribe for more conversations that don't dodge the hard questions, and leave a review with your takeaways. Your voice helps others find these talks.Support the showTake advantage of great Catholic red wines by heading over to https://recusantcellars.com/ and using code "BASED" for 10% off at checkout!********************************************************Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comMerchandise: https://avoiding-babylon-shop.fourthwall.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comFull Premium/Locals Shows on Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1987412/subscribeRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rssRumble: https://rumble.com/c/AvoidingBabylon
Beloved in Christ, join us in this soul-stirring exploration of Romans 3:9-20, where St. Paul boldly declares that all—Jew and Gentile alike—are held captive under sin's shadow. With heartfelt wisdom, we delve into humanity's universal fall, the law's inability to save through fleshly weakness, and God's glorious remedy: righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ alone. Drawing from ancient liturgies of holy baptism and the Church Fathers, discover how free will led to corruption, yet divine grace lifts us to eternal inheritance. A faith-filled reminder to cling to the Good Shepherd's perfect goodness, seek His will daily, and live out deeds of love. Amen—may this message ignite your heart for deeper obedience!Rom 12:2John 10:11;151 Cor 13:9Phil 3:12-141 John 3:6
This greatest of Christian orators is commemorated not only today, but as one of the Three Holy Hierarchs (with St Basil the Great and St Gregory the Theologian) on January 30. He was born in Antioch to pious parents around 345. His mother was widowed at the age of twenty, and devoted herself to rearing her son in piety. He received his literary and oratorical training from the greatest pagan teachers of the day. Though an illustrious and profitable career as a secular orator was open to him, he chose instead to dedicate himself to God. He lived as a monk from 374 to 381, eventually dwelling as a hermit in a cave near Antioch. Here his extreme ascetic practices ruined his health, so that he was forced to return to Antioch, where he was ordained to the priesthood. In Antioch his astonishing gifts of preaching first showed themselves, earning him the epithet Chrysostomos, "Golden-mouth", by which he became universally known. His gifts became so far-famed that he was chosen to succeed St Nectarius as Patriarch of Constantinople. He was taken to Constantinople secretly (some say he was actually kidnapped) to avoid the opposition of the Antiochian people to losing their beloved preacher. He was made Patriarch of Constantinople in 398. Archbishop John shone in his sermons as always, often censuring the corrupt morals and luxurious living of the nobility. For this he incurred the anger of the Empress Eudoxia, who had him exiled to Pontus in 403. The people protested by rioting, and the following night an earthquake shook the city, so frightening the Empress that she had Chrysostom called back. The reconciliation was short-lived. Saint John did not at all moderate the intensity of his sermons, and when the Empress had a silver statue of herself erected outside the Great Church in 403, accompanied by much revelry, the Patriarch spoke out against her, earning her unforgiving anger. In 404 he was exiled to Cucusus, near Armenia. When Pope Innocent of Rome interceded on his behalf, the imperial family only exiled him further, to a town called Pityus near the Caucasus. The journey was so difficult and his guards so cruel that the frail Archbishop gave up his soul to God before reaching his final place of exile, in 407. His last words were "Glory be to God for all things." Saint John Chrysostom is the author of more written works than any other Church Father: his works include 1,447 recorded sermons, 240 epistles, and complete commentaries on Genesis, the Gospels of Matthew and John, the Acts of the Apostles, and all the Epistles of St Paul. His repose was on September 14, but since that is the date of the Exaltation of the Cross, his commemoration has been transferred to this day.
In this fifth episode of our Resurrection Series, Steve and Tim turn to Paul's sweeping proclamation of the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15—the “resurrection chapter.” They unpack what it means to have a living hope through the resurrection of Christ and why that matters for us today.Key topics include:The centrality of resurrection to the GospelPaul's response to Greek dualism and modern misunderstandingsThe enemies of Christ: death, sin, and the powers (not people!)What Scripture and the Church Fathers say about resurrected bodiesThe difference between defeat and destruction of deathWhat “God will be all in all” really meansWhy our work today echoes into eternityQuote of the week:“The resurrection doesn't point to an alternate reality—it invites us into the ultimate reality we're already part of.”
Jesus Carrying the Fallen Home: Recovering the Divine Image Within Today's Homily examines Luke's parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin, . . . . . . traditionally understood as images of God's mercy toward individual sinners. However, the Homily recalls the early Church Fathers' broader view: that these parables describe God's saving action toward all humanity . . . the whole human race as the “lost sheep” and “lost coin.” Christ, the Good Shepherd, leaves heaven to rescue fallen humanity, lifting it upon His shoulders through the Cross and carrying it home in the Resurrection. Yet salvation is not passive . . . grace strengthens sinners to repent and cooperate with redemption. Those who respond actively to grace and strive to restore the divine image within themselves bring great joy to heaven. Humanity made in God's Image but Disfigured by Sin The parable of the woman and the lost coin deepens this image: the coin bears the image of the King, symbolizing humanity made in God's image but disfigured by sin. The woman's lamp represents Christ, the light of the Incarnation, illuminating and searching the “house” of the human soul. True repentance, then, is an interior cleansing—overturning what hides God's image until it shines again. Finally, as November continues . . . the Church's month of prayer for the departed . . . the Homily connects this teaching to the work of mercy in praying for souls in purgatory. Just as Christ carries fallen humanity, we carry our departed loved ones by prayer, helping them journey toward full union with God. This act renews the divine image in us as well, joining us to Christ's redemptive mission and the joy of heaven. Listen to this Meditation Media. Listen to: Jesus Carrying the Fallen Home: Recovering the Divine Image Within The Parable of the Lost Sheep: William George Rich: late 1800s Return to Meditation Media Gospel Reading: Luke 15:1-10 First Reading: Romans 14:7-12
CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOMIn this episode, we complete our dive into the writings of the Church Father who "Red Pilled" me on the Catholic Church while I was still a protestant: St. Ignatius of Antioch. If you haven't seen it, start with Part 1 first, which is Episode 44: https://youtu.be/CK1_22AjdIQSt. Ignatius of Antioch was ordained by the Apostles, and barely 70 years after Christ's Ascension wrote astoundingly Catholic things about: the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, apostolic succession, the authority of the priesthood, the Christian altar, the necessity of unity, the greater authority of the Roman Church, and even the very name of the one true Church: the "Catholic Church." Today we are publishing Part 2 of this two-part series in honor of my patron saint, who did so much to "Red Pill" me on the Catholic Church.VISIT OUR WEBSITEhttps://eternalchristendom.com/BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITIONWe are a non-profit, and all gifts are tax-deductible. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free:https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS AT ETERNAL CHRISTENDOM BOOKSTOREhttps://eternalchristendom.com/bookstore/CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIAX: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharlesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/DIVE DEEPERCheck out Eternal Christendom's "Becoming Catholic," where you'll find more than 1 million words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic:https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/SUBSTACKSubscribe to our Substack: https://substack.com/@eternalchristendomEPISODE CHAPTERS00:00 - Introduction03:37 - Help Us Build Eternal Christendom04:24 - Letter to the Philadelphians16:14 - Letter to the Romans39:28 - Eternal Christendom Bookstore39:55 - Letter to St. Polycarp47:40 - Ancient Testimony About St. Ignatius of Antioch01:02:35 - Conclusion: The Church Father Who "Red-Pilled" MeLISTEN ON APPLEhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eternal-christendom-podcast/id1725000526LISTEN ON SPOTIFYhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3HoTTco6oJtApc21ggVevu
Fr. Dom is back! James and Fr. Dom tackle one of the most misunderstood yet absolutely essential topics in the spiritual life: baptism. This is not just another Church formality. This is the dividing line between belonging to the Kingdom of God and the dominion of Satan.Drawing from Scripture, the Catechism, and the wisdom of the saints, TMC lays out with clarity and conviction what baptism truly does: freeing us from original sin, making us sons of God, and incorporating us into the Body of Christ. Without it, you remain enslaved to sin and outside the family of God.You'll hear why the early Church Fathers, councils, and even the Protestant revolution itself reveal that there's no salvation without baptism. Fr. Dominic doesn't sugarcoat the truth — he calls modern men to wake up to the spiritual reality of this sacrament and to recognize the Church as the one true means of salvation given to us by Christ Himself.James and Fr. Dom also confront why our age resists authority, why relativism and pride have blinded so many, and why men must reclaim their God-given duty to lead their families into the faith by baptizing their children without hesitation.In this episode, you'll discover:The biblical foundation of baptism — from Acts to Corinthians to the Great Commission.Why baptism isn't symbolic but supernatural warfare.How baptism undoes the curse of Adam and Eve and reclaims your soul for God.Why relativism, pride, and modernism are destroying moral order — and what Catholic men must do to restore it.The spiritual danger of delaying baptism for your children.Why contemplating death (memento mori) prepares your soul for heaven.Challenge to Men: If you have children who aren't baptized — schedule it now. Don't delay. Fathers, you are the protectors of your family's souls. Take your post. Lead your household back under the protection of God. Baptism is the first weapon in your family's arsenal against hell.3 Powerful Quotes:“Through baptism, we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God. We become members of Christ and sharers in His mission.”“If you're not going to follow God, then who do you belong to? Baptism begins to undo definitively the faults of our first parents in the garden.”“Parents, you're supposed to protect your child. Why would you let them walk this world owned by Satan when baptism can claim them for God?”Key Takeaway: Baptism isn't optional — it's the decisive act that transfers your soul from the dominion of darkness to the Kingdom of Christ. Every Catholic man must treat it as a matter of eternal life and death.Send us a text Support the showPlease prayerfully consider supporting the podcast on our Buy Me A Coffee page. to help grow the show to reach as many men as possible! Thank you for your prayers and support. Be sure to follow us on X for more great content. As always, please pray for us! We are men who strive daily to be holy, to become saints and we cannot do that without the help of the Holy Ghost! Subscribe to our YouTube page to see our manly and holy faces Check out our website Contact us at themanlycatholic@gmail.com
Happy feast of Pope St. Leo the Great! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Mike Aquilina to discuss why the first Pope Leo is one of the most impressive figures in all of Church history. Other guests include Fr. John Gavin with more on what the Church Fathers had to say about Christian maturity, and Kevin Schmiesing with This Week in Catholic History. Plus news, weather, sports, and more… ***** Collect for the feast of Pope St. Leo the Great O God, who never allow the gates of hell to prevail against your Church, firmly founded on the apostolic rock, grant her, we pray, that through the intercession of Pope Saint Leo, she may stand firm in your truth and know the protection of lasting peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. ***** Chris Altieri, author of Leo XIV: The New Pope and Catholic Reform Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Post Nicene Church FathersThis engaging podcast episode features Dr. Rachel Chen and Bishop Andy Lewter exploring the profound contributions of seven pivotal Post-Nicene Church Fathers who shaped early Christianity following the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The conversation illuminates how Athanasius defended Nicene orthodoxy against Arianism through multiple exiles, how John Chrysostom's "golden mouth" combined powerful preaching with fearless advocacy for the poor, and how Jerome's Vulgate translation became the standard Latin Bible for over a millennium. The discussion highlights Ambrose of Milan's remarkable journey from unbaptized governor to influential bishop who challenged imperial power, Basil the Great's theological refinement of Trinitarian doctrine alongside his pioneering social welfare work, Eusebius's invaluable preservation of early church history despite his theological ambiguities, and Augustine of Hippo's towering intellectual legacy encompassing everything from spiritual autobiography to political theology and the doctrine of grace. Throughout the conversation, both scholars emphasize how these diverse figures—fighter, preacher, scholar, statesman, organizer, historian, and philosopher—collectively transformed Christianity from a persecuted minority into a dominant religious and intellectual force while acknowledging their human flaws and the ongoing relevance of their insights for contemporary Christian faith and practice.
