Division within Christianity, originating with the 16th century Reformation, that now numbers 40% of all Christians
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SHOW 12-9-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1916 MONTENEGRO THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE HUBBLE CONSTANT. FIRST HOUR 9-915 Baltic Defenses and NATO's Uncertain Resolve: Colleague Blaine Holt discusses the Baltics preparing defensive "Mino lines" and bunkers fearing a potential Russian attack, noting Baltic citizens feel trapped between NATO bureaucracy and Russian hybrid warfare while doubting NATO's resolve to intervene, arguing diplomatic solutions are necessary as Europe lacks resources for a cohesive defense. 915-930 NATO's Viability and Europe's Demographic Shifts: Colleague Blaine Holt questions NATO's viability through 2050, citing rising US sentiment to withdraw and Europe's demographic shifts due to mass migration, warning that diverging values and economic instability could lead to civil unrest or new geopolitical alignments between Russia, China, and the US. 930-945 European Leaders Meet Zelenskyy Amid Strategic Dilemmas: Colleague Judy Dempsey discusses the "Big Three" European leaders meeting Zelenskyy, questioning their ability to resolve the war without wider coalitions, noting the EU is bypassing unanimity rules to seize Russian assets but struggles with the dilemma of offering Ukraine EU membership while demanding territorial concessions. 945-1000 Europe's Lack of Self-Confidence Facing Global Challenges: Colleague Judy Dempsey criticizes Europe's lack of self-confidence and ambition when facing Trump's transactional administration and Chinese aggression, arguing European leaders complain about US criticism rather than leveraging their own economic power, noting they are "sleepwalking" regarding the auto industry and dependencies on China. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 The National Security Strategy and the First Island Chain: Colleague Steve Yates analyzes the National Security Strategy's focus on the "first island chain" and deterrence against China's bullying of Japan and the Philippines, noting the CCP's obsession with WWII-era Japan for propaganda fails to resonate regionally as neighbors face modern Chinese aggression and grey zone tactics. 1015-1030 Nvidia Chip Sales to China Raise National Security Concerns: Colleague Brandon Weichert reports on the Trump administration approving Nvidia H200 chip sales to China while taking a 25% cut, warning this transactional approach compromises national security by aiding China's military AI, signaling a shift from hawkish policies to favoring business interests like soybeans. 1030-1045 SpaceX Dominance and the Golden Dome Defense Project: Colleague Bob Zimmerman highlights SpaceX's dominance with record-breaking booster reuse and launch frequency compared to rivals, discussing the secretive "Golden Dome" defense project, defects on the Orion capsule's hatch threatening the Artemis mission, and Airbus surprisingly choosing a Chinese satellite constellation for in-flight internet. 1045-1100 Cosmological Crises and Mars Rover Progress: Colleague Bob Zimmerman details cosmological crises including the "Hubble tension" where expansion rates conflict and a baffling 7-hour gamma-ray burst, reporting on Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS images confirming it is a comet rather than a spacecraft, and the Perseverance rover moving toward promising mining terrain on Mars. THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 The 1605 Gunpowder Plot and Catholic Desperation: Colleague Claire Jackson explains the 1605 Gunpowder Plot as a desperate attempt by Catholics, frustrated by James I's retention of penal laws and peace with Spain, to destroy the Protestant establishment, with the plotters aiming to kill the king and install a puppet Catholic monarch amidst the ensuing chaos. 1115-1130 The Mirror of Great Britain and James I's Violent Childhood: Colleague Claire Jackson explains the "Mirror of Great Britain" jewel symbolizing James I's union plans, though it was destroyed during the Civil Wars, detailing his violent childhood in Scotland, his father Darnley's murder, and his separation from his mother Mary Queen of Scots, which shaped his intellectual upbringing. 1130-1145 The Hampton Court Conference and the King James Bible: Colleague Claire Jackson describes how James I convened the Hampton Court Conference to resolve religious differences, resulting in the King James Bible, highlighting his unique role as an author of works like Basilikon Doron, using print to converse with subjects and establish the divine right of kings. 1145-1200 James I as Ecumenicist Amid Confessional Complexity: Colleague Claire Jackson portrays James I as an ecumenicist seeking accommodation, provided Catholics recognized his temporal authority via an Oath of Allegiance, noting he faced a "confessional complexity" ruling Protestant Scotland and England alongside Catholic Ireland, aiming to isolate radical Jesuits from the loyal majority. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 Commodities Update from France: Colleague Simon Constable reports from France on unseasonably warm weather and rising copper prices driven by tech demand, noting cocoa prices dropped while coffee remains expensive, discussing farmers' effective non-violent protests in Europe and contrasting European energy shortages with the electricity needs of AI development. 1215-1230 UK Labour's Struggles and the Workers' Rights Bill: Colleague Simon Constable analyzes the UK Labour Party's struggles despite a large majority, citing Keir Starmer's low approval, warning that the return of "Red Rayner" and a new workers' rights bill preventing easy firing could stifle economic growth and deter foreign investment, worsening Britain's debt. 1230-1245 The National Security Strategy as Transatlantic "Divorce Papers": Colleague Blaine Holt argues the National Security Strategy resembles "divorce papers" for a perilous transatlantic relationship, contending Europe, having de-industrialized, refuses Trump's diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine war, fearing the aftermath of a conflict they cannot sustain against a re-industrialized Russia. 1245-100 AM Penang's Boom Contrasts with China's Decline: Colleague Charles Ortel contrasts Penang's economic boom and diverse hardworking culture with China's decline, discussing China's suppressed financial data and property crisis with Gordon Chang, arguing Western elites were "bought off" by Beijing while investors should demand transparency regarding assets trapped in ChiNA.
The 1605 Gunpowder Plot and Catholic Desperation: Colleague Claire Jackson explains the 1605 Gunpowder Plot as a desperate attempt by Catholics, frustrated by James I's retention of penal laws and peace with Spain, to destroy the Protestant establishment, with the plotters aiming to kill the king and install a puppet Catholic monarch amidst the ensuing chaos.
Patrick weaves together commentary from Elon Musk on humanoid robots and their impact on society with listener questions about Catholic practices, exploring everything from the future of AI in healthcare to personal tales of spiritual encounters at home. Questions on confession, salvation, forgiveness, and the meaning of faith ripple through. Tension hums beneath the surface as Patrick challenges outside perspectives on Church tradition, technology, and what it means to live with meaning in a rapidly changing world. Audio: Elon - Optimus will ultimately be better than the best human surgeon and will end poverty (00:19) Angela - Is it okay to use the 'peace sign' at mass? (05:51) John - Our Parish priest used blessed salt to bless our house. Can you explain blessed salt? (10:55) *Bill (email) - During the communion rite at Mass, the congregation recites a short passage, "Lord, I am not worthy....." just before the priest consumes the bread and wine. What is the origin of that passage? (21:34) *Todd (email) - How does someone outside the catholic faith that can’t go to confession receive forgiveness after committing a mortal sin? If they are sorry for that sin, is that enough or are they destined for hell? (25:59) Mark - Do you believe that the Protestant request for forgiveness is rejected? (37:48) Wally - I was in line for Communion. I dropped the Eucharist and picked it up. The priest took it and ate it and gave me another one. (48:40) Originally aired on 11/17/25
Keith Nester spent more than two decades as a Protestant pastor. Preaching, leading, counseling, and absolutely certain he would never become Catholic. Yet his actual conversion story is long, often humorous, at times painful, and far deeper than a simple change of denomination. In this episode, John Heinen and Devin Schadt sit down with @KeithNester to uncover what really happened behind the scenes: the fears he carried, the pride he had to confront, the moments of grace that broke him open, and the unexpected ways God used marriage, suffering, and friendship to draw him home. But this isn't just a conversion story, the show quickly turns to truths every man needs to hear. Truths about how to lead, love, and live the faith with integrity. Keith shares the “hard truth” he believes all men must face: that authority without humility collapses, that evangelization begins long before words are spoken, but we still must speak, and that the quiet witness of fatherhood, sacrifice, and joy can transform more hearts than arguments ever will.
If both Catholics and Protestants believe we're saved by grace through Jesus Christ, why do they still disagree so sharply about the gospel—and how we actually receive it?In this episode, Mark continues the “Why Protestantism?” series by focusing on how grace is applied to the believer. He explains how Roman Catholicism understands grace as being mediated through the Church's sacramental system—especially baptism and the Eucharist—and why the sacraments are seen as the ordinary channels through which God dispenses saving grace. Using a vivid “pop machine” illustration, Mark unpacks how this shapes Catholic views of salvation, assurance, and the Christian life.Mark then contrasts this with the Protestant conviction of sola fide—that we are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, with the preached Word at the center. He highlights areas of real agreement with Roman Catholics (salvation by grace, the transforming work of the Spirit) while also showing where the systems diverge, especially on how grace is received. Finally, he explores how these differences show up in Sunday worship and why gospel clarity matters deeply for ordinary Christians.Episode Highlights00:00 — Intro to the Equip Podcast and the “Why Protestantism?” series recap 02:28 — Sacramental system vs sola fide and why gospel clarity is at stake 03:22 — Is the gospel present in Roman Catholicism? Where Protestants and Catholics genuinely agree 06:00 — Grace, transformation, and assurance: why Catholics don't say “saved by works,” and where Protestants often misunderstand 09:37 — The “pop machine” illustration: how Catholic theology sees grace flowing through the Church and its sacraments 11:27 — Walking through the seven sacraments: initiation, healing, and service—and why baptism and Eucharist are central 15:49 — The Protestant response: sola fide, justification by faith alone, and sacraments as signs and seals rather than the source of saving grace 17:22 — Romans 10 and the primacy of the preached Word: faith comes by hearing, not by ritual performance 20:25 — Sunday in the pews: how a Catholic Mass and a Protestant service reveal two different centers—Eucharist vs sermon 21:53 — Why Mark believes the gospel is present but often unclear in Catholicism—and why personal faith in Christ must be emphasized 22:22 — Preview of next week's Q&A with Emily Jensen: dating a Catholic, real-life conversations, and practicing clarity with charityResources:Cornerstone Church Sermons: Listen onlineGavin Ortlund, What It Means to Be Protestant (Truth Unites)Matthew Barrett, The Reformation as RenewalMichael Svigel, RetroChristianity: Reclaiming the Forgotten FaithChad Van Dixhoorn (ed.), Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms: A Reader's EditionCatechism of the Catholic Church (Vatican)
My guest this week is Ben, host of Cleave to Antiquity. Formerly an associate pastor in a Protestant Evangelical church and active in online Protestant apologetics, Ben began to realize that many of the arguments he made against Orthodox theology and dogma didn't hold up. That realization forced him to confront some difficult truths and make major changes in his life. Today, Ben is a catechumen in the Orthodox Church. We talk about his journey, what led him to re-examine his assumptions, and the lessons he has learned along the way. Sponsor: Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!