In the West, the term "God" has become virtually a placeholder, a moniker kept pristinely vacant. Even Christians have been known to treat the scriptures as butterflies to pin, probe and prod, comb and codify, until some "value" can be extracted. For the Church Fathers, things worked differently. They came to scripture armed with convictions about God, which in turn provided the framework and habitat in which they incubated their biblical theology and cultivated a genuinely ecclesial culture. What might it mean to retrieve patristic culture-craft — the formation of communal life that flowed from their inhabiting the Bible — in the midst of contemporary secular society?Join Sam Fornecker for a second conversation with Stephen Presley, Senior Fellow for Religion and Public Life at the Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy and associate professor of church history at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, on his recent book, Biblical Theology in the Life of the Early Church (Baker Academic, 2025), on how the Church can learn from our ancient grandparents the liturgical, sacramental, and storied habit of scriptural engagement necessary to renew the Church in her vocation of "culture-craft" today.Enjoying this podcast? To keep abreast of what's going on at The Ridley Institute, or to learn more about opportunities to grow and train for Christian discipleship and mission, connect with us online: Website: https://ridleyinstitute.com/. Twitter: @RidleyInstitute. To learn about training for Anglican gospel work, check out Ridley's Certificate in Anglican Studies, and other lay theological formation offerings.
David Clough is Professor and Chair in Theology and AppliedSciences at the University of Aberdeen. He is a Local Preacher in the Methodist Church. David is also co-president of the charity CreatureKind and he founded the DefaultVeg project, now part of the work of the Better Food Foundation. From 2018 to 2021 hewas Principal Investigator on the Christian Ethics of Farmed Animal Welfare (CEFAW) project. David is the author of "On Animals" volumes one and two.In Sentientist Conversations we talk about the most important questions: “what's real?”, “who matters?” and "how can we make a better world?"Sentientism answers those questions with "evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings." The video of our conversation is here on YouTube.00:00 Clips00:48 Welcome02:45 David's Intro- Christian theology and ethics particularly re: non-human animals- Writing "On Animals"- "The moral emergency is the way that we're making use of other animals for food"- "That makes very little sense if you care about non-human animals, if you care about human wellbeing or you care about our shared environment"- "Once you've seen the problem... exposing billions of fellow creatures to significant unnecessary suffering... I've met first hand one to one a lot of animals who are caught up in this system... it's very hard to let go of that"- "What motivates me each day... think of ways to help others glimpse what I've seen about the wrongness of what we're doing and how we might change it"05:03 What's Real?- "Thinking about how to make sense of things wasalways a big deal for me"- Raised in the #christian #methodist Church- Father from a line of Methodist ministers- "That sense of being formed in a particular traditionand encountering other worlds through that experience of faith"- "That was never in competition with exercising myrational faculties to the utmost"- "I always wanted to ask bigger and bigger questionsabout the world"- "If the kinds of things Christians believed in... auniverse dependent on God... if that made sense... then pushing with our utmostintellectual ability to try to understand better... could never be discoveringanything that was foreign to faith."- "A faith-based formation and real a commitment topursuing intellectual and deep philosophical questions... always felt to me tobe one and the same project"- Separate magisteria vs. a more integrated, consistentepistemology?- "I would find it deeply, intellectually, unsatisfyingif I needed to compartmentalise in that kind of way"16:45 What Matters?40:36 Who Matters?01:17:33 A Better World?01:28:25 Follow David- David on BlueSky- David at Aberdeen University- David on Wikipedia- David on LinkedIn- David's talks on YouTubeAnd more... full show notes at Sentientism.info.Sentientism is “Evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings.” More at Sentientism.info. Join our "I'm a Sentientist" wall via this simple form.Everyone, Sentientist or not, is welcome in our groups. The biggest so far is here on FaceBook. Come join us there!
In the West, the term "God" has become virtually a placeholder, a moniker kept pristinely vacant. Even Christians have been known to treat the scriptures as butterflies to pin, probe and prod, comb and codify, until some "value" can be extracted. For the Church Fathers, things worked differently. They came to scripture armed with convictions about God, which in turn provided the framework and habitat in which they incubated their biblical theology and cultivated a genuinely ecclesial culture. What might it mean to retrieve patristic culture-craft — the formation of communal life that flowed from their inhabiting the Bible — in the midst of contemporary secular society?Join Sam Fornecker for a second conversation with Stephen Presley, Senior Fellow for Religion and Public Life at the Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy and associate professor of church history at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, on his recent book, Biblical Theology in the Life of the Early Church (Baker Academic, 2025), on how the Church can learn from our ancient grandparents the liturgical, sacramental, and storied habit of scriptural engagement necessary to renew the Church in her vocation of "culture-craft" today.Enjoying this podcast? To keep abreast of what's going on at The Ridley Institute, or to learn more about opportunities to grow and train for Christian discipleship and mission, connect with us online: Website: https://ridleyinstitute.com/. Twitter: @RidleyInstitute. To learn about training for Anglican gospel work, check out Ridley's Certificate in Anglican Studies, and other lay theological formation offerings.
In this episode, Mike Aquilina and Kris McGregor discuss Caiaphas and the temptation of unholy compromises. An excerpt from Villains of the Early Church: CAIAPHAS IS mentioned everywhere in the Church Fathers, but almost as furniture—“ and Jesus was brought before Caiaphas.” If the early Christian writers are interested in anything about him, it's that he could prophesy truly because of his office. Otherwise, they don't seem to find much remarkable in him. He's the banality of evil. A bureaucrat. Yet, Caiaphas, like many of the characters caught up in the Passion story, was in a complicated position—more complicated than we may realize when we hear the story in the Gospels. The post VEC2 – Caiaphas – Villains of the Early Church with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.
Read OnlineGreat crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:25–26After this startling opening line from our Lord, Jesus concludes today's Gospel by saying, “In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Thus, at first read it appears that we are called to not only renounce all we possess but also to hate those within our own family. But is this truly what our Lord means? Let's begin with the idea of “hating” those within our family and even our own life.Obviously the word “hate” in this Gospel passage is not the same as the sin of hate and anger. In commenting on this passage, one Church Father explains that there are some cases when the best way to love another is through a form of hate. That is, if another were to act as an obstacle to God, working to deter us from the will of our Lord, then our “hatred” for the actions they do must be firmly expressed. But this is love. A refusal to turn from God, by rejecting another's disordered actions, is a way of sharing the Gospel with them. Let's take an extreme example. Imagine that you lived at a time and circumstance where being a Christian was a crime. You were arrested and commanded to publicly renounce your faith. Instead, you renounced that command with every strength of your soul. In this case, you exercise a form of holy “hate” for the persecution the person is imposing upon you. But that is also an act of love toward them as you fully reject their action by renouncing their command.Or consider also how you hate even your “own life.” Let's say that you fall into serious sin, over and over. The appropriate response is not only to repent but also to have a form of holy hatred for the habit into which you have fallen. This is a true hatred for yourself in the sense that it is a hatred for that which you have become by your sin. But this holy hatred has the ultimate goal of passionately overcoming your sin and is therefore a true act of love for yourself.The concluding line of today's Gospel mentioned above calls us to renounce all of our possessions. In other words, we must renounce anything that we are attached to in a way that is contrary to the will of God. Of course, in God's providence most people (except those who take a vow of poverty) are invited by God to have various possessions so as to meet the material needs of life. But even in this case, we must “renounce” all that we possess, meaning, we must not allow ourselves to become attached to anything other than God. But this is freedom in the truest sense. Even if you have many things, it must be understood that those things do not make you happy. Only God and His will can fulfill you. Nothing else. Thus, we must learn to live as if God and God alone suffices. And if it is God's will that you obtain a house, car, computer, television and other modern conveniences, then so be it. But true “renunciation” of all of these possessions simply means that if at any time you were to lose them, then this would be fine. Therein is perfect detachment. The loss of something material would not deter you in any way from loving and serving God and His holy will.Reflect, today, upon these radical words of Jesus. Try to hear them in the way our Lord meant them. Work to be detached from everything that is contrary to the will of God and everything that becomes an obstacle to God in your life. In the end, possessing God alone is more than you could ever hope for. And only if you fully possess our merciful God will you be able to love yourself and others with the pure heart and love of Jesus our Lord. My demanding Lord, You call us all to a life of radical holiness. You desire that I come to love You above all with all my heart. Please give me the grace and wisdom I need to renounce all that is an obstacle to my love and service of You. May You and You alone be glorified in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Rembrandt, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
11/4/25 - Dr. Gerald P. Boersma, Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University and Humboldt Fellow at the University of Tübingen, shares his personal journey of faith, scholarship, and conversion of heart through the wisdom of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. In this conversation, Dr. Boersma reflects on how studying the Church Fathers and the great scholastics deepened his love for Christ and the Catholic Church, transforming theology from an academic pursuit into a lived encounter with Truth Himself. From his work as a Catholic systematic theologian and author of Augustine's Early Theology of Image (Oxford, 2016) to his reflections on faith, reason, and the image of God in man, this testimony reveals how intellectual formation and spiritual devotion can beautifully unite in the pursuit of holiness. Learn more about Dr. Boersma's work at www.geraldboersma.com
Joel Settecase breaks down two major stories through a biblical worldview:1️⃣ Trump ends the Israel–Hamas war and frees the hostages.2️⃣ Phil Vischer (VeggieTales) dodges the question: Is abortion ever justified?From geopolitics to morality, Scripture speaks clearly to peace, justice, and the value of every human life.TOPIC 1: TRUMP ENDS THE ISRAEL–HAMAS WARSources:World News Group: https://wng.org/roundups/free-at-last-1760391913The Daily Wire: https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-freed-the-hostages-and-secured-a-ceasefire-heres-whats-next-for-gazaBible: Romans 12:15; Matthew 5:9; John 16:33; Ephesians 2:14–16; Galatians 3:28–29; Colossians 3:11Takeaway: We celebrate peace, but true peace only comes through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.TOPIC 2: IS ABORTION EVER JUSTIFIED?Sources:Phil Vischer Twitter thread (Oct. 11–14, 2025)Church Fathers on Abortion: https://www.churchfathers.org/abortionAllie Beth Stuckey debate: https://x.com/benshapiro/status/1977415916519665677Bible: Exodus 21:22–25; Psalm 139:13–14; Psalm 51:5Takeaway: Life begins at conception. Abortion is intentional killing—murder in God's eyes.Final Thought: Whether peace in the Middle East or life in the womb, every issue finds clarity in Scripture. Understand the Word. Believe it. Live it.Join the Hammer & Anvil Society → https://thethink.institute/societyPartner with The Think Institute → https://thethink.institute/partner#WorldviewLegacyToday #NewsdayTuesday #TheThinkInstitute #ChristianWorldview #Apologetics #Israel #Abortion #Bible