In this episode, we take a closer look at Kirk Cameron's recent statements about hell and explore how they compare with Scripture, Christian tradition, and contemporary theological perspectives. From Ray Comfort's reaction to the broader Protestant response, we'll examine whether these newer ideas align with historic Christian doctrine—or represent a departure from it. We'll then […]
This episode dives into one major listener question: Are we unequally yoked? A 31-year-old Christian single mom writes in, deeply in love and preparing for engagement — but scared that her Protestant faith and her partner's Eastern Orthodox roots might create cracks later. We unpack theology vs. lifestyle, how beliefs show up in everyday routines, and what unity actually looks like when two people worship differently but love Jesus fully.We also share a joyful, chaotic Chocolate Baby Storytime from a commercial shoot involving $15k cameras, water balloons, and children who absolutely refused to listen
Romans 8:33-34 — The Reformers were adamant that the church stands or falls on the doctrine of justification. Martin Luther, says Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, was thrilled when the doctrine of justification dawned upon him. Many Christians today, however, may be apathetic towards justification. Even those who happily affirm the truth of justification may do so with less excitement than previous generations of Protestant believers. Given that there is no charge whatsoever the devil can bring against God's elect and the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the believer, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says justification is the key to everything. In this sermon on Romans 8:33–34 titled “Justified By God,” he gives an exposition of the meaning of justification along with its legal and covenantal context. For Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the Christian's joy, security, and safety is at stake when considering the doctrine of justification by faith. If one relies on anything else, including experience, then they will certainly be shaken as the devil shows one's guilt before the law. Hear this grand exposition of the only ground that a believer can truly stand on as they proclaim that it is God who justifies. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29?v=20251111
In this special Christmas episode of Hidden Wisdom, Meghan is joined by scholar and author Donna Nielsen for a breathtaking exploration of Mother Mary's true identity, her lineage, her temple upbringing, and the ancient traditions that honor her far beyond the biblical text.Drawing from Christian apocrypha, Islamic scripture, German folktales, early temple traditions, Renaissance iconography, and Middle Eastern lineage records, Donna reveals a side of Mary rarely talked about. This is a beautiful, expansive, and deeply reverent journey into Mary's life and mission—the perfect Christmas episode for anyone wanting deeper spiritual understanding.Timestamps 00:00–04:00 | Introduction 04:00–06:00 | Protestant vs. Catholic Mary 06:00–13:00 | How stories honor real people without always being factual 13:00–16:00 | Maternal lineage 16:00–27:00 | Prophecy of the tree, branch, flower, and fruit of light 27:00–29:00 | Story of Anna and Joachim 29:00–32:00 | Early childhood portrayals of Mary 32:00–35:00 | Temple customs, Mary's purity traditions, and symbolic upbringing 35:00–38:00 | Presentation of Mary at the temple: Christian and Muslim narratives 38:00–40:00 | Mary's weaving 40:00–43:00 | Annunciation symbolism 43:00–46:00 | Women at wells 46:00–48:00 | Mary entering the Holy of Holies 48:00–50:00 | Oldest image of Mary 50:00–53:00 | Mary in Islam 53:00–56:00 | Islamic art and symbolism 56:00–59:00 | Mary the New Eve 59:00–01:03:00 | Nativity traditions 01:03:00–01:06:00 | The three Marys 01:06:00–01:10:00 | Dormition, Assumption, and ancient beliefs about Mary's death 01:10:00–01:12:00 | Mary in Latter-day Saint tradition and limited portrayal 01:12:00–01:16:00 | Mary as the Virgin in the Book of Mormon 01:16:00–01:19:00 | Virgin: meanings beyond sexuality 01:19:00–01:23:00 | Colors, flowers, fruits, and symbolic art of Mary 01:23:00–01:28:00 | Shell and pearl symbolism 01:28:00–01:32:00 | Medieval chants and Mary's collaborative role with Christ 01:32:00–End | Closing symbolism: milk, blood, tears, and divine compassionAdditional Resources: The Protoevangelium of James - Reading by Meghan FarnerHoly Child Jesus by Donna NielsenLearn more at donna-connections.blogspot.com Thank you for listening to Hidden Wisdom! For more classes, writings, and upcoming events, visit meghanfarner.com. ✨ New Class Now Open: The Language of Heaven: Basic Symbols Discover the foundational symbols of divine communication and deepen your spiritual understanding for FREE! Register here! If this episode brought value to your life, please consider: Donating through Venmo: @Meghan-Farner Subscribing to stay updated Sharing it with someone who would love it Leaving a comment or review to help others find the show Connecting and exploring more resources at meghanfarner.com Thank you for being a part of the Hidden Wisdom community!
Ruth 2. From the "Advent: Book of Ruth" sermon series. Preached by Jody Killingsworth.
In today's episode, we interview Hayden Haggerman, co-author and editor of the new book Converting the Blue Devils: Becoming Catholic at Duke. As many of you know, both Bo and Bud became Catholic while at Duke Divinity school, so to see a generation a decade younger than us have enough converts to get a book together intrigued us, and the conversation did not disappoint. Check out how it is that for a run of years, a Protestant Seminary that emphasized Ethics, the Church Fathers, and the Sacraments served as the fertile soil for multiple Catholic Converts! Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows:Be Not Afraid with Fr. PJ McManusBe Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian MoncadaCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonMaking It Personal with Bishop William JoensenMan Up! with Joe StopulusThe Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo BonnerThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Join us this week on "Honest to God" as we sit down with Kyle to hear the powerful story of his journey from devoted Protestant to joyful Catholic. What began as a deep dive into the writings of the early Church and apostolic Christianity slowly opened his heart to the beauty, continuity, and authority of the Catholic faith.Through prayer, study, and wrestling with big questions, Kyle discovered a Church more ancient and unified than he ever expected — and ultimately felt Christ calling him home. In this episode, we walk with him through the key moments, the surprising graces, and the gentle nudges of the Holy Spirit that led to his conversion.If you're curious about the early Church, struggling with questions about authority and tradition, or simply love hearing how God draws souls to Himself, this conversation will strengthen your faith and fill you with hope.Follow us on Instagram:@honesttogod_quest Check out our parent network:https://thequestatlanta.com/honesttogodListen On Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/honest-to-god/id1644393955Listen On Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3rVcw6wX03ezNwowTeE6wf?si=34c6ee021e2347fe
In this conversation, Stewart Alsop sits down with Ken Lowry to explore a wide sweep of themes running through Christianity, Protestant vs. Catholic vs. Orthodox traditions, the nature of spirits and telos, theosis and enlightenment, information technology, identity, privacy, sexuality, the New Age “Rainbow Bridge,” paganism, Buddhism, Vedanta, and the unfolding meaning crisis; listeners who want to follow more of Ken's work can find him on his YouTube channel Climbing Mount Sophia and on Twitter under KenLowry8.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversationTimestamps00:00 Christianity's tangled history surfaces as Stewart Alsop and Ken Lowry unpack Luther, indulgences, mediation, and the printing-press information shift.05:00 Luther's encounters with the devil lead into talk of perception, hallucination, and spiritual influence on “main-character” lives.10:00 Protestant vs. Catholic vs. Orthodox worship styles highlight telos, Eucharist, liturgy, embodiment, and teaching as information.15:00 The Church as a living spirit emerges, tied to hierarchy, purpose, and Michael Levin's bioelectric patterns shaping form.20:00 Spirits, goals, Dodgers-as-spirit, and Christ as the highest ordering spirit frame meaning and participation.25:00 Identity, self, soul, privacy, intimacy, and the internet's collapse of boundaries reshape inner life.30:00 New Age, Rainbow Bridge, Hawkins' calibration, truth-testing, and spiritual discernment enter the story.35:00 Stewart's path back to Christianity opens discussion of enlightenment, Protestant legalism, Orthodox theosis, and healing.40:00 Emptiness, relationality, Trinity, and personhood bridge Buddhism and mystical Christianity.45:00 Suffering, desire, higher spirits, and orientation toward the real sharpen the contrast between simulation and reality.50:00 Technology, bodies, AI, and simulated worlds raise questions of telos, meaning, and modern escape.55:00 Neo-paganism, Hindu hierarchy of gods, Vedanta, and the need for a personal God lead toward Jesus as historical revelation.01:00:00 Buddha, enlightenment, theosis, the post-1945 world, Hitler as negative pole, and goodness as purpose close the inquiry.Key InsightsMediation and information shape the Church. Ken Lowry highlights how the printing press didn't just spread ideas—it restructured Christian life by shifting mediation. Once information became accessible, individuals became the “interface” with Christ, fundamentally changing Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox trajectories and the modern crisis of religious choice.The Protestant–Catholic–Orthodox split hinges on telos. Protestantism orients the service around teaching and information, while Catholic and Orthodox traditions culminate in the Eucharist, embodiment, and liturgy. This difference expresses two visions of what humans are doing in church: receiving ideas or participating in a transformative ritual that shapes the whole person.Spirits, telos, and hierarchy offer a map of reality. Ken frames spirits as real intelligible goals that pull people into coordinated action—seen as clearly in a baseball team as in a nation. Christ is the highest spirit because aiming toward Him properly orders all lower goals, giving a coherent vertical structure to meaning.Identity, privacy, and intimacy have transformed under the internet. The shift from soul → self → identity tracks changes in information technology. The internet collapses boundaries, creating unprecedented exposure while weakening the inherent privacy of intimate realities such as genuine lovemaking, which Ken argues can't be made public without destroying its nature.New Age influences and Hawkins' calibration reflect a search for truth. Stewart's encounters with the Rainbow Bridge world, David Hawkins' muscle-testing epistemology, and the escape from scientistic secularism reveal a cultural hunger for spiritual discernment in the absence of shared metaphysical grounding.Enlightenment and theosis may be the same mountain. Ken suggests that Buddhist enlightenment and Orthodox theosis aim at the same transformative reality: full communion with what is most real. The difference lies in Jesus as the concrete, personal revelation of God, offering a relational path rather than pure negation or emptiness.Secularism is shaped by powerfully negative telos. Ken argues that the modern world orients itself not toward the Good revealed in Christ but away from the Evil revealed in Hitler. Moving away from evil as a primary aim produces confusion, because only a positive vision of the Good can order desires, technology, suffering, and the overwhelming power of modern simulations.