Holy Mass is not just a ritual. It is not a routine. It is the Sacrifice of Calvary made present before your very eyes. In this homily, Fr. Dom breaks open the truth of the Mass with fire, clarity, and conviction. He reminds us that the Eucharist is heaven on earth, the most powerful prayer, and absolutely necessary for salvation.If you have ever drifted through Mass without purpose or conviction, this episode will shake you awake. Drawing from the wisdom of the saints, Church Fathers, and Sacred Scripture, Fr. Dom calls men to approach the altar with humility, reverence, and hunger for the living God. He challenges every man to return to Mass not as a spectator but as a soldier stepping onto the battlefield of Calvary.You will learn:Why the Mass is the same sacrifice as Jesus' death on the Cross—offered in a sacramental, unbloody way.How venial sins can be forgiven in the Mass and when to call them to mind.Why the Third Commandment (“Keep holy the Sabbath”) is the most broken commandment today—and how to fix it.How to prepare properly for Mass: through repentance, reading Scripture, and interior silence.What the saints taught about the unfathomable value of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.Why humility, not pride, makes our prayers powerful and pleasing to God.Fr. Dom reminds us: “If the Mass were man-made, we'd be fools to be here. But it's not. It's a gift from the Father who loves us.”The Challenge: This week, go to daily Mass at least once. Prepare before you enter. Read the readings. Call to mind your sins. Offer your week, your struggles, and your family at the Offertory. Listen intently to the prayers of the priest. Then receive the Eucharist with devotion and gratitude. This is your lifeline. This is your weapon.Three Powerful Quotes from the Homily:“The celebration of Holy Mass has the same value as the death of Jesus on the Cross.” — St. Thomas Aquinas“If we knew the value of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, how much greater effort we would put forth to attend it.” — St. John Vianney“The Mass is where heaven meets earth. This is the Holy of Holies.” — Fr. Dominic CouturierKey Takeaway for Men: The Mass is not optional—it's the foundation of a man's spiritual life and the weapon that protects his soul and family from evil. Every Catholic man must anchor his life around the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, where Christ gives Himself completely so that we may have the strength to finish the race and fight the good fight.Send us a text Support the showPlease prayerfully consider supporting the podcast on our Buy Me A Coffee page. to help grow the show to reach as many men as possible! Thank you for your prayers and support. Be sure to follow us on X for more great content. As always, please pray for us! We are men who strive daily to be holy, to become saints and we cannot do that without the help of the Holy Ghost! Subscribe to our YouTube page to see our manly and holy faces Check out our website Contact us at themanlycatholic@gmail.com
"To me, that ark is: engaging deeply with our traditions. It's reclaiming some of what we lost when we were assimilating and trying to fit in. We have thousands of years of text that have such wisdom about the human condition, about how to be a good person, and lead a worthy life . . . What we can really do is, we can be Jews. And to be a Jew has always been to be different." Sarah Hurwitz—former White House speechwriter and New York Times bestselling author of Here All Along—returns to People of the Pod to discuss her new book, As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us. Hurwitz reflects on why antisemitism remains, in her words, "the least mysterious phenomenon," and how Jews can reclaim pride, wisdom, and purpose through Jewish text, practice, and community. Drawing from her work as a hospital chaplain and her conversations with Jewish students on campus, she makes a powerful case for reconnecting with the depth and resilience of Jewish tradition. Key Resources: AJC's Translate Hate Glossary AJC's Efforts to Support the Hostages Listen – AJC Podcasts: Architects of Peace The Forgotten Exodus People of the Pod Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of the Interview: Manya Brachear Pashman: During the Obama administration, Sarah Hurwitz served as senior speech writer for President Barack Obama and chief speech writer for First Lady Michelle Obama. But after she left the White House, she did a little bit of soul searching, and in her mid 30s, reconnected with her Judaism. She wrote about it in a book titled Here All Along, and joined us at the time to talk about it. Sarah has returned with us this week to talk about the book that followed, titled As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us. Sarah, welcome back to People of the Pod. Sarah Hurwitz: Thank you so much. I'm thrilled to be here. Manya Brachear Pashman: So your title has a very powerful accusation. So tell us who is blaming, shaming and trying to erase us? Sarah Hurwitz: Yeah. So, you know, it's funny. My first book, as you know, was this love letter toJudaism. This, this journey of discovery of Jewish tradition, and I loved it so much, and I wanted to share it. You know, as I was writing it, I was thinking, Oh, where has this been all my life. Kind of a lovely, almost rhetorical question. But after it came out, a few things kind of happened that made me actually ask that question more seriously. Like, Wait, why did I not see any of the 4000 years of Jewish wisdom growing up? The first thing was, I trained to be a volunteer hospital chaplain, and you know, chaplaincy is multifaith, open to chaplains of all backgrounds. But you know, the training was kind of weirdly Christian. You know, we would talk about our ministry and our theology. And I was told that prayer is God, please heal so and so who's right here in front of me, and I'm just making this prayer up spontaneously, and they can hear me, and that's prayer. And everyone prays that way, I was told. I said, You know that that's not really a common form of Jewish prayer. But I was told, No, no, as long as you don't say Jesus, it is universal. That's interesting. And then something else that happened is I visited a college campus probably a year before October 7, and I was talking to students there at the Hillel, talking to a bunch of Jewish students. And one of them asked me, What did you do to respond to antisemitism when you were in college? And I was so stunned, I didn't even understand the question at first. And then I said, I didn't, not once, never. Not a single time did I deal with antisemitism. And the kids just looked kind of shocked, like they didn't believe me. And they started sharing stories of the antisemitism they were facing on campus. And I thought, uh oh, something's going on here. And then I really began kind of taking a deep dive into my identity. Of like, wait, so why did I spend my whole life being like, oh, I'm just a cultural Jew. I knew nothing about Jewish culture. Which is a beautiful way to be Jewish, being a cultural Jew, but I knew nothing about history, language, anything like that. When I said I'm an ethnic Jew, but Jews are of every ethnicity, so that's nonsense. Or I'd say social justice is my Judaism, but I didn't know anything about what Judaism said about social justice. Unlike these wonderful Jews who do know about social justice and spend their lives acting out Jewish social justice. And so I took a deep dive into history, and what I discovered was 2000 years of antisemitism and anti-Judaism and 200 years of Jews in Western Europe in a very understandable attempt to escape that persecution, kind of erasing many of our traditions. And I think that was kind of my answer to, where has this been all my life? And also my answer to, why did I have such an apologetic Jewish identity for so much of my life? Manya Brachear Pashman: In my introduction, I left off half the title of your first book because it was very long, but I am curious, kind of, when did you realize . . . well, let me give the full title of your book, it's Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life--in Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There). So I guess, how was that delayed connection to Judaism, can you elaborate a little bit more about how it was tied to these forces that you just talked about? Sarah Hurwitz: Yeah, so, you know, something that I didn't really fully understand, I had intimations of this, but didn't really understand this, is that, you know, 2000 years ago, early Christianity very much defined itself against Judaism. There was actually a name for this, the Aversos Judeos tradition, which means against the Jews in Latin. And you know, early Church Fathers very much were defining Christianity against Judaism, because back then, both of these traditions had originated from Judaism. And you know they parted ways at some point, and the Church Fathers were really trying to distinguish Christianity from Judaism, and to get people to stop kind of practicing both traditions. This tradition really continues with Judaism defined as unspiritual, legalistic, depraved, dead, spiritually superseded. A lot of very, very ugly tropes that kind of have common themes that say that Jews are diabolically powerful, so supernaturally powerful, you can't even believe it. They are also profoundly depraved, evil, bloodthirsty, perverse, and they're in a conspiracy to hurt you. So there may be very few of them, but man, they are working together to really do harm. And you see these three themes kind of making their way through history, unfortunately, all the way basically, until the Holocaust. And I based a lot of my writing on the work of a number of really distinguished Christian scholars who make this argument. It's actually a pretty common argument among Christian scholars. And, you know, in recent decades, the church has very much disavowed its historic anti-Judaism and has worked very hard to, you know, fight antisemitism in the church. But, you know, these things really did kind of continue on through the 20th century. Manya Brachear Pashman: So you do describe in your book moments when you got oddly defensive about your Judaism, or perhaps a bit revisionist about Jewish history and the origin of Jewish traditions, or the reason why they exist now in modern day. Can you elaborate on some of those moments for our listeners and explain how you've self-corrected thatdefense? Sarah Hurwitz: You know, I think a lot of it took the form of, oh, I'm Jewish, but not that Jewish. It was just sort of this immediate, but I'm not one of those Jews. You know, those really Jewish Jews. Well, I'm sorry, would it be a problem if I were? What if social justice wasn't my Judaism, but Judaism was my Judaism? Would that be okay? You know, just beginning to notice, like, Why am I always kind of pushing it away, claiming that I'm not too Jewish? That's a very strange way to announce someone's identity. I think, you know, Dara Horn has actually a really, quite an amazing essay called The Cool Kids, and she talks about these two different types of antisemitism. And one is this kind of eliminationist antisemitism which says the Jews are bad, there's nothing they can do to be good. We must kill them. And you know, that is the Holocaust, pogroms. We learn about that kind of antisemitism in school. But there's another kind of antisemitism, which is conversionist, which says, yes, the Jews are bad, but there is something they can do to be okay and saved. And that is, they can disavow whatever we, the majority, find disgusting about Jewish civilization. So you know, back in the day, it was, reject Jewish religion and convert to Christianity, and you'll be saved, maybe. For some amount of time, possibly. In my parents and grandparents generation, it was, you know, reject your last name, get a nose job. Stop being so "Jewy", be a little bit more "waspy," and then maybe we'll let you into our club. Then maybe we'll accept you. And today, what you see is you have to reject your ancestral homeland, you know, reject Israel, and then you'll be okay. And, you know, I visited 27 college campuses, and I kind of saw how this sometimes takes on the format of almost like a Christian conversion narrative, where it goes something like, you know, growing up, my rabbi and my parents told me Israel was perfect and amazing and a utopia. And then