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!What happens when a culture starts bending truth to fit its desires? We follow that question across surprising terrain—Freud's hidden motives, Wagner's spell over European imagination, Bauhaus boxes that flatten the human spirit, and the concrete politics of highways and housing projects that shattered parish life. Along the way, we challenge the idea that ideas are neutral. People make theories, and those people have desires, wounds, and wagers hidden in their work.We dig into how music can catechize a nation, how architecture preaches a theology, and how postwar social engineering rebranded thick ethnic worlds into a thin “white” identity. The conversation pulls no punches on race as an ideology of management, not heritage, and on why religious belonging often explains American life better than color lines. From the “triple melting pot” to the claims of universal design, we map the choices that made cities brittle and suburbs bland—and why families paid the price.Then we pivot to power, vice, and freedom. Sexual liberation sells itself as emancipation while functioning as a lever of control, especially in a world wired for instant indulgence. The counterweight is old and bracing: you are only as free as you are free from your vices. Finally, we climb to the keystone: Logos. John's audacious claim—Logos is God—offers a language sturdy enough to speak across civilizations. If America moves into a fourth era as Protestant hegemony recedes and new blocs rise, the live question is simple and seismic: will appetite or Logos set the terms?Hear the case, question the links, and decide which story you're living. If this conversation stretches your thinking, share it with a friend, hit follow, and leave a review telling us what challenged you most.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
Patrick welcomes listeners into a whirlwind of raw, real-life questions, from family wounds laid bare, forgiveness clung to by a thread, to faith decisions that ripple through generations. He fields everything from praying the Rosary during Mass to whether a “paper divorce” for insurance savings crosses the moral line, all while sharing stories of conversion and hope, like the grateful mother calling in with a baby in her arms. In these calls, Patrick moves through uncertainty and grace with a steady, honest voice, constantly challenging assumptions as he weighs Scripture, Church teaching, and the joy of lived experience. Brandon - I had to disclose a family secret and this has caused a hug rift. How can I forgive my family members? Should I reestablish contact or keep them cut off? (00:48) Aaron - I am struggling with the idea of where babies go when they are not born whether aborted or miscarried or still born. What happens to that? Do you have any comforting words? (11:30) Cayden - I was approached by a woman after mass who told me that I wasn't allowed to pray the Rosary during Mass. Is this true? (20:10) Jessica - I want to give you an update on the birth of my baby. You helped me and gave me the advice not to tie my tubes. Thank you. This is the child you helped bring into the world. (23:12) Jim - I am a Protestant. I see that the reading of the Bible, coming from Vatican II by lay people, was a positive thing. Would you agree? (29:30) Gary - Can I receive the Eucharist as a non-Catholic at a Catholic Church? (36:24) Todd - I have heard that people in their 60s are engaging in civil divorce to keep healthcare costs down. Is it ok to get a civil divorce, yet remain married in the eyes of the Church? (45:23)
Christianity has taken on a totally different meaning these days.. It is in the oversized cross necklaces, the trad-wife hair, the school board fights, the subtle “illegal aliens vs immigrants” language, and the way a MAGA hat or a Pride flag can tell people your entire belief system before you say a word. In this episode, I pull together the data, the history, and my own messy spiritual story to ask whether we're slipping into a full-blown religious dystopia or just finally seeing what was there all along. We'll talk about why Christian fundamentalism feels more mainstream than ever, why so many of us are “Cafeteria Christians” or spiritual but not religious, and why Gen Z is both walking away from church and walking right back in through a different door. You will not walk away from this one neutral.In this episode, you'll hear:How Christian nationalism and partisan politics got so tangled up you can't tell where one ends and the other startsWhy Christianity has dropped to around 62% of Americans while the “nones” and spiritual-but-not-religious crowd keep risingThe two emerging “Americas”: the remixers (Cafeteria Christians, astrology, crystals, human design) and the revivalists (fundamentalism, trad-wife aesthetics, purity culture)What Gen Z is actually doing with faith, and why some young adults are returning to church for structure while others are done with institutions for goodHow thought-terminating clichés like “God works in mysterious ways” and “everything happens for a reason” shut down real emotions and critical thinkingWhy belief in Satan, demons, and “spiritual warfare” is dropping overall, even as some conservative spaces turn it into a 24/7 fear channelThe difference between inherited faith and adult reality, and how to spot when “community” is tipping into control or culty dynamicsWhat it might look like to be human first and let belief and identity come second, without abandoning the possibility of God altogetherTimestamps:00:00 Welcome to the Reinvention Room + why this one will piss people off or make you feel seen02:28 Christian fundamentalism goes mainstream and hides inside politics05:50 Growing up Protestant, “born-again” neighbors, and never feeling Christian enough16:51 Mega-churches, mentors, and trying to find a faith home that isn't culty23:51 The long hair, oversized crosses, trad-wife aesthetic, and what they're signaling30:54 Deep research: declining Christianity, rising “nones,” and spiritual-but-not-religious trends35:42 Crystals, tarot, human design and why the metaphysical often feels more helpful than church40:08 Thought-terminating clichés and how they shut down real emotion and questions51:13 Spiritual warfare, “the enemy,” and why demon talk feels like an abusive boyfriend53:18 Christian nationalism, school boards, book bans, and politics dressed up as religion58:23 Trump, media bubbles, and trying to stay human first in mixed-politics families1:09:57 Burnout, belonging, and why everyone's exhausted and spiritually unsettled1:21:10 “Why are you letting assholes get in the way of your relationship with God?”1:23:30 Are we already in a religious dystopia, and what happens next?Links & Resources Mentioned:Previous episode: Psychology of How Minds Change with David McRaney (on why people double down or actually shift)Previous episode: Dr. Jay Van Bavel on social identity and tribal brains: EP108: Social identitiesMy weekly personal email: https://allisonhare.com/emailWork with me on your podcast: https://allisonhare.com/freecallInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/allison__hareLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonhare/Website: https://allisonhare.comNotable Quotables:[00:02:28] “Christian fundamentalism has gone from really kind of a fringe thing to totally mainstream. But now it's wrapped in politics.”[00:03:35] “Meanwhile, most Americans are building their own version of faith from scraps, like a cafeteria Christian.”[00:33:18] “It really made me wonder, are people ditching belief, or are they ditching institutions?”[00:40:08] “These phrases don't comfort people. They shut off critical thought and shut down your actual feelings.”[01:21:10] “Why are you letting assholes get in the way of your relationship with God?”3 Top Takeaways:Belonging often beats belief. People will choose social safety and their group over “getting the theology right,” especially when everything feels uncertain.Two spiritual Americas are forming. Remix spirituality (Cafeteria Christians, crystals, human design) is growing at the same time as Christian nationalism and fundamentalism push for legal power. PRRI+3Pew Research Center+3Pew Research Center+3You're allowed to question. One of the healthiest spiritual moves you can make is asking, “Can I doubt here without being punished?” If the answer is no, that's a data point. Be sure to rate, review, and follow this podcast on your player and also, connect with me IRL for more goodness and life-changing stuff.Schedule a FREE podcast clarity call with me - Your future audience is out there. Talk to them!Sign up for the free Reinvention Roadmap weekly emailAllisonHare.comFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.DOWNLOAD the free podcast equipment guide- No guesswork, no google rabbit holes, start recording todayReb3l Dance Fitness - Try it at home! Free month with this link.Personal Brand - need help building yours? Schedule a call with me here and let's discuss.Feedback and Contact:: allison@allisonhare.com
Why do Catholics look to the Pope and the Magisterium for ultimate authority, while Protestants look to Scripture alone—and what does that mean for everyday faith? Mark continues the “Why Protestantism?” series by examining the heart of the authority debate. He explains how Roman Catholicism understands the Pope, apostolic succession, sacred tradition, and the Magisterium, and why Catholics believe these provide an infallible guide for the Church. Mark then contrasts this with the Protestant conviction that the Bible alone is the final and sufficient authority for faith and life.Mark explores where these two systems diverge, why the Reformers rejected papal infallibility, and how the question of authority shapes everything—from doctrine, to worship, to the clarity of the gospel itself. This episode sets the stage for next week's focus on gospel clarity and why authority matters for every Christian.Episode Highlights00:00 — Framing today's question: who speaks with final authority in the Church? 02:14 — How Catholicism understands authority: Scripture, tradition, and the Magisterium 04:41 — Apostolic succession and why Catholics believe the Pope is Peter's successor 06:58 — What papal infallibility actually means (and what it doesn't) 10:08 — Ex cathedra teaching: when the Pope speaks infallibly 12:15 — Protestant concerns: where is the biblical basis for an infallible papacy? 14:02 — Why the Reformers insisted on sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) 16:40 — The practical implications: how these differences shape the Christian lifeResources:Cornerstone Church Sermons: Listen onlineGavin Ortlund, What It Means to Be Protestant (Truth Unites)Matthew Barrett, The Reformation as RenewalMichael Svigel, RetroChristianity: Reclaiming the Forgotten FaithChad Van Dixhoorn (ed.), Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms: A Reader's EditionCatechism of the Catholic Church (Vatican)
Fr. Daniel Alloy, FSSP, has served as Parochial Vicar at Regina Caeli Parish in Houston, Texas, since July of 2022. He was ordained in June of 2020. In Today's Show: Why doesn't God speak to us directly anymore? What is the difference between an imperfection and a venial sin? What should I do with a protestant Bible? Should I attend Mass that allows children to proclaim the readings? Does each member of the trinity know what the other is thinking? Does a divorced Protestant need an annulment to marry a Catholic in church? How do we balance contributing to the church while also not supporting the move away from traditionalism? How can people get a TLM in their diocese? Why hasn't God annihilated Satan? Why does God not give us help when we need it? And more Visit the show page at thestationofthecross.com/askapriest to listen live, check out the weekly lineup, listen to podcasts of past episodes, watch live video, find show resources, sign up for our mailing list of upcoming shows, and submit your question for Father!