I got to college, and I realized that actually it's a colonialist, Nazi, racist society, and I had an epiphany. I saw the light, and I took anti-Zionism and anti-colonialism into my heart, and now I'm saved. Now I'm a good Jew. And their classmates are like, now you're a good Jew. And as Dara Horn puts it, this kind of antisemitism involves the weaponization of shame. It involves really trying to convince Jews that there is something fundamentally shameful about some aspect of themselves, their identity, their tradition. And today, that thing is Israel. This idea that there's something fundamentally . . . it's like the original sin of the world. Manya Brachear Pashman: And you also talk about the tradition of circumcision, and how that came up, and you found yourself explaining this to someone. Can you elaborate on that for our listeners? Which I thought was really interesting. Sarah Hurwitz: This was during an encounter with a patient. I was doing a chaplaincy shift, and usually I don't tell my patients my religious background, I'm very neutral, unless they're Jewish, in which case, I do tell them I'm Jewish. But, you know, I was finishing up a conversation with this very lovely lady. And she was very curious about my background. And so I told her, you know, I'm Jewish. And her eyes kind of lit up, and she said, Oh, you know, many of my neighbors are Jewish. I've actually been to two brisses in the past month. And she just, you know, and she was so lovely, like, she actually seemed to be just really happy to be included in this tradition of her neighbors. And I got weirdly defensive, and was like, Oh, well, you know, just so, you know, medical professionals, they say whether you circumcise or don't circumcise, it's really, it's equally safe either way. And you know, we often, you know, when we do brisses, they're often done by a medical provider. And I'm going on and on and like, this woman did not say the slightest negative thing about this tradition, but suddenly I am defensive. Suddenly it's like, Huh, interesting. You know, I think that it was an illustration to me of the way that we can sometimes really imbibe all of the kind of negative views about Jews and Jewish traditions that are around us, and become defensive, and sometimes we don't even realize that they're there. It's almost like they're the air that we breathe. Manya Brachear Pashman: But let me challenge that and push back a little bit. I mean, is it okay to not agree with some of the traditions of the Jewish faith and be open about your disagreement with that? I certainly know a lot of Christians who don't like things that emerge from their tradition or from their community. Is that okay? Or is it not when Judaism is threatened? Sarah Hurwitz: So I actually do think that's okay. You know, I have no problem with that, but I think the problem in this situation was that I have no problem with circumcision, but I'm suddenly getting defensive and trying to convince this woman that it's not weird. And I'm thinking, why am I doing this? It was very interesting to me that I felt so suddenly defensive and anxious. You know, it was very surprising to me. Manya Brachear Pashman: And similarly, it's okay to criticize Israeli policy too, right? I mean, it's totally acceptable. Sarah Hurwitz: Absolutely. This is the thing that I'm so confused about. Where people are saying, well, you know, you're saying that it's not okay to criticize Israel. And I'm like, I'm sorry. Have you been to Israel? It's like the national pastime there to criticize the government. I criticize the Israeli government all the time, as do millions of American Jews. This idea that this is somehow… that we're somehow reacting to criticism of Israel, that's ridiculous. I think what we're reacting to is not criticism of Israel, but it's something else. You know, when you have students on a college campus saying from water to water, Palestine should be Arab, or Israelis are Nazis. I just, with all due respect, I don't see that as criticism. Nor would I see it as criticism if, God forbid, a Jewish student ever said from water to water, Israel should be Jewish, or, Palestinians are terrorists. That is hateful, disgusting, racist, eliminationist language. And if I ever heard a Jewish student say that, I mean, let me tell you, I would have quite a talking to with that kid. So that's not criticism. Criticism is, I am vehemently opposed and abhor, this policy, this ideology, this action, for these reasons. That's criticism. And I think you can use real strong language to do that kind of criticism. But there's a difference between a criticism and slurs and baseless accusations. And I think we need to be just clear about that. Manya Brachear Pashman: All right, so you just use the term from water to water instead of from river to sea. Was that on purpose? Sarah Hurwitz: Not necessarily. It's just a clearer illustration of what I think from the river to the sea really means, you know, I think that is the Arabic that is used. Infrom the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free. It's like, you can kind of make an argument that this is about Palestinian Liberation. And okay, fair enough. But I think when you get the from water to water, it shall be Arab, that's when I think there's less of an argument that it's about freedom, and it seems a little bit more eliminationist to me. Manya Brachear Pashman: Interesting. I've not heard that before. But I like that. So you call antisemitism the least mysterious phenomenon. Can you please explain what you mean by that? Sarah Hurwitz: Yeah, you know, I think, like a lot of young people, my antisemitism education was mainly just Holocaust education. And I kind of walked away thinking like, huh, how wild that the civilized world just lost its mind in the mid-20th century and started killing Jews. That's so shocking and disturbing, you know, why is that? And the answer was kind of like, well, you know, the Germans lost World War I. They blamed the Jews. There was a depression. They blamed the Jews. And when you ask why the Jews, it's like, well, because of prejudice and scapegoating. I'm like, Okay, right. But again, why the Jews? Prejudice and scapegoating, that's the answer. It's like, well, actually, the answer really is because of 2000 years of Christian anti-Judaism that preceded that. It wasn't mysterious why the Jews were targeted. This was a 2000-year neural groove that had been worn into the Western world psyche. And this is not my argument. This is the argument of countless Christian scholars whose brilliant work I cite. And so I think that the unfortunate thing about some forms of Holocaust education is that it leaves you with the impression that, oh, this is so mysterious, it's just kind of eternal and kind of comes out of nowhere. Or even worse, you might even think maybe we did something to deserve this. But it's not mysterious. I can show you its path through history. And I think it's very important that Jews understand this history. And look, I think this is very hard to teach in an average American public school. Because, you know, we live in a country where, you know, saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas is very upsetting for some people. They feel very threatened and triggered by that. So for a teacher to say, like, Okay, kids today we're going to learn about how 2000 years of Christian anti-Judaism paved the way for the Holocaust . . . I don't think that's going to go well. Even if many mainstream Christian scholars would agree that that's true, this is a challenge that we face. Manya Brachear Pashman: So you have continued, as you said, to visit college campuses where antisemitism has been an issue since October 7, more of an issue than it even was beforehand. And yet, when you were at Harvard and Harvard Law, you've said you could have walked through Harvard Yard wrapped in an Israeli flag and no one would have said a word or reacted negatively. So what has changed, and does it signal a more general shift on campuses of kind of uncensored, unbridled speech? In other words, if black students support black lives matter, or gay students are marching for pride, do you feel like there's a sense that students who disagree with that from either the right or the left, have kind of claimed a license to criticize that too? Sarah Hurwitz: No. I try to explain to college students when they say, Well, okay, my campus isn't that bad, you know, I can wear my Jewish star, and I won't get, you know, harassed or ostracized. And I say, like, okay, great, if it's not that bad, I'll just wear my Israel t-shirt and we'll see how it goes. They're like, No. And then I have to go through this long litany of like, okay, if your black classmate said to you, well, this campus isn't so bad for black students, but I can't wear my Black Lives Matter t-shirt or else I'll be harassed and ostracized. I hope you would say that's not okay, that's racism, pretty clear. Or if your queer classmate said, Well, this campus is pretty good for queer people, but I can't wear my pride t-shirt, I hope you would say, That's not pretty good. That's homophobia. You know, when the majority feels entitled to decide how the minority can embody and express their identity, I think we have a really serious problem. And sometimes the kids will push back on me. Well, no, no, but the problem isn't being Jewish. It's Israel. I'm like, okay, but if your Chinese American classmate wore a t-shirt that said China, even if all your classmates knew that the Chinese government had been interning a million Muslim Uighurs in camps and subjecting them to horrific human rights violations, would they harass and ostracize her? And they're like, Well, probably not. Right, because they would assume that she has a relationship to China that maybe involves having heritage there, or maybe she studied abroad there, or maybe she's studying Chinese, maybe she has family there. I think they would assume that she has some connection to the country that doesn't involve agreeing with the policies of the Chinese government, and Jewish students on campus really aren't afforded that courtesy. And I'll tell you, most of the Jewish students I spoke with on campus, they, like me, are extremely critical of this current Israeli government. Extremely, extremely critical. They have all sorts of criticisms about what's happening in Gaza, of the occupation. You know, their views are quite nuanced and complex, but there is no room given for that. You know, I think on some college campuses, Israel has been put into the same bucket as the KKK and the Nazi party. So I can't say to you, look, you know, I'm a Nazi, but I'm a liberal Nazi. Or, oh, you know, I'm in the KKK, but I'm not racist. It's like, come on, right? These are vile entities with which no connection is acceptable, period. And I think once Israel ceases to be a country and instead becomes the representation of all evil in the world, there's really no relationship that you can have with it that's acceptable. And I think that is a pretty devastating place for it to be today. And I'll tell you, I think it's a really challenging moment right now where I, like a lot of American Jews, I'm a Zionist. I believe that Jews have a right to a safe and secure home state in their ancestral homeland. I believe we have the right to national independence and self determination, like Japanese people have in Japan and Latvians have in Latvia, and on and on. And you know, we've run that experiment of Jewish powerlessness for 2000 years, and it didn't go well. Even as late as the 20th century. It wasn't just that two thirds of Jews in Europe got wiped out because of the Holocaust. It's that nearly a million Jews who lived in Arab lands had to flee persecution, most of them to Israel. It's that 2 million Russian Jews had to flee persecution, half of them to Israel. It's that 10s of 1000s of Ethiopian Jews, I can go on and on. So we know, we've run that experiment of Jewish statelessness, and it doesn't go well. And at the same time, we are looking at this current Israeli government, and we are appalled. We're appalled by the ideology, we're appalled by many of the policies. And you know, for me as an American, this feels very familiar, because I love this country. I'm a proud, patriotic American, and I happen to very much disagree with the current president. I happen to be very much appalled by the current president's policies and ideology. And so, I think many people are able to hold that, but somehow it's harder with Israel, because of what is in the air right now. Manya Brachear Pashman: So, really you're saying that antisemitism has distorted history. Distorted people's understanding of Israel's history, their understanding of modern Israel's rebirth and existence. It spawned anti-Zionism. Correct? Sarah Hurwitz: Yes. Manya Brachear Pashman: Did you encounter that during your time in the Obama administration? Do you see it now, in hindsight or or is it a more recent emergence? Sarah Hurwitz: I think this is more recent. I mean, you know, probably in some spaces it was, you know, I was in the administration from 2009 to 2017. I never once saw any kind of anti-Zionism or antisemitism. I mean, it was one of the best places to be a proud, passionate Jew. I knew my colleagues could not have been more supportive of my Jewish exploration. They were so proud when I wrote my first book. So I never saw any of this ever, once. And I think, you know, I think what is so confusing about this is that we often think about antisemitism as a kind of personal prejudice, like, oh, you know, Jews are fill in the blank, nasty thing. They are dirty, cheap, crass. I don't want my daughter to marry one. I don't want one in my country club. You don't really see that kind of antisemitism in the circles where I travel anymore. What you see instead is more of political antisemitism, which is antisemitism as a kind of conspiracy theory that says that we, the majority, are engaged in a grand moral project, and the only thing stopping us are these Jews. We the majority are Christianizing the Roman Empire. The only thing stopping us, these Jews who won't convert. We the majority are bringing about the brotherhood of man, the great communist revolution. The only thing stopping us, these capitalist Jews. We the Germans, are bringing about the great, racially pure Aryan fatherland. The only thing stopping us – these race-polluting Jews. And today in America, you see it on the right and the left. On the right, it's, you know, we white Christian Americans are bringing back white Christian civilization to America. And the only thing stopping us are these Jews who are importing black and brown immigrants to replace white people. That is the extremely racist and antisemitic theory known as the Great Replacement theory. It is an ugly, disgusting lie. On the left you have, you know, we this very moral group of people. we are bringing about the revolution of anti-colonialism, anti-Zionism. And the only thing stopping us are these colonialist Zionists, which is a polite way of saying Jews. And so, you know, I think it's very important to understand, as Yossi Klein Halevi, the journalist, puts it, you know, what you see again and again is whatever is the worst thing in a society, that is what the Jews are deemed to be. Whatever is the worst thing among a particular population, that is what the Jews are deemed to be. And I think we're kind of seeing that on both the right and the left today. Manya Brachear Pashman: If antisemitism defines so much, or has defined so much of Jewish identity, how do we reclaim that? How have you reclaimed that? And how have you found joy in your Jewish identity, especially after doing this book and immersing yourself and all of this extremely depressing perspective? Sarah Hurwitz: I hear this kind of line among many Jews that breaks my heart. It's this sort of self-flagellation, of like, if we just had the right PR campaign, if we just had the right tweet, then we would fight antisemitism. It's our fault, we're doing such a bad job fighting antisemitism. And, you know, I love the ambition there. I think that is so sweet. But there are 16 million of us in the whole world. That's with an M, million, like the size of like, the fifth largest city in China. We are a Chinese city. There are billions of people who don't really love us out there. And the idea that we, this tiny group of people, is going to somehow change the minds of billions of people. I really respect the ambition, but I think that's a tough one. I think it's sort of like trying to bail out a tsunami with buckets. You know, if enough of us do it, I'm sure we can make a difference. And I have such respect for the people who are doing that work. I think it's very important. But I also would just suggest that maybe we should put a little more of our energy into building an ark to weather the storm. And you know, to me, that ark is, engaging deeply with our traditions. It's reclaiming, I think, some of what we lost when we were assimilating and trying to fit in. You know, we have thousands of years of text that have such wisdom about the human condition, about how to be a good person and lead a worthy life and find profound spiritual connection. We have just so many beautiful traditions. And so I think that what we can really do is, we can be Jews. And to be a Jew has always been to be different. That was kind of our value proposition thousands of years ago when we came along and said, hey guys, monotheism. Totally different way of thinking. We said, hey, every human being is created in the image of God, which is an idea that every human being is infinitely worthy. Which, again, this is the idea that underlies things like liberalism, democracy, human rights. These are really Earth-shatteringly different counter cultural ideas, and we have so many more of those that I still think the world needs today. So I think that rather than just being anti-anti-semites, that we can be proud Jews instead, and we can really focus on becoming more learned, more vibrant members of our communities, you know, engaging in more of our traditions and our rituals. I also think, you know, Dara Horn has been doing a lot of great work about educating kids about Jewish civilization. Rather than having young people only know about the Jews via the Holocaust, she really wants to teach young people about Jewish civilization, ideas, and people. I think that is a very, very powerful and very helpful idea. Manya Brachear Pashman: So how are you doing this? How do you spend each week? How do you reclaim some of these traditions and joy? Sarah Hurwitz: For me, it's studying. That's really how I engage, you know, I have various chavrutas or I study Jewish texts. I love reading Jewish books, and I love participating in the Jewish community. You know, I love engaging with various Jewish organizations, you know, serving on various committees, and just trying to be part of this project of reclaiming Judaism, of making it more accessible to more Jews. This is what I love doing, and I'll be starting in January. I'm actually going to be starting a rabbinic program at the Hartman Institute. It's a part time program. And I'm not not planning to be a congregational rabbi, but I do want to keep writing books, and I am really grateful for this opportunity to get a much deeper, more thorough Jewish education than the one I've kind of given to myself, and, you know, kind of cobbled together. I think this is going to be a really extraordinary opportunity. So I'm very excited about that. Manya Brachear Pashman: Oh, wow. Well, congratulations. I look forward to welcoming you back to the podcast and calling you Rabbi. Sarah Hurwitz: Thank you. Manya Brachear Pashman: Thank you so much for joining us, Sarah. Sarah Hurwitz: Such a pleasure. Thank you for having me.
In this episode of the Faith & Family Bible Study, Steve Wood explores one of the most awe-inspiring truths of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ not only created all things—He continues to sustain and hold the universe together by His divine power. Drawing from Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1:3, and Nehemiah 9:6, Steve shows that Christ's sustaining word keeps every atom, star, and living thing in existence. Through Scripture, Church Fathers, and even modern atomic science, we see that the same power that spoke creation into being now preserves it moment by moment. What would happen if Christ's sustaining power ceased, even for an instant? And how should this truth shape the way we live in holiness, hope, and awe of our Savior's continual presence in creation? Don't miss today's powerful episode. For more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.
What do we learn about disability and the resurrection body from the works of Flannery O'Connor? The Rev. Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer (Associate Professor of Theology and Bioethics at Concordia University Irvine and author of "Disability and the Resurrection Body in Light of the Works of Flannery O'Connor" in the Concordia Theological Quarterly) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about who Flannery O'Connor was and the Southern Grotesque style she wrote, what value we find in reading things that shock us to reality, how Flannery O'Connor reacts to the Enlightenment personal autonomy mindset through her writing, what we learn from her perspective on disability and suffering, what we learn from Scripture and the Church Fathers on suffering and the resurrection, and where we find our ultimate hope. Download a PDF of Dr. Stiegemeyer's article at ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/StiegemeyerDisabilityAndTheResurrection.pdf or find the landing page for the article at media.ctsfw.edu/Text/ViewDetails/21656. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.
In this powerful episode of Luke21, Steve Wood unpacks one of the most sobering and misunderstood passages in the Book of Revelation — the rise of the Beast. Drawing from Revelation 12 and 13, Steve explores how the ancient conflict of Genesis 3:15 unfolds through history, reaching its climax in the appearance of the Antichrist — a deceptive “pseudo-Christ” who presents himself as the world's Great Monarch. Discover why this world leader will seem like a dream come true — bringing promises of peace, prosperity, and unity — yet will ultimately embody the greatest deception in human history. Steve connects these prophecies to Daniel's visions, early Church Fathers, and modern Church teaching, including insights from Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal Karol Wojtyła (St. John Paul II). For more resources on biblical prophecy, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) - Aquinas brought the development of Catholic thought and theology to a plateau, navigating the middle path between Augustine and Pelagius; Anselm and Abelard; and even Plato and Aristotle. He's called the Common Doctor because the Church has affirmed that his teaching should be taught, and held up as the standard, in every school, university, and seminary. Links Check out this YouTube clip, How the Summa Replaced the Sentences as the Standard Theology Textbook, w/ Philipp Rosemann: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0od3JXnbfYY Also, check out this interview that St. Thomas' namesake - Thomas Mirus - did on the Catholic Culture Podcast with Matthew Minerd, about the education St. Thomas received and his responsibilities as a master of theology and his academic milieu: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/161-vocation-thomas-aquinas-matthew-minerd/ Three of St. Thomas' academic sermons are available as audio books on the Catholic Culture website: Beware of the False https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-thomas-aquinas-beware-false/ Heaven and Earth Will Pass https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-thomas-aquinas-heaven-and-earth-will-pass/ Send Out Your Spirit https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-thomas-aquinas-send-out-your-spirit/ Mike Aquilina's Praying in the Presence of Our Lord with Thomas Aquinas: https://lambingpress.com/products/praying-in-the-presence-of-our-lord-with-st-thomas-aquinas The Classics of Western Spirituality volume on Albert & Thomas: https://www.paulistpress.com/Products/3022-X/albert-and-thomas.aspx The Penguin Classics Thomas Aquinas: Selected Writings: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/260880/selected-writings-of-thomas-aquinas-by-thomas-aquinas/ The Aquinas Institute Online Complete Works of St. Thomas Aquinas: https://aquinas.cc/la/en/~ST.I Pope Leo XIII, 1879 Papal Encyclical Aeterni Patris: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=4861&repos=1&subrepos=0&searchid=2570288 Pope Pius XI, 1923 Papal Encyclical Studiorem Ducem: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=4957 Pope St. John Paul II, 1998 Papal Encyclical Fides et Ratio: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=592&repos=1&subrepos=0&searchid=2570289 SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at: http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage: http://www.jimpapandrea.com For Dr. Papandrea's take on St. Anselm, Peter Abelard, and St. Thomas Aquinas on the Atonement, see Reading the Church Fathers: https://sophiainstitute.com/?product=reading-the-church-fathers Dr. Papandrea's YouTube channel, The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed: https://www.ccwatershed.org/
Join the show with a TEXT here!We made it! The Finale of the mini series is here! To round out what we have covered so far, it felt fitting to look at aspects of scripture we take for granted as well as the Church patristic witness to the clarity of Scripture! I hope this series has been encouraging to you and pushes you to read and understand the scriptures more than you have in the past!