What happened after Luther's 95 Theses? In this episode, we trace the explosive spread of Protestantism across Europe—from the Lutheran state churches of Germany and Scandinavia to the persecuted Reformed communities of France. Dr. Alan Strange guides us through the wars of religion, the Formula of Concord, and the complex church-state entanglements that shaped the legacy of the Reformation. Discover how the Reformed tradition adapted to kingdoms, city republics, and hostile territories alike, and learn about the tragic St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre that nearly destroyed French Protestantism. This is the story of how a theological movement became a continental transformation—complete with political intrigue, bloodshed, and the struggle to establish Protestant churches across a resistant Europe.
Unity sounds simple until you try to build it without a shared center. We take listeners inside the lived tension of modern Protestant life: a movement born from reform that still reforms itself into new churches, new brands, and new streams whenever conviction collides with leadership and local control. From the Reformers' early disagreements to today's non-denominational megachurches, hosts Jeremy Jeremiah, Mario Andrew, and Michael trace how authority, interpretation, and personality shape the health of congregations—and why splits feel inevitable when a pastor retires or launches a fresh vision down the street.We examine why Protestant unity remains elusive, especially for Dillon Baker, host of The Protestant Gentleman, (https://www.youtube.com/@theprotestantgentleman/videos) how non-denominational structures fuel repeated splits, and why so many seekers turn to older, historic forms of Christianity. We share lived stories, weigh online apologetics trends, and offer practical next steps rooted in church history.• the claim that Protestantism functions as serial reformations• structural fragility in non-denominational leadership models• real case of a founding pastor splitting a congregation• growth versus true flourishing in church life• online apologetics momentum and confidence gaps• questions to test practice against early Christian history• counsel to study church history before choosing a church• invitation to explore Orthodox parishes as a concrete stepAlong the way, we unpack a candid story of a founding pastor pushed to retire who planted a new church and took half the congregation, and we ask what that choice demands of ordinary people. Are they comparing preaching styles, or discerning which community is more biblically faithful? We zoom out to the online apologetics landscape where prominent voices admit Protestants are “losing” the debate on history and continuity. That candor points to a deeper hunger: believers want a faith that is ancient, coherent, and recognizable across centuries, not just persuasive proof texts. The guiding question becomes, Where have Christians practiced this?We offer a practical path forward. Start with church history: the first centuries, the councils, the formation of canon, and the worship life that carried the Gospel through persecution and empire. Test present practices against the witness of the early Church. Many seekers find themselves drawn to Eastern Orthodoxy for its conciliar authority, sacramental life, and stable doctrine—less an escape from Scripture than a home where Scripture, tradition, and worship live together. Whether you remain Protestant or explore Orthodoxy, you'll leave with sharper questions, clearer criteria, and a stronger sense of what flourishing looks like beyond weekly attendance numbers.If this conversation helps you or someone you love, share it with a friend, subscribe for future episodes, and leave a review with the biggest question you're wrestling with right now. Your voice shapes where we go next.Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses Radio on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTokPlease leave a comment with your thoughts!
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception states that the Virgin Mary was conceived without original sin. The Catholic Church, particularly the Latin Rite, follows the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, which states that Mary was conceived without original sin. Other denominations that follow it include some Anglicans and Eastern Orthodox Churches, though the understanding and formulation differ, and many other Protestant denominations do not accept the doctrine. The Immaculate Conception is celebrated annually on December 8th as a solemn feast day, whose observance began with a Papal encyclical by Pope Pius IX, when he formally defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854. Truth Unites podcast with Gavin Ortlund at https://amzn.to/4pccMeh Gavin Ortlund books available at https://amzn.to/44HlMj9 What It Means to Be Protestant by Gavin Ortlund at https://amzn.to/3Y0xqlq Saint of the Day podcast with M. Roberts at https://ourcatholicradio.org/programs/saint-day Jerome Atherholt book at https://amzn.to/4471Fe3 Books about the Immaculate Conception at https://amzn.to/4pABc0B ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Mark's HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA podcast: www.parthenonpodcast.com/history-of-north-america Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoricalJesu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's Books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio credits: Truth Unites podcast with Gavin Ortlund-The Immaculate Conception, A Protestant Appraisal (Aug. 31, 2023); Saint of the Day with Mike Roberts (Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception Dec. 9, 2024); Saint of the Day: The Conception of the Most Holy Mother of God by Deacon Jerome Atherholt and Ancient Faith Ministries (20jul2025). Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
“Why do Catholics pray to Mary?” This question opens a discussion on the role of Mary in Catholic devotion, supported by biblical references. Other topics include the Catholic perspective on 1 Corinthians 15:29, the origins of purgatory, and how to address misconceptions about Catholicism in conversations with friends from different denominations. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 01:13 – I'm in the process of converting. Is there anything I should avoid doing? I just don't know much? 08:00 – What is the Catholic position on 1 Cor. 15:29? 18:34 – St. Gabriel… Where does the idea of purgatory come from? What other sources other from Maccabees? 29:01 – Why do Catholics pray to Mary? What are your bible references? 36:21 – My Pentecostal friend invites me to his Church, and they say some crazy things about Catholics. How do I correct them during their services? 41:52 – Jn 6-7. How do you have a discourse with a protestant who doesn't believe what Jesus is saying? 48:25 – How do I respond to Protestant challenge that being a Christian doesn't mean you have to be a part of a visible church? 53:20 – Does the Church have any teaching on speaking in tongues?
Hillary Weiss, brand strategist and positioning coach, reflects on growing up in suburban South Florida where attending the same school for 14 years meant everyone remembered who peed their pants in pre-K yet created lifelong friendships that watched her evolve from emo to punk rock to professional white woman. Weiss challenges the dangerous mindset mantra in entrepreneurship, arguing that privilege and circumstance—like having a home to return to if everything went belly up—allow some people to take risks that others cannot afford. She introduces the elevator framework: going one floor down beneath surface-level statements like I help clients find their voice to uncover the golden thread that makes someone exceptional. Weiss explains why imitation is a reasonable starting point but becomes a trap when entrepreneurs copy successful people's maps without understanding why they do things a certain way, resulting in indistinguishable businesses wearing outfits not made for them. She warns against the Protestant work ethic that led her to six figures by 25 but also total burnout from working seven days a week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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!Tired of surface-level hot takes during Advent? We press pause on the news cycle and dive into Scripture's living architecture—how David, Solomon, Isaiah, and John converge to reveal a Kingdom that isn't just future hope but present reality. We walk through the liturgical calendar's wisdom, the shock of John's “hour,” and the way Cana's stone jars unlock Exodus, Numbers, and a new creation pattern. Along the way we confront a popular error: the idea that Christ hasn't yet established His Kingdom. If the Gospel announces “the Kingdom is at hand,” then the Church is not a holding pattern—it's the King's reign made visible in Word, sacrament, and a Eucharistic temple.We explore Marian typology without sentimentality: Jeremiah's hidden ark, the overshadowing glory cloud, and why reverence for Mary clarifies, rather than distracts from, the Incarnation. We trace the branch from Jesse through Nazareth, the bread of the presence through David to the Eucharist, and Nathaniel's fig tree across the prophets. Typology isn't trivia; it's how Scripture trains our eyes to see Christ fulfilling every promise. And because grace aims at real life, we talk about family prayer, small rituals that carry children through hard years, and the demanding joy of fatherhood as priestly leadership—authority as sacrifice, not dominance.If you've felt disoriented by church conflicts or exhausted by constant outrage, Advent offers a better way: return to the story, receive the King, and let the calendar shape your days. Come hear how heaven “colonizes” earth through the Church, why obedience grows from grace, and how the Kingdom breaks into ordinary homes through beauty, memory, and the sacraments. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help more listeners find thoughtful, faith-filled conversations that spark real devotion.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
The second to last installment in our "Shadow Ticket" series is currently only available to subscribers in its entirety. Join the PPM Patreon today:patreon.com/ParaPowerMappingAlso, heads up - because of increasing automated censorship and flagging, I can no longer use music breaks on Spot°fy. To hear eps as originally intended, please listen on the Patreon or Substack.We're picking back up our brief, alternative history of American class violence, the anticommunist apparatus, and anti-syndicalist dynamite false flags, much wider spread than even I would have realized, this time honing in on a number of rhyming, causal & effective deep events rippling down the welded wrought iron links of the anchor chain of history, largely Chicago and Milwaukee concentric sagas of strike action and counterinsurgent reactions by the capitalist powers that be.File today's episode under: the Haymarket Affair; the Bay View Massacre at the North Chicago Rolling Mills steel foundry that left at least seven Polish, German, and Native workers dead the day following the bloodbath in the Windy City; the 8 Hour Work Day movement; the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions (FOTLU), precursor to AFL; the snake Samuel Gompers; Milwaukee Central Labor Union socialist Paul Grottkau; Catholic Church Knights of Labor's Robert Shilling; Gov. Rusk; "shoot to kill" orders; Cpt. Treaumer muttering "halt" orders under his breath; the N. Chi Rolling Mills into Illinois Steel Company and then rolled up into US Steel come J.P. Morgan's Carnegie and otherwise monopolistic consolidation; Kosciusko Militia; FOTLU and Gomper's feud with the Knights of Labor; the labor significance of the phrase "amalgamated" (formed of individual craft unions) and what this says about ST protagonist Hicks McTaggart's work as strikebreaking PI for UNamalgamated Ops; Pynchon gets real Hobsbawmian, Gramscian, and Adamic-ian with it; "Haymarket FRAME-UP job"; explicitly references Bay View and Rolling Mills; Debs Rebellion; Pullman Strike; Henry Clay Frick nearly merc-ed by Berkman; the Gov. Steunenberg dynamiting; Big Bill Haywood's framing close shave; James McParland; Harry Orchard's confessions under duress; Pinkerton's; more US Steel; Mine Owners Association; Clarence Darrow; WFM; Wobblies; the McNamara Affair, the LA Times Building Bombing, and brothers J.J. and J.B.; surprise guilty pleas kneecapping the Job Harriman socialist mayoral candidacy in LA; spies catch Darrow bribing jurors?; Propaganda of the Deed comes to Milwaukee... or maybe not; the Italian Evangelical Church; ex-Catholic priest Rev. August Giuliani, MPD and BOI/DOJ informant; rabble rousing in the Third Ward, singing jingoistic songs, proselytizing to Catholics (which they didn't take kindly to from an apostate priest cum Protestant), and offering to pay for any anti-war anarchists or leftists of varying stripes' return tickets to the boot of Italy, all painting a picture of the gadfly pastor acting on behalf of federal law enforcement and local business interests with his troublemaking in the Ward; faced down by anarchists like Maria Nardini; the Bay View Riots, multiple Italian immigrant residents of Cream City killed by officers of the law with false flag violence (Antonio Fornasier and August Marinelli killed in the fray); the Milwaukee Station House Bombing of 1917; the comedy of errors; single deadliest day for law enforcement in American history up until 9/11; the curious lag in MPD response to the bomb's arrival at Giuliani's church; the claim the IMOPIO or infernal machine was anarchist made being sourced from BOI agent Julius Brown and possibly a Milwaukee congressman by way of MPD Capt. John T. Sullivan; the Galleanisti, followers of anarcho-communist Deed-Propagandist and advocate of various nitroglycerin and lead means for affecting change, squarely in the crosshairs; and much much more, breadcrumb trails we'll resume tracing next time.