We're reposting this episode in anticipation of Reformation Day. John Henry Newman once said, "To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant." Dr. Michael Haykin disagrees — and in this conversation, he shows why Christians today need the wisdom of the early Church Fathers. Join us as we explore: What Cyprian, Athanasius, Augustine, Ignatius, Irenaeus, and Clement teach about baptism, communion, and church leadership Common myths about the Church Fathers and why their example of faithful, reflective living matters today How their pursuit of holiness can shape your daily devotion and spiritual growth Fun (and surprising) clarifications: Is John MacArthur a bishop? Are Presbyterians right about infant baptism? Support the Podcast Support us on Patreon Website: thatllpreach.io IG: thatllpreachpodcast YouTube Channel
Good morning! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Trevor Lipscombe to discuss Catholic University of America publishing the dissertation that Pope Leo wrote long before becoming pope. Other guests include Fr. John Gavin with more thoughts on Christian maturity from the Church Fathers, and Kevin Schmiesing with This Week in Catholic History. Plus news, weather, sports, and more… ***** St. Francis of Assisi’s Prayer for Enlightenment Almighty, eternal, just, and merciful God, grant us in our misery [the grace] to do for You alone what we know You want us to do, and always to desire what pleases You. Thus, inwardly cleansed, interiorly enlightened, and inflamed by the fire of the Holy Spirit, may we be able to follow in the footprints of Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And, by Your grace alone, may we make our way to You, Most High, Who live and rule in perfect Trinity and simple Unity, and are glorified God all-powerful forever and ever. Amen. ***** More on the Catholic University of America publishing the dissertation of the future Pope Leo can be found here. Neena Gaynor is online at ascensionpress.com. Fr. Philip Larrey is online at philiplarrey.com. Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In these dark times, we must fight evil with the most powerful weapons we have.The Rosary is foremost among them.Join the Great Rosary Campaign today at: www.GreatRosaryCampaign.com.The Great Rosary Campaign was a yearlong mission for the conversion of cultural leaders.Due to popular demand, and the inherent value of praying the Rosary and doing penance for conversions, the Great Rosary Campaign will remain a pillar of Eternal Christendom's weekly content. Every Sunday, we will continue to announce a weekly call to pray and do penance for both non-Catholics and Catholics.THIS WEEK of the Great Rosary Campaign, we will pray for the conversion of faculty and students at "The Master's Seminary," which was founded by the well-known protestant (and oftentimes very anti-Catholic) pastor John MacArthur, who died earlier this year. May he rest in peace. We have heard from sources in the know that there has been increased interest in reading the Church Fathers among both faculty and students, and some have either decided to convert, or are close.The SUGGESTED PENANCE this week is a 24 hour water fast, adjusted for your state in life.Countless Saints and Popes have told us that the Rosary is incredibly powerful for three things in particular:Keeping the FaithMoral renovationConversions of non-CatholicsThe Great Rosary Campaign is also based on several biblical themes and principles.First, PRAY FOR OUR BRETHREN. “Pray for one another…” (Jas. 5:16). “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:10).Second, PRAY FOR OUR ENEMIES. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:43-44).Third, PRAY FOR ALL MEN, PARTICULARLY LEADERS AND THOSE IN AUTHORITY. “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, or kings and all who are in high positions…” (1 Tim. 2:1-2).Fourth, GOING INTO BATTLE WITH THE ARK. When the ancient Israelites came to Jericho, God didn't tell them to besiege the city. Instead, He told them to march around it with the Ark of the Covenant seven times, and on the seventh the walls would fall. We will now "march" in prayer for seven days with the New Ark of the Covenant, Our Lady, through the Rosary. We pray in hope that on the seventh day, a day especially devoted to Our Lady (Saturday), extraordinary graces of conversion will be given to those we are praying for.Fifth, EVANGELISM AND APOLOGETICS = LOVE + ARGUMENTS + PRAYER + PENANCE. Ultimately it is God who reveals Himself to a soul, and empowers them to say "yes" to Him by His grace. He chooses to use us, but He does not have to. We must remember that as we evangelize and defend the Faith, our arguments will be fruitless unless informed by love (charity), and reinforced by prayer and penance.Sixth, RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL. “Do not return evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but on the contrary bless, for to this you have been called, that you may obtain a blessing" (1 Pet. 3:9).Sign up to take part in the Great Rosary Campaign today: www.GreatRosaryCampaign.com
What did ancient Jewish thinkers teach about the union of faith and reason? Before the rise of the great Church Fathers and Christian theologians, there stood a profound voice bridging Hebrew revelation and Greek philosophy Philo of Alexandria. For more online video courses check our website: www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com/academy
In this episode, Rita Saikali delves into the Gospel of St. Luke, focusing on the profound themes of Christ's mission, the role of the Holy Spirit, and the nature of division and conflict that arise from faith. Through the lens of early Church Fathers, she explores the metaphor of fire as a symbol of spiritual awakening, purification, and the challenges faced by believers. The discussion also touches on the concept of martyrdom and the transformative power of faith in the face of suffering.Christ's mission was to ignite a spiritual fire on earth.Division among families can arise from faith in Christ.The Holy Spirit empowers believers to spread the gospel.God's fire purifies sin and enlightens the faithful.Martyrdom is seen as a victory in the early Church.The teachings of early Church Fathers provide deep insights into faith.Faith can lead to both grace and fear depending on obedience.The fire of the Holy Spirit ignites passion and zeal in believers.Suffering for faith is a path to deeper communion with Christ.The legacy of martyrs inspires modern believers to live boldly. Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Gospel of St. Luke01:00 Understanding Christ's Mission and the Fire03:57 The Role of the Holy Spirit09:38 The Nature of Division and Conflict11:05 The Power of the Gospel16:05 Martyrdom and the Fire of Faith21:39 Reflections on Martyrdom and Personal Faith
Join Jacobs Premium: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/membershipThe book club (use code LEWIS): https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/offers/aLohje7p/checkoutThis episode concludes a four-part series examining slavery, polygamy, and genocide in biblical texts. The discussion addresses remaining questions about the moral gap between Mosaic law and early Christian teaching, arguing that Scripture reflects a progressive moral pedagogy rather than an immediate ideal. The framework employs natural law theory and Eastern Orthodox theology to distinguish between morally impermissible slavery and morally acceptable servitude arrangements, while contextualizing Old Testament ethics within the Ancient Near Eastern cultural baseline from which God drew his people toward eventual Christian perfection.All the links: Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastWebsite: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:20 Recapping the Slavery Episode 00:08:20 Recapping the Polygamy Episode 00:10:00 Recapping the Genocide Episode 00:11:27 Why a 4th Episode? 00:15:00 Slaying of Innocence 00:19:45 Possibility #1 00:20:30 Possibility #2 00:22:15 Possibility #3 00:23:40 The Rich Man and Lazarus 00:27:30 The Most Troubling Psalm 00:36:17 Lingering Concerns with Genocide 00:42:35 Are the Innocent Damned? 00:46:35 Loose Ends with Slavery 00:53:29 The Law and Moral Progress 01:00:50 Sensitivity of Moral Faculties 01:06:15 The Ideal of the Logos
Two of the important Church Fathers in the later fourth century are Cyril of Jerusalem and Epiphanius of Salamis. You may not know much about…
Good morning! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Fr. Philip Larrey to share more thoughts on what the Church has to say about Artificial Intelligence. Other guests include Fr. John Gavin to continue our series on what the Church Fathers teach us about Christian maturity, and Kevin Schmiesing with This Week in Catholic History. Plus news, weather, sports, and a whole lot more… ***** Prayer for God’s Mercy by St. Jerome Show me, O Lord, Your mercy, and delight my heart with it. Let me find You whom I so longingly seek. Behold, here is the man whom the robbers seized, manhandled, and left half dead on the road to Jericho. Kind-hearted Samaritan, come to my aid! I am the sheep who wandered into the wilderness. Seek after me and bring me home again to Your fold. Do with me according to Your Will, that I may abide with You all the days of my life, and praise You with all those who are with You in heaven for all eternity. Amen. ***** Fr. Philip Larrey is online at philiplarrey.com. Bill Schmitt is online at onword.net. Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How does God actually define worship in Scripture and the early Church? Modern Christianity often equates worship with sermons or emotionally moving music, but is this what Scripture and tradition teach? This catechesis digs deep into the biblical and historical roots of Christian worship. Drawing on the Old Testament sacrificial system, the words of Christ at the Last Supper, and the testimony of the early Church Fathers, we explore the true nature of worship as understood by the apostles and saints. You'll learn how worship in the Bible is always sacrificial, culminating in the Eucharist, not preaching. Discover why the Mass is not a Catholic invention but the divinely instituted fulfillment of ancient worship. This episode provides a rich theological and historical case for why true worship must be centered on the Eucharistic sacrifice, Christ's body and blood, made present at every Mass. Get access to Patreon Only Deep Dive, Digital Downloads, Latin Learning Guides and More - Click Here (https://www.patreon.com/thelatinprayerpodcast). A huge thank you to my patrons! To Support FishEaters.com Click Here (https://www.patreon.com/fisheaters) Please check out our Resources, Gift Ideas & Affiliate Links page: https://dylandrego.podbean.com/p/resources-gift-ideas-affiliate-links Join me and others in praying the Holy Rosary every day; here are the Spotify quick links to the Rosary: Joyful Mysteries https://open.spotify.com/episode/1yhnGJNSl67psg94j3si3s?si=7IjqIg2wQQaZTJTiDm-Dhw Sorrowful Mysteries https://open.spotify.com/episode/3P0nIdaLuEjesHRMklwfoj?si=6qF7JBYpRiG0ylwuOohFwA Glorious Mysteries https://open.spotify.com/episode/3t7lCF7nFQDR3py1jjTAE1?si=hBb_5Ne5Rwu-993nUUqHqg Luminous Mysteries https://open.spotify.com/episode/6vlAjEGgWPCI79K7Eylh31?si=Hue9USzkTf-L3wrXrK79MQ 15 Decade Rosary https://open.spotify.com/episode/2q33PXMrinZi6fkaV6X7vn?si=Jy_d2xLlTVihD5qa4fSH9g To follow me on other platforms Click on my LinkTree below. linktr.ee/dylandrego If you have any prayers you'd like to request, or comments and/or suggestions - please email me at latinprayerpodcast@gmail.com. Know that if you are listening to this, I am praying for you. Please continue to pray with me and for me and my family. May everything you do be Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam. God Love You! Valete (Goodbye) This podcast may contain copyrighted material the use of which may not always have been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advanced the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church for the promulgation of religious education. We believe this constitutes a "fair use” of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US copyright law, and section 29, 29.1 & 29.2 of the Canadian copyright act. Music Credit: 3MDEHDDQTEJ1NBB0
Join Jacobs PremiumJoin the book club (use code LEWIS)This week Dr. Jacobs tackles the Eastern Orthodox perspectives on hell, divine providence, and human nature at Northern Arizona University. This conversation explores how Eastern patristic theology differs from Western Christianity on topics including original sin, the fall of man, Christ's descent into Hades, and the possibility of universal salvation. Jacobs traces his journey from philosophical opposition to Christianity through his discovery of the Church Fathers, addressing common objections to Christian theology based on moral intuitions and examining whether eternal damnation contradicts God's goodness. We also have a little tag on Mormonism and the Great Apostasy at the end. All the links: Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastWebsite: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs00:00:00 Intro 00:02:07 Background on Dr. Jacobs 00:14:56 The standard Western view of hell 00:18:33 The Eastern patristic perspective 00:32:19 God's providence and goodness 00:40:06 Death & Hades in Eastern thought00:49:19 Death as both enemy and mercy 00:53:50 Genesis & the fall 01:13:06 Universal salvation & God's will 01:35:03 Steel-manning nominalism 01:38:53 Christ not knowing the day or hour01:46:03 Mormonism & the Great Apostasy
(5:15) Bible Study: Luke 11:42-46 What is Justice? Romans 2:1-11 Father Tackles this hard passage to understand. (25:03) Break 1 (26:19) Letters: Father shares some letters which he received physically, explains one of the titles of our Lady and answers the meaning of the word Logos. Father answers these and other questions, send him a letter at simon@relevantradio.com (36:26) Break 2 (38:08) Word of the Day Partiality (39:28) Phones: Grant - I have two daughters, and they want to be altar servers, and I want to know what the right call is. Tom - who's obedience makes us righteous? is it Jesus or is ours? Gail - Is it ok for a lay person to do a communion service or is it just a deacon? Delores- I went to the cemetery and brought home the old flowers to be replaced with new ones. My friends said I was bringing evil spirits. is this a real thing?
CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOMIn this episode, we finally dive into the writings of the Church Father who "red pilled" me on the Catholic Church while I was still a protestant: St. Ignatius of Antioch. He was ordained by the Apostles, and barely 70 years after Christ's Ascension wrote astoundingly Catholic things about: the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, apostolic succession, the authority of the priesthood, the Christian altar, the necessity of unity, the greater authority of the Roman Church, and even the very name of the one true Church: the "Catholic Church." Today we are publishing Part 1 of this two-part series in honor of his feast day on October 17.VISIT OUR WEBSITEhttps://eternalchristendom.com/BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITIONWe are a non-profit, and all gifts are tax-deductible. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free:https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS AT ETERNAL CHRISTENDOM BOOKSTOREhttps://eternalchristendom.com/bookstore/CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIAX: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharlesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/DIVE DEEPERCheck out Eternal Christendom's "Becoming Catholic," where you'll find more than 1 million words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic:https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/SUBSTACKSubscribe to our Substack: https://eternalchristendom.substack.com/EPISODE CHAPTERS00:00 - Introduction03:24 - Help Us Build Eternal Christendom04:11 - Discovering St. Ignatius of Antioch11:04 - Letter to the Ephesians27:28 - Letter to the Magnesians39:10 - Eternal Christendom Bookstore39:38 - Letter to the Trallians48:40 - Letter to the SmyrnaeansLISTEN ON APPLEhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eternal-christendom-podcast/id1725000526LISTEN ON SPOTIFYhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3HoTTco6oJtApc21ggVevu
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: DEC 18, 2018EPISODE 251:Craig Allert is a scholar specializing in Patristic Fathers, those early Christian thinkers who lived and wrote just after the end of the apostolic age to (roughly 451 AD). On today's episode we talk with Craig about his work in analyzing how the early church fathers understood and interpreted Genesis One. We talk about the ways they approached Genesis One and how modern researchers use and abuse what the fathers said about Genesis in debating divergent views of creationism.Book: Craig Allert, Early Christian Readings of Genesis One: Patristic Exegesis and Literal Interpretation
In this episode of Logos Podcast, Fr. Max and Fr. Joseph dive deep into the meaning of the Old Law and the New Law — drawing from Scripture, the Church Fathers, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Is the God of the Old Testament different from the God of the New Testament? Did Jesus come to abolish the law, or to fulfill it? And why does St. Thomas say the New Law is actually more demanding than the Old?Together, the priests unpack the Torah, the Ten Commandments, the sacrificial system, and the judicial laws of Israel — and show how all of these find their fulfillment in Christ, the Law of Freedom and the Law of Love. You'll learn why the grace of the Holy Spirit is at the heart of Christian life, how to avoid common misunderstandings between Catholics and Protestants, and what it means to live interiorly with God's Spirit today.If you've ever wondered about the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament, this conversation will give you clarity, challenge your assumptions, and inspire you to go deeper in the Catholic faith.Topics covered:- Misconceptions about Old vs. New Testament God- The purpose of the Old Law (moral, liturgical, judicial)- Why the Old Law was incomplete- Prophecies of a New Law in Ezekiel- St. Thomas Aquinas on the grace of the Holy Spirit- Why the New Law is harder — yet possible through grace- What it means to live the Law of Love todayChapters0:00 – Introduction2:10 – The Topic 2:55 - Augustine Institute Ad4:45 - The Topic 7:40 – Misconceptions About the Law9:00 – What Is the Old Law?13:45 – Why God Gave the Law18:00 – The Limits of the Old Law22:40 – Promise of a New Law25:20 – What Is the New Law?27:30 – Moral, Liturgical, and Judicial Laws in Christ35:00 – Is the New Law Harder?41:00 – The Law of Freedom and Love47:40 – Infinite Mercy, Infinite Demands48:50 – Practical Takeaways49:27 – Closing & BlessingConnect with Logos Podcast:Website: http://www.logos-podcast.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3PCPWBvNcAbptX17PzlC2x?si=BkEHS4vGSf-xmMlDFcpZ2QApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/logos-podcast/id1560191231YouTube: @logospodxastInstagram: @logospodxastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/logospodcastSponsored by the Augustine InstituteApply now: https://www.augustine.edu/logosSupport the show
How old is the earth? Is it billions of years old, or does Scripture, history, and observable science point to a much younger age?In this episode of Faith of the Fathers, we explore the age of the earth from a Young Earth Creation (YEC) perspective:
What would we know about Jesus if we lost every possible Christian document (including the New Testament and writings of the Church Fathers)? What would the earliest unfriendly Greek, Roman, Syrian and Jewish historical documents tell us about Jesus?
In this episode of the Cold-Case Christianity Broadcast, J. Warner Wallace describes the ancient non-Christian evidence for the life of Jesus. What would we know about Jesus if we lost every possible Christian document (including the New Testament and writings of the Church Fathers)? What would the earliest unfriendly Greek, Roman, Syrian and Jewish historical documents tell us about Jesus?