Audio Download Questions Covered: 01:13 – I'm in the process of converting. Is there anything I should avoid doing? I just don't know much? 08:00 – What is the Catholic position on 1 Cor. 15:29? 18:34 – St. Gabriel… Where does the idea of purgatory come from? What other sources other from Maccabees? 29:01 – […]
Audio Download Questions Covered: 04:30 – Catholics say that Mary's bodily assumption is something divinely revealed. Yet, there is no historical attestation of this belief until the 5th century. 23:13 – How do we answer the challenge that we don't recrucify Jesus at every mass since it is a sacrifice? 34:45 – What do Catholics […]
December 8 is the Solemn Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and every year we hear the same two objections: “Pius IX invented the Immaculate Conception in 1854” and “God can't apply the Cross backward in time.” In this episode Greg walks line-by-line through the primary sources—from St. Ephrem in 373 to Martin Luther still preaching it in 1527—and shows why both claims collapse the moment you open a history book (or the Bible). Along the way he unpacks the two deepest reasons the Church has always believed this doctrine: Mary as the spotless New Ark and, even more powerfully, Mary as the New Eve who finally gives humanity's obedient Yes where the first Eve said No. A fast, source-packed, occasionally cheeky defense that leaves no room for the usual drive-by tweets—and might just leave a few Protestant listeners speechless. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who's curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
“Are these mock baptisms dangerous?” This question opens a discussion on the significance of sacramental integrity, alongside inquiries about when to defend the sacraments, the importance of marriage, and responses to Protestant views on the sinner’s prayer. The conversation also touches on receiving communion with mortal sin and the practice of communion on the tongue. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 14:58 – How do I know when its good to defend the sacraments or when its not worth explaining them to someone? 18:38 – If you’re trying to convince someone why marriage is important what would you say? 32:06 – How do respond to the protestant claim that we need to recite the sinners prayer while they discount the importance of the sacraments? 40:22 – What does the Church teach about people who receive communion with mortal sin on their soul? 49:08 – Would you be able to offer up suffering from your own sin? 51:10 – Why aren’t we going back to communion on the tongue?
Patrick answers listener questions about faith, technology, and family tug-of-wars. One moment the topic swerves toward guarding minds in a screen-filled world, the next it flips to heartfelt strategies for sharing Catholicism or sorting out disagreements about baptizing grandchildren. Andrea (email) – Do you have a book recommendation for someone on a starter level to become Catholic? (04:24) Theresa - Do PsyOps that you are talking about have any parallels to subliminal messages? (08:40) Patrick in Trenton NJ - I have been using Chat GPT to evangelize and it has been working out. AI helps me to organize my mind and streamlines my thought process. (22:55) Laurie - I wanted to add that we all have a story with God and rarely does it help to say I followed rules and that made me feel better. I think she should share how God has personally had an impact on her and where she felt God's love. (25:22) Daniel - Why has Latin Mass been restricted? Will the Pope reverse the restrictions? (28:37) Memo - As a grandparent, can I baptize my Protestant grandchild. My son doesn't want to baptize him. Would it be valid if I did that? (42:01)
N.T. Wright returns to the podcast for round three—no Malibu rooftop this time, but plenty of theological fireworks. We dig into Tom's new book on Ephesians, starting with why he thinks the scholarly consensus dismissing Pauline authorship is more about 19th-century German liberal Protestant hangover than good historical work. From there, we get into the real meat: Ephesians isn't answering the question "how do I get to heaven?" It's painting this massive cosmic picture of God's plan to unite heaven and earth in Christ—and the church's wild vocation to be what Tom calls "a small working model of new creation." We talk about how Western Christianity has shrunk Paul's vision into individual soul-sorting when the text is way more interested in what it looks like when formerly irreconcilable people come together as one new humanity. Tom pushes back on how both conservatives and liberals read their politics into the text, and we wrestle with the marriage passage in chapter 5 as the theological climax of the letter (not the culture war flashpoint we've made it). We close with a beautiful reflection on Ephesians 6 as an Advent text—the church holding the line between Christ's victory and his return. Plus, Tom's grandson sings in the New College Oxford choir, and honestly, that's the kind of intergenerational beauty Ephesians is pointing toward. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Prof. N.T. (Tom) Wright is Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University. He is one of the world's leading Bible scholars, with expertise in Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity, the New Testament, and Biblical Studies. He is also Emeritus Professor at the University of St. Andrews and the former Bishop of Durham. Tom's Previous Visits to the Podcast Devilpalooza NT Wright Talks Jesus and the scholars who discuss him UPCOMING ONLINE ADVENT CLASS w/ Diana Butler Bass Join us for a transformative four-week Advent journey exploring how the four gospels speak their own revolutionary word against empire—both in their ancient context under Roman occupation and for our contemporary world shaped by capitalism, militarism, and nationalism. This course invites you into an alternative calendar and rhythm. We'll discover how these ancient texts of resistance offer wisdom for our own moment of political turmoil, economic inequality, and ecological crisis. This class is donation-based, including 0. You can sign-up at www.HomebrewedClasses.com This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 75,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 50 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We Like Shooting Episode 639 This episode of We Like Shooting is brought to you by: Gideon Optics, Blue Alpha, Die Free Co., Mitchell Defense, Bowers Group, and Second Call Defense Welcome to the We Like Shooting Show, episode 639! Our cast tonight is Jeremy Pozderac, Aaron Krieger, Nick Lynch, and me Shawn Herrin, welcome to the show! -Gideon Optics- Free Torque Screwdriver with every optic purchase. (one per customer, while supplies last) -Blue Alpha - https://www.bluealphabelts.com/product-category/christmas-combos/ -Die Free Co - 20% off and free ship over $50. ends mon at midnight Gear Chat Shawn - MDT Hand Cannon Shawn - Falco Fire Falco Holsters Nick - Kenton Industries Turret Strips C&G Holsters Bullet Points Shawn - Secret Service wants new Duty rifle. Shawn - Magpul metal expansion Shawn - Glock Gen 6? Gun Fights Step right up for "Gun Fights," the high-octane segment hosted by Nick Lynch, where our cast members go head-to-head in a game show-style showdown! Each contestant tries to prove their gun knowledge dominance. It's a wild ride of bids, bluffs, and banter—who will come out on top? Tune in to find out! Agency Brief English Bill of Rights 1689 COLD OPEN: Back in 1689, the British figured out that a government with a standing army and disarmed citizens was a bad idea. Then they forgot. THE VILLAIN: KING JAMES II (THE ORIGINAL ANTI-GUNNER) The Motive: James II wanted absolute power and a Catholic takeover of a Protestant nation. The Tactics: Used "Game Laws" (hunting regs) to disarm commoners. Selectively disarmed political enemies (Protestants) while arming loyalists (Catholics). Built a standing army in peacetime to intimidate the populace. The Lesson: Gun control was created to secure political power, not public safety. THE REVOLUTION: THE "GLORIOUS" HOSTILE TAKEOVER The Invite: Elites ("Immortal Seven") invited William of Orange to invade England. The Flight: James II's military support collapsed; he fled to France. The Contract: Parliament told William: "You can be King, but only if you sign this rights document." THE DOCUMENT: WHAT IT ACTUALLY SAYS The Text: "That the subjects which are Protestants may have arms for their defence suitable to their conditions and as allowed by law." The Wins: Recognized an individual right to have arms. Explicitly stated the purpose was "defence" (not just militia service). Banned standing armies in peacetime without Parliament's consent. The Traps (Bugs): "Suitable to their conditions": Classism. Rich people got better determination of rights. "As allowed by law": The loophole that eventually killed gun rights in the UK. THE AMERICAN UPGRADE (FIXING THE BUGS) The Fix: Madison and the Founders looked at the English model and patched the holes. No Classism: Removed "suitable to conditions." Rights are for everyone, poor or rich. No Religion: Removed "Protestants." Rights are for "The People." No Loopholes: Replaced "as allowed by law" with "Shall not be infringed." The Result: The English right was a permission slip from Parliament; the American right is a restriction on the Government. FACT CHECK & MYTH BUSTING Myth: "It was only for militias." Fact: Text says "subjects" (plural individuals) and "for their defence." Myth: "It shows regulation is normal." Fact: It shows that fighting regulation is traditional. The Bill was literally a response to excessive regulation by the King. Hidden Motive: The English elites wanted an armed populace to check the King, but not armed enough to check Parliament. The US Founders wanted the people to check everyone. IMPACT ON YOU (MODERN IMPACT) Supreme Court: In Heller and Bruen, the Court relies on this document to prove that individual gun ownership is an ancient Anglo-American tradition. Litigation: When states try to use "history" to ban guns, we use 1689 to show that disarming citizens is the act of a tyrant, not a legitimate government. Regulatory Creep: Expanding "sensitive places" and "permit requirements" is exactly how the UK used the "allowed by law" loophole to ban everything. We are fighting to keep the "American Upgrade" intact. WLS is Lifestyle Savage - Doing a 3D printed build based on the Ruger 10/22. Gifts for Christmas The Alley Shawn - Max Michel from Sig to Staccato Going Ballistic UK Man arrested for picture of holding a shotgun https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/washington-assault-weapon-ban-upheld/ https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/washington-assault-weapon-ban-upheld/ https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/senate-democrats-universal-background-checks/ https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/senate-democrats-universal-background-checks/ https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/whitmer-michigan-task-force-gun-ban-recommendations/ Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - from Ed Zup - If you're reading this before you've listened to your first episode then you need to be prepared. If you think you've heard some wild shit from your quote-unquote radical friends then you better strap your ear pussies in for a ride. Upon hitting play you will be greeted by 5 cast members and while it will all seem normal for the first 15 seconds, you will soon find out that these dudes are cooler than your actual friends. Shawn, the head of the dick that is WLS, is always front and center, he runs the show and seemingly has seen it all and sometimes he gets drunk and that's when the real fun happens. Jeremy is likened to the shaft, keeps the cast together, is always the one to brag about his size and multiple times throughout the show he will uncontrollably engorge himself with rage. Aaron and Nick are both like the balls, Nick is the higher up one, closer to the head and friendly with the shaft. Seems to have lots of knowledge about the business but you would never know it. For the most part he is quiet and stays out of the way. But when he is needed, he generally has an answer. Aaron on the other hand, he is the lower one, he is the Ying to Nicks Yang, he always can't help himself with getting in the way, of easy conversation. And the rest of the cast always has fun at the expense of Aaron's well being. That being said these 5 guys will broaden your firearms and associated knowledge with true stories, industry news, first hand experience along with a lot of good laughs. Love the show guys. Keep it up. Oh shit, I forgot the 5th guy. Yeah then there's Savage1r. He's the taint. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - from Sigger Jim - I would like to amend my previous review in which i compared the cast to spices. Shawn is Thyme because his hunting stories waste a lot of it. Nick is cream of tarter because hes a little 'tarded, but the good kind of 'tarded. Jeremy is white pepper because white pepper isnt black. Aaron is cumin because all the dudes that cum-in him. Savage is still flour, but unbleached flour this time. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - from Craven Moorehead - ▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️ You know, I like having that A-aron character around. His childlike innocence……no……ignorance, brings out the knowledge from Jeremy (the one everyone seems to think is a cunt) and Nick. Sometimes they need to see what a complete neophyte…..no……buffoon would think about a subject, so that they can expound upon the minutiae. Otherwise they would just assume that everyone is privy to the information, and move on. I also enjoy the older fellow with the ptosis of the scrotum. His stories about spoons and hunting and bad decisions sure will put a fellow to sleep. I think that about covers everyone. In closing, I sure do enjoy the podcast. Enough that I renew my cult membership every time the older fellow screws up the billing. No notes Before we let you go - Join Gun Owners of America Tell your friends about the show and get backstage access by joining the Gun Cult at theguncult.com. No matter how tough your battle is today, we want you here fight with us tomorrow. Don't struggle in silence, you can contact the suicide prevention line by dialing 988 from your phone. Remember - Always prefer Dangerous Freedom over peaceful slavery. We'll see you next time! Nick - @busbuiltsystems | Bus Built Systems Jeremy - @ret_actual | Rivers Edge Tactical Aaron - @machinegun_moses Savage - @savage1r Shawn - @dangerousfreedomyt | @camorado.cam | Camorado
Catholic Conversion Wisdom from the man himself! Today, Keith is joined by Dr. Scott Hahn at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. https://stpaulcenter.com/ to discuss issues related to conversion to Catholicism.
Gavin Ortlund examines recent ecumenical developments and argues for a broader, more biblically grounded understanding of catholicity.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/
What happens when an artificial intelligence trained on Catholic theology debates a Protestant apologist? In this fascinating episode, Joel Settecase, founder of The Think Institute, takes on “Justin AI” — the Roman Catholic apologetics bot from Catholic Answers — in a deep, logical, and biblically grounded debate about purgatory, repentance, and salvation.Joel walks through his step-by-step exchange with the Catholic AI — exposing internal contradictions in its logic about sin, repentance, and purgatory — and shows how Scripture provides a far more coherent worldview. Then, he introduces ThinkGPT, the Think Institute's own biblical AI assistant, designed to equip Christian men to think biblically, defend the faith, and disciple their families.This is part theological analysis, part tech demo, and 100% worldview training — a must-listen for anyone navigating faith, reason, and the rise of AI in ministry.How a Protestant apologist defeated a Roman Catholic AI in a theology debateThe biblical critique of purgatory and repentance in Catholic doctrineHow ThinkGPT was built — and what makes it biblically groundedWhy AI can't replace Spirit-led theology and human discipleshipHow Christian men can use apologetics tools to lead in their homes and churches“Even when AI gets theology wrong, it gives us a chance to get it right — and to proclaim the gospel with clarity and conviction.”ThinkGPT – The Think Institute's AIThe Think Institute Partner Page: thethink.institute/partnerWorldview Legacy Podcast ArchivesThe Hammer & Anvil Society (men's discipleship community)Technology can simulate knowledge — but not wisdom. Biblical discernment is more vital than ever. Be the man who leads your family and community with truth, conviction, and a gospel-centered worldview.