Read OnlineAs Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” Luke 9:57–58At first, this appears to be an unusual response from our Lord. This person appeared to be committing himself to follow Jesus wherever Jesus led. But rather than complimenting the would-be follower, Jesus indicates that there is nowhere for this man to follow Him. Instead, he would have to follow Him into the unknown. Why would Jesus say this? Did He not want the man to follow Him?One thing that this passage teaches us is that Jesus was able to read the souls and the intentions of those whom He encountered. Apparently, what the man said was not exactly his true intention. In commenting upon this passage, several Church Fathers point out that the man said what he said not out of a deep desire to follow Christ, but so that he would look good in the eyes of those around Jesus. Jesus knew his true intention, and therefore told the man that if he wanted to follow Him, he would have to follow Him into the unknown. Jesus then spoke to two others about following Him, and each time He challenged them to follow Him without reservation.The call to follow our Lord is absolute. We cannot halfheartedly follow Him. We cannot follow Him for selfish reasons. The choice to follow our Lord begins with Him calling to us interiorly. We must hear His clear voice and invitation. The invitation we will receive will be one that asks everything of us. Jesus will never call us to give half of our lives to Him, or even most of our lives to Him. His call is one that demands everything. By demanding everything from us, our Lord is actually giving everything to us. We are only made whole when we give everything to Him and follow Him without reserve. This is the starting point.The choice to follow Jesus will also be done in a certain secrecy. It's not that we try to hide our choice to follow Him; rather, we must follow Him with the right intentions. We do not do so because we want others to praise us, admire us, or look up to us. We do not do so to boost our spiritual ego. We follow Him because we have heard Him call and have chosen to respond to that call in the way we are called. Therefore, every choice to follow Jesus must begin in the secrecy of our interior life of prayer.Once our commitment is firmly established, it will often become visible to others, but that must never be a motivating factor. Once we are firmly committed to follow Christ, there must be no turning back. Jesus concludes today's Gospel by saying, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.” The choice to follow Christ requires a death to certain things in our lives. As our journey moves forward, there will be temptations to return to our old ways. We will remember the delights of past sins, feel the draw to other paths, and might even experience the demand of absolute fidelity to be too much. These experiences must be continuously rejected as temptations and lies. We must never look back to what we gave up and must always look forward to that which our Lord is calling us. Second-guessing our choice to follow Jesus will be a very real temptation at times; therefore, our resolve must never waver. Reflect, today, upon the depth of your own decision to follow Jesus. First, consider whether or not you have heard this radical and absolute call echo within the depths of your soul. Only there, in the secrecy of your interior life, will you hear God speak. Second, consider your motivations for following Jesus. Do you do so to look good in the eyes of others? Or do you do so out of love of God? Third, consider whether your commitment is total. It is not enough to give most of your life to Christ; He demands everything. Finally, ponder also the fact that there will be many temptations along the way to return to your former sinful way of life. Allow your resolve to eliminate those temptations and continuously recommit yourself to the journey to which you have been called. My demanding Lord, You have called me to a radical commitment of my entire life to follow You. I hear Your voice and choose to say “yes” to Your invitation. Please free me from all selfish motives in life, and give me the resolve I need to follow You wherever You lead. Jesus, I trust in You. Image via Adobe Stock Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
In this episode, we dig deep into the role of the Church Fathers and how Catholics should understand their authority. We start with the classic criteria—antiquity, orthodoxy, sanctity, and ecclesiastical approbation—and then explore what that means both individually and collectively. Individually, the Fathers are private theologians: brilliant, holy, and zealous for truth, but not infallible. […]
Why should we study what the Church Fathers taught? Flame (Grammy-Nominated and Stellar Award-Winning rap artist and author of Extra Nos: Discovering Grace Outside Myself and his newest book, Because Jesus Taught It: Christianity through the Eyes of the Church Fathers) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about where the idea for his newest book began, who the Church Fathers are, and why he chose to study what they taught. He shares what he found when he began studying them, how this knowledge influenced what he believes and confesses today, and what was most challenging and compelling about reading the Church Fathers. As a bonus for this episode, 3rd-7th grade students in the Quest program at St. Mark's Lutheran School in Eureka, MO join Andy and Sarah as co-hosts to ask Flame their own questions. Find everything from Flame at extranosacademy.com, including his podcast "The Study." Find his latest book at cph.org/because-jesus-taught-it-christianity-through-the-eyes-of-the-church-fathers. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let's be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.
What role do historic confessions play in the life of the Church today—and why should we care? In this episode we welcome Dr. D. Blair Smith, President and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC and author of Reformed Confessionalism (P&R Publishing). We explore the theological, pastoral, and spiritual value of the Reformed confessions—not as artifacts of a bygone era, but as living instruments for the Church's health and faithfulness. From the Church Fathers to the Westminster Assembly, Dr. Smith draws out the continuity and vitality of confessional Christianity, highlighting how confessions serve as tools for Christian formation, doctrinal clarity, and ecclesial identity. Topics include: Why every church is a “confessing church”—whether it admits it or not The relationship between Scripture and subordinate standards How confessions function pastorally and devotionally The dangers of doctrinal minimalism in the modern church How Reformed confessions express catholicity, not sectarianism Encouragement for pastors and churches seeking to recover confessional depth Whether you're a church leader, seminarian, or thoughtful layperson, this episode offers a compelling case for embracing confessionalism as a rich, living tradition that grounds the Church in biblical truth and historic continuity. Watch on YouTube Chapters 00:07 Introduction 05:21 Writing This Book 08:06 The Confessing Church 13:32 Promoting Unity 19:59 The Relationship between Confessions and Systematic Theologies 26:19 Challenges Facing Confessional Churches Today 31:50 For the Entire Church 36:02 Examples of How the Confessions Guide the Church 42:40 The Usefulness of Confessions for Church Planting and Revitalization 49:26 Conclusion This is Christ the Center episode 926 (https://www.reformedforum.org/ctc926)
The Greek word Pneuma.Sumo rants about the church fathers and online Catholics. Everyone needs their own personal head canon to be valid.Hallucinations on both sides, what can you do?Kavi's adventures living in Africa.Suspicious detailed text messages from Charlie Kirk's shooter.Who is winning on either side? The public is stupid and so is A/B testing.The Eternal Return.College sports and Sumo used to be a frat bro.The universe is made of language and language has degraded over time.Charlie Kirk's extravagant funeral and Erika Kirk.Forgiveness, how does it work, did Erika Kirk really forgive Charlie Kirk's shooter?What Tom Bombadil really is and the job of a poet.The Download.Maybe the rapture really did happen last Tuesday.Tylenol and autism.LinksBuzz Aldrin on Conan Saying the Moon Landing Was an AnimationMore Linkswww.MAPSOC.orgFollow Sumo on TwitterAlternate Current RadioSupport the Show!Subscribe to the Podcast on GumroadSubscribe to the Podcast on PatreonBuy Us a Tibetan Herbal TeaSumo's SubstacksHoly is He Who WrestlesModern Pulp
Gavin Ortlund explores how the Church Fathers interpreted the days of creation in Genesis 1, revealing both diversity and depth in early Christian thought.Truth Unites (https://truthunites.org) exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unites, Visiting Professor of Historical Theology at Phoenix Seminary, and Theologian-in-Residence at Immanuel Nashville.SUPPORT:Tax Deductible Support: https://truthunites.org/donate/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/truthunitesFOLLOW:Website: https://truthunites.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truth.unites/X: https://x.com/gavinortlundFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnitesPage/
On The Patrick Madrid Show, a caller named Jared voices a concern shared by many Catholics today: could the Church ever change her teaching on homosexuality? With so many voices online casting doubt, Jared – himself a convert – wonders if he had put his trust in something that might shift under pressure. Patrick Madrid responds with clarity and conviction: the Church’s teaching on sexual morality has been consistent for 2,000 years and will never change. From the words of Jesus to the writings of St. Paul and the unbroken witness of the Church Fathers, the truth about chastity, purity of heart, and God’s plan for human love remains constant. While individuals may push for compromise, their opinions cannot overturn what Christ Himself established. Patrick reminds you that human nature hasn’t changed. The temptations of lust, pride, and rebellion existed 1,000 years ago just as they do today. Yet the Church stands firm, built on the rock of Christ’s promise that the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Even in times of scandal, upheaval, or confusion, the truth remains unshaken. If you're feeling anxiety or fear, Patrick encourages you to focus less on what dissenting voices say and more on living faithfully. We can't control how others act, but we can only be responsible for our own decisions. He urges you to stay close to the sacraments, pray the Rosary, and trust Jesus’ promise that His Church will endure. As he put it, “If you stick with Jesus, you stay in the truth, you persist... everything is going to be okay. Jesus said so, and I believe it.” Patrick recommends Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacques Philippe, a book that helps you find peace and trust in God, even when storms rage around you. His message is clear: truth does not bend to culture, and the Catholic Church will never change her teaching on homosexuality – because it is the teaching of Christ Himself.
Read Online“Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away.” Luke 8:18Do you have much? Or little? According to Jesus' words, if you have much, then you will receive much more; but if you have little, then you will lose even what you have. Does this seem fair?Of course, our Lord is not speaking in worldly terms. He's not saying that if you have much money, then you will gain more, or if you are poor, then you will become poorer. Instead, Jesus is speaking about the grace that comes from understanding His holy Word. Notice that the passage above begins by saying, “Take care, then, how you hear.”To “hear” the Word of God implies that you truly receive what Jesus teaches. Hearing is not just hearing the words spoken with your ears. One early Church Father, Saint Bede, explains that truly hearing the Word of God with our minds leads us to love that Word, and loving the Word leads to understanding. This is not accomplished by an intellectual exercise alone, as if our natural gifts are the primary means by which we comprehend all that Jesus teaches. Rather, it comes through spiritual insight gained by the supernatural gift of the Spirit Who teaches us all things.If you want “more” understanding of the mysteries of God, then commit yourself to engaging the holy Scriptures with your mind. Read the Scriptures, ponder them and pray with them. It's easy to forget that the Word of God is a Living Word. This means that when we prayerfully immerse ourselves in the Scriptures, we are prayerfully encountering God Himself. God is alive in His holy Word. We meet Him, personally, and this happens only by a special grace that we must be open to receive.The beautiful aspect of this teaching of Jesus is that the more we understand His Word by this grace, the more we will immerse ourselves in it, and it will continue to grow within us. If, however, we devote little time to engaging the Word of God in prayer, we will begin to “forget,” so to speak, the spiritual depths of the wisdom of God. We will lose the little understanding we have and when this happens, we will be prone to engaging and accepting the many confusions and deceptions alive in our world.Reflect, today, upon your practice of prayerfully meditating upon the Scriptures. If this is not your current practice, resolve to make it so. Perhaps start with one of the Gospels and commit yourself to prayerfully reading it little by little every day. The goal is not to get through the books of the Bible. The goal is to enter into each book. Every chapter and every line provides us with a depth of spiritual insight and understanding just waiting to be given and received. Commit yourself to this holy practice, and you will be amazed at the spiritual riches our Lord bestows upon you.Living Word of God, my Lord and my King, I thank You for the way in which You come to me and all Your children through Your written Word. Fill me with a love for that Word so that I will daily engage my mind in the deep truths revealed within it. May I meet You, dear Lord, and grow in an understanding of Who You are and what You wish to reveal to me. Jesus, I trust in You.Didgeman, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
Fr. Mike shows us from our reading of Jeremiah that when we give our hearts and minds over to idols we become foolish. The way of man is not in himself, we need the Lord to guide and correct us. In Ezekiel, we read about the vision of the measuring of the temple and Fr. Mike shows us how the early Church Fathers would read the Old Testament in light of the New Testament. Today's readings are Jeremiah 10-11, Ezekiel 40, and Proverbs 15:5-8. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.