In 2019 I posted an article to my new Gnostic Gospel blog called, If All Are Redeemed, Why Not Be Sinful? And I'd like to share that with you today. One of the big heresies of Gnosticism is that all Second Order Powers are redeemed by Christ and all will someday return to the Paradise of the Fullness. Yay! Everyone's going to Heaven! No one is going to hell, not even the Fallen angels. What joy! This seems to fly in the face of Christian orthodoxy that promotes the idea that only those humans who confess a belief in Jesus as the Christ will make it into Heaven, and those who don't believe in Jesus will go to an eternal damnation of suffering in hell. Conventional Christianity states that Jesus came to save humanity, but only those who acknowledge Jesus as the only Son of God and invite Him into their hearts will be saved. This is the basis for all evangelism and all churches that follow the Nicene Creed, which is to say, all Christian churches, whether Catholic or Protestant. This is why Christians are so keen on saving souls. They don't want you to suffer for eternity in hell. The Gnostic Church begs to differ with that common interpretation of Christ's mission. According to the books of the Nag Hammadi library, all of creation will be redeemed and returned to the Fullness and the Father's home in Heaven. All of creation, everyone and everything, will be made clean and pure and holy by the end. As they say, it'll all be good in the end, and if it's not good yet, then it's not yet the end. Gnosis refers to the ability to use reason and logic to arrive at spiritual truth. So, let's think together about this idea of Christ and redemption and who does or does not go to Heaven. First, if Christ's redemption were a matter of your belief, then Christ's mission of salvation would be limited to what you believe. In other words, you would be the one holding the power of salvation, not Christ. Does that make any sense to you? Are you the one who redeems or is Christ? Can you see how making your belief central to redemption actually limits the power of Christ? Can you see how that makes sinful humans more powerful than the mission of Christ's redemption? Limiting Christ to your belief, it seems to me, is the greater heresy than simply trusting Christ to accomplish the mission. It is Christ's job to redeem humanity, not yours. Second, according to Gnostic texts, all creatures great and small will be redeemed. This means that all creatures are going to Heaven. My dog has never professed a belief in Jesus as the Christ, yet my dog is going to Heaven. The fishes in the water, the birds in the air, the insects, the forest animals, all Second Order Powers are redeemed by Christ. It is the job of the Christ to redeem creation, irrespective of creation's ability to confess that fact. Do you think that only good dogs go to Heaven? Or nice fishes? Maybe only herbivores? Perhaps only parrots who can say, Jesus saves! Once we concede that it is only the Christ that can redeem, then what is the point of leading a virtuous life? Why not sin up until the end, have all kinds of fun, and then waltz into Heaven without repentance? Repentance, by the way, means to feel sorrow and regret. Are we allowed to sin willy-nilly with no negative consequences? An even more profound question is, why were we created in the first place? According to the Tripartite Tractate, the Second Order Powers were created in order to rescue the Fallen Aeon known as Logos. The most perfect and complete of the individual Aeons, Logos crowned the top of the aeonic hierarchy. This single Aeon consisted of all the attributes of the good and perfect Fullness rolled up into one individual. And as you know by now from listening to the first eight episodes of Gnostic Insights, Logos had fallen from the Fullness and smashed to smithereens in a lower dimension. The broken bits of Logos scattered into space, forming our material universe along with a host of powers and personalities, including demons, evil djinn, and archons. Logos imagined he could build the Paradise dreamt by the Fullness because he understood all of the plans and possessed all of the necessary talents. However, without the willing support of the Fullness, Logos was unable to give proper glory to the Father. As he reached for the Father, Logos stumbled and fell, shattering himself to bits. Because the isolated glory of Logos was inadequate to the task, everything he produced as a result of that effort fell disastrously short. Where there had been unity with the Son and with his brethren in the Fullness, now there was a division and a turning away. The undiluted will expressed by the Fullness was splintered because Logos, “could not bear to look at the light but looked at the depths, and he faltered.” That's verse 77 of the Tripartite Tractate. Going on to verse 78: “What issued from his presumptuous thought and his arrogance—[by the way, that's another word for ego]—what issued from his ego had existed from something that was itself deficient. And because of that, what was perfect in him left him and went upward to its own in the Fullness, leaving the sicknesses behind in the darkness.” The material space of our universe is known as the deficiency and the imitation in Gnosticism, and it was initially populated by nothing but the lost and fallen shadows of the pleroma of Logos. The part of Logos that stayed behind in the deficiency was his ego, which came to be known as the Demiurge. The fallen ego of Logos was not hated by the Father or the Aeons of the Fullness. The fallen was mourned as lost, as a prodigal son or daughter is mourned by the parents who still love them. The Fullness loves the Fallen and only wants the ego of Logos to be restored to the Fullness. The Second Order Powers were sent into this dimension for the purpose of engaging the Fallen Demiurge and helping it to return home. However, as the Second Order Powers entered this earthly dimension, they were immediately plunged into a never-ending battle with the Fallen. Due to the law of mutual combat, we temporarily forgot our Father in Heaven and our mission of engagement and rescue. We were all infected with a host of fallen influences and fell into lifetimes of fear, regret, lust, and rage. As the Tripartite Tractate puts it in verse 84, “The two orders fought against each other, struggling for command with such a result that they were engulfed by forces and material substances in accordance with the law of mutual combat. And they too acquired lust for domination and all the other passions of this sort. And, consequently, empty vain glory pulls them all toward the desire of lust for domination, and not one of them remembers what is superior or confesses it.” We humans are Second Order Powers infected with many, many fallen influences that blind us to our true natures and our mission. These negative influences prefer the deficiency to the Fullness. These negative powers of the Fall represent the opposite of the All and of all that makes us truly happy and fulfilled. The survival reflex of the imitation requires the Second Order Powers to be miserable and lost, because misery loves company. They influence people to fight against each other rather than fight and resist the evil fallen. Our lives become an endless and fruitless quest to find happiness through selfish pursuits. All you have to do is pop into Facebook or Twitter to find evidence all over the place of these fruitless pursuits that appear to cause happiness, but actually cause misery. At this point in the Gnostic story, the Father and the Aeons of the produced a superior new entity, a Third Order Power called the Christ. It became the mission of the Christ to help the Second Order Powers remember and love the Fallen so that the Fallen could be redeemed. Love is the only power that can redeem the Fallen. Why, then, was a Third Order Power needed to accomplish the task that the Second Order Powers were sent to accomplish? Why populate creation with well-meaning but ignorant and confused Second Order Powers? Why not just send in the Christ to accomplish the redemption of fallen Logos in the first place? What is our function and purpose other than bumbling around in never-ending war with the Fallen? Because the Fallen Logos must be loved and redeemed one fallen piece at a time. Imagine if the original body of Logos resembled a human form, like we might picture an angel in Heaven looking something like us. Now, imagine that the heavenly body of Logos in the Fullness was comprised of the blueprint for every single potential body that would ever come to life in the imitation down here after the Fall. Imagine the body of Logos falling from an immaterial dimension, that being the Fullness or Heaven, and crashing and breaking apart into a lower, slower, thicker dimension, our material universe, and spilling out the blueprints for the material universe. Moreover, our personal stories, the drama that each human life enacts, are also stories of the Fall, stories that need redemption. Every life tells stories of falls and redemption, temptation and overcoming, despair and triumph, and every time an archonic influence is defeated and stripped from your personal life, part of Logos is redeemed. When we live a virtuous life, we are following the principles of the Father and the Fullness in Heaven, and we are participants with Christ in redeeming the Fall of Logos. When we live a sinful life, we are succumbing to the demons of the Fall and contributing to the chaos and despair of the deficiency. And I made up a chart with the values of the imitation or the deficiency on the left, and they are called on the left, and the values of the Father and of the Fullness on the right. And the left is the material, downward pull of the deficiency, and the right is the upward, psychical and spiritual pull of the values of the Father and the Fullness. This chart appears in this particular post, and I know I've said this chart to you before in prior episodes of the Gnostic Insights, so let me just briefly hit a few of them. If you're living on the left, if you're, quote, enjoying a sinful life, and it's not actually enjoyment, because joy does not come from the left side. Joy only comes from the right. The most that you can hope for, if you're living on the deficiency side, is a imitation of joy, which we generally call happiness. But as I believe you know by now, happiness is a never-ending pursuit, and we are often reaching for happiness—oh, let's go here, let's go there, let's buy this, let's buy that, let's eat this, ooh, let's have that, ooh, hey, let's do this drug. You see, everything promises this joy. Sometimes it brings you temporary happiness, but it never fulfills, it never brings satisfaction, never brings satisfaction. Pursuit of material gain always brings more and more desire for more and more material gain. So the values on the left that the sinful are pursuing, these are called vices, and they are such things as impatience, lust, greed, selfishness, cruelty, ruthlessness, anger, resentfulness, rude, obstructionist. (And what I mean by obstructionist is this. Have you ever known someone who, no matter what someone else proposes to do, they go, nah, that'll never work. So an obstructionist, they're like a naysayer, that's what that means. They're wet blankets, they're always pulling down good suggestions. That's what obstructionist means.) Despair, depression, sloth or laziness, chaos, disorder, thoughtless action, greed, envy, arrogance, fear, confusion, gluttony. These are values or vices on the material side of the ledger, and these are the things that generally are promoted in social media, strangely enough. The values on the right actually are virtues that are part of our aeonic inheritance from the Fullness of God, and they are such virtues. Well, you know they say that God is love, right? So love is the number one virtue. Patience, generosity, graciousness, mercy, forgiveness, welcoming, obedience, respect, cooperation as opposed to obstructionism, free choice, hopefulness, joyfulness, truthfulness, industriousness, order, prudence. Prudence, by the way, means knowing what to do at the right time. Logic, charity, kindness, empathy, humility, loyalty, justice, courage, remembrance. These are values on the right side, and you can hear as I read down these values of the right side that these are the types of things that lead to true loving connections between human beings. They are not the kind of thing we generally see on social media, by the way, and we kind of rarely see them in actual walking-around life as well. But this is the goal, is to live on the right side of the ledger, to enact those principles rather than to chase after the emptiness of the vices on the left side. The values of the Demiurge lead to isolation and despair. The values of the Fullness lead to peace and joy. Now, back to my article. Because we are in actuality children of the Fullness, we can only be truly happy when we act out of love, that is, out of virtue. When we forget our place in the Fullness of God, we operate out of ignorance and are subject to the evil influences of the Fall. The Fall can only produce misery, fear, rage, and lust. Never love, never happiness. No good ever comes from rage. No good ever comes from fear. Here is the reason we strive to lead a virtuous life, because only virtue can make you happy. All else leads to despair and depression, because, as they say, the wages of sin is death. And that's what that means. The imitation does not bring happiness. Despite a world full of false promises, vice can only bring ignorance and suffering, isolation and despair. When you dwell in vice rather than virtue, your life is part of the problem and not part of the solution. The Christ brings redemption and remembrance of the Father and the Fullness, one bit, one piece of the Fall at a time. Every time you resist evil and turn a bad habit into a good habit, you have redeemed a piece of the Fall. When you redeem all of your bits and pieces, you will be fully redeemed and regain your home in the Fullness. When all Second Order Powers have accepted the remembrance and the redemption of Christ, then Logos will be fully redeemed and this material universe can pass away. At that point, Paradise, with all of the love, peace and happiness that is implied, will be fully restored. The end goal of redemption is return to the Father's abode, that Paradise dreamed by the Fullness, where there is no death, no disease, no disappointment and no deficiencies, that Paradise where Christ is King and peace reigns supreme, and there is only cooperation, fellowship and true love. In Paradise there is nothing but life, so all the grass is green and flowers blossom endlessly and every soul that has ever lived lives happily forever after with their friends and their families. The Christ will leave no one behind to condemnation and hell. What kind of unholy savior would that be? From a previous article, I wrote, “Thus the called will condemn evil and will turn away from the rage that has consumed them, and they will be healed as they acknowledge that they have an origin of their existence, and they desire to know what that is that exists before them.” The Tripartate says in verse 132, “And even those who were brought forth from the desire of lust for domination, having inside them the seed that is lust for domination, will receive the recompense of good things if they have worked together with those who are predisposed toward good things, and provide they decide to do so deliberately, and are willing to abandon their vain love of temporary glory so as to do the command of the Lord of glory, and instead of that small temporary honor they will inherit the eternal kingdom.” So what this is saying is that you have to step away from ego, you have to take your pleasure-seeking ignorant side off the throne of your personality, and allow the indwelling of the Fullness to reside on the throne of your personality. You can turn your vices into virtues whenever you run across them. Awareness is always the first step, and then you put it into action. Okay, I'll confess something to you. I have a short temper myself, and I often lose my temper even with strangers on the street. It's a kind of a bizarre phenomenon. So I'll be walking along, and I'll see something that makes me angry. Like, for example, someone smoking a cigarette, and they don't put it out, and they just flick it thoughtlessly out into the bushes. I walk up to that person, I go, Who do you think you are? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Who's going to pick that up? What if you burn down the place? Are we supposed to look at your cigarette butts? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I get angry at total strangers. Okay, this doesn't do any good. I realize this is not a good thing. This is actually a vice and not a virtue. This righteous indignation is the thing that captures the do-gooders of the Second Order Powers into that endless rage, and the war that never ends. We can't win the battle through anger or through na-na-na-na-na. It doesn't work. We have to love these people. I'm trying to figure out how I might approach a person who flings a cigarette butt down in the street with love and kindness and compassion, but I can't figure out yet how to do that, and so I'm just going to stop getting in fights with strangers on the street. And that's been my mission for about the last two years, is to stop having random encounters of righteous indignation, step back, breathe, give praise to God, and go on. I think at some point I will have the wisdom to know how to engage people that would otherwise enrage me, but at the moment I don't quite have that. So that was my confession. Perhaps you are struggling with some other kind of thing. So remember, you have to just drop the thing when you notice it's bad. Drop it. Stop it. These are called vicious cycles in psychology. Just stop doing it. Just stop it. Don't worry about the consequences. The consequences are worse when you do engage in that vicious thing. So just stop it. Whatever it takes, just don't do it. And the more you stop yourself from the bad behavior, the easier it is to embrace the other side of the ledger. You will shift over to the other side once you stop doing that thing on the left side. You cannot grab onto that virtue as long as you embrace the vice. On to verse 133 of Tripartite. “As for those of the imitation who embrace the darkness and deny the light, even they will obtain direct vision so that they will no longer have to believe only on account of a small word produced by a voice that this is how things are. For the restoration back to that which was is a single restoration, even if some are exalted because of this economy, having been set up as a cause for things that happen, unfolding numerous physical forces, and taking pleasure in them, they, angels as well as humans, will obtain the kingdom, the confirmation, and the salvation. [Verse 136 promises,] these too will be provided with dwelling places where they will dwell eternally after they have renounced the downward attraction of deficiency and the power of the Fullness has pulled them upward on account of the great generosity and the sweetness of the preexistent Aeon.” And that is the end of the article from 2019 and the original podcast from May of 2021. Over the past several years I have turned my mind from outrage and righteous indignation as best I can, even as our society has plunged into more and more division and outrage. It is easier to see now than ever before the uselessness of operating out of anger and rejection. Anger cannot produce good results because anger is a vice, not a virtue. Only love can turn hearts around. Onward and upward! And God bless us all. If you are finding these Gnostic Insights helpful to your understanding of Gnosticism, please contribute to the cause. This will be helpful to bringing the word to more people. Thank you! Please Donate
The Immaculate Conception is the dogma that the Virgin Mary was conceived without original sin. This doctrine states that Mary was preserved from the "stain of sin" from the first moment of her conception through a unique grace from God, granted in anticipation of her role as the mother of Jesus. The Immaculate Conception is celebrated annually on December 8th as a solemn feast day, whose observance began with a Papal encyclical by Pope Pius IX, when he formally defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854. Several years later, in 1858, the Blessed Mother gave her name to St. Bernadette at Lourdes stating, "I am the Immaculate Conception." A Protestant theologian and pastor offers an interesting appraisal of the Roman Catholic dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Truth Unites podcast with Gavin Ortlund at https://amzn.to/4pccMeh Gavin Ortlund books available at https://amzn.to/44HlMj9 What It Means to Be Protestant by Gavin Ortlund at https://amzn.to/3Y0xqlq Books about the Immaculate Conception at https://amzn.to/4pABc0B ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Mark's HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA podcast: www.parthenonpodcast.com/history-of-north-america Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoricalJesu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's Books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio credits: Truth Unites podcast with Gavin Ortlund - The Immaculate Conception, A Protestant Appraisal (Aug. 31, 2023). Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Francis Chan sits down with theologian and apologist Gavin Ortlund (truthunites.org) for a vulnerable, wide-ranging conversation about communion, church unity, and what it means to love other Christians in a fractured age. Francis shares his own journey wrestling with the Eucharist, reading the church fathers, engaging Roman Catholic and Orthodox perspectives, and discovering the “real presence” within a Protestant framework. Gavin explains why he remains gratefully Protestant and how he understands the richness of the Lord's Supper and church history. Together, they talk honestly about the harsh tone of much online “discernment” content, the temptation to chase clicks by attacking other believers, and the deep grief they both feel over division in the body of Christ. Francis opens up about this new season of life and ministry, sensing a renewed childlike faith, a burden to guard and walk with younger leaders, and a longing to see gospel-centered unity rooted in truth and shaped by the love of God. If you've ever wrestled with questions about the Lord's Supper, Protestant vs. Catholic/Orthodox claims, or how to contend for truth without losing love, this conversation will both challenge and encourage you to fix your eyes on Jesus and pursue a unity that flows from the gospel itself.
What does it mean to call Mary the “Mother of God”? In this episode, Greg dives into the ancient debate at the Council of Ephesus (431 AD) over the term Theotokos and why it's a cornerstone of Christian orthodoxy. Far from just being about Mary, this doctrine safeguards the truth of the Incarnation—that Jesus is fully God and fully man. Greg unpacks common Protestant objections, addresses misunderstandings, and explores how Theotokos shapes Catholic theology and liturgy today. Whether you're curious about Catholicism or deepening your faith, this episode will challenge you to see Jesus in a new light. SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners ➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app) One-time gift: Donate with PayPal! CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!) RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us. SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who's curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you! Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Barney's new book is out, coauthored with Professor DavidElcott! On the Significance of Religion in Immigration Policy. You can buy the book here or download it free here. The book guides you through the Jewish and Christianarguments made for many different immigration policies throughout history and in the present day. It has sections that discuss:Bible verses used on all sides of the debateThe state of IsraelChristian values and US Immigration policyAmbiguities in the Jewish traditionEuropean Immigration in medieval times and todayDifferences between Catholic, Orthodox, & Protestant approaches to immigrationIn this conversation, Austin asks us questions about theintended audience of the book, its goals and aims, and we also talk a bit about the disagreements we had to overcome in order to have a truly interreligious publication!
Ruth 1. From the "Advent: Book of Ruth" sermon series. Preached by Jody Killingsworth.
Join us for a powerful 11AM service from Nfluence Church as Pastor Lucas Miles hosts a live Ask Me Anything (AMA) packed with Biblically grounded, practical answers to real questions about faith, theology, culture, and everyday Christian life. In this conversational session, Pastor Lucas addresses some of the most searched and debated topics in Christianity today — including Protestant vs. Catholic differences, how we can trust the preservation and reliability of Scripture, what John 6 means for communion and the papacy, and how Christians can approach transgender and gender-identity questions with both truth and compassion. He also discusses how to reach atheists and secular humanists, why faith impacts every part of life, and whether pets go to heaven. Additional questions cover how to lovingly talk about abortion, how new believers can share their faith with confidence, understanding Mary's role in Catholicism, helping Gen Z stay focused in a distracted world, whether marriage is valid without state paperwork, the Nephilim and ancient alien theories in Genesis, what “rest in peace” means for public figures, the Christian books that shaped his faith, and how a loving God can judge sin and uphold justice. The service ends with communion and a closing prayer, offering a thoughtful and hope-filled conclusion to this wide-ranging discussion.Key Themes:Protestant vs. Catholic DifferencesPreservation and Reliability of ScriptureJohn 6, Communion, and the PapacyAddressing Transgender and Gender-Identity QuestionsReaching Atheists and Secular HumanistsWhy Faith Shapes Everyday LifeDo Pets Go to Heaven?Responding to Abortion with Truth and CompassionSharing Faith as a New ChristianMaryology and Catholic Reverence for MaryHelping Gen Z Stay Focused SpirituallyMarriage Without State PaperworkNephilim and Ancient Alien Theories“Rest in Peace” and Public FiguresInfluential Christian BooksGod's Justice and the Reality of HellCommunion and Closing PrayerTimestamps: 00:00 — Welcome, AMA overview, and how the Q&A works04:14 — Are Protestant churches legitimate? (Responding to Catholic friends)07:23 — Why didn't God miraculously preserve the New Testament? (Bart Ehrman)11:39 — How should Christians address transgender individuals in a shelter setting?15:42 — Does John 6 support the papacy or relate to communion?19:00 — Why faith shapes every part of life, even topics not directly mentioned in Scripture21:33 — How to reach atheists and secular humanists who view religion as myth25:35 — Do pets (cats, dogs) go to heaven?26:18 — How to lovingly respond to women who believe abortion is healthcare30:03 — How to share your faith as a new Christian with limited Scripture knowledge34:11 — How to talk
Join us for a powerful 11AM service from Nfluence Church as Pastor Lucas Miles hosts a live Ask Me Anything (AMA) packed with Biblically grounded, practical answers to real questions about faith, theology, culture, and everyday Christian life. In this conversational session, Pastor Lucas addresses some of the most searched and debated topics in Christianity today — including Protestant vs. Catholic differences, how we can trust the preservation and reliability of Scripture, what John 6 means for communion and the papacy, and how Christians can approach transgender and gender-identity questions with both truth and compassion. He also discusses how to reach atheists and secular humanists, why faith impacts every part of life, and whether pets go to heaven. Additional questions cover how to lovingly talk about abortion, how new believers can share their faith with confidence, understanding Mary's role in Catholicism, helping Gen Z stay focused in a distracted world, whether marriage is valid without state paperwork, the Nephilim and ancient alien theories in Genesis, what “rest in peace” means for public figures, the Christian books that shaped his faith, and how a loving God can judge sin and uphold justice. The service ends with communion and a closing prayer, offering a thoughtful and hope-filled conclusion to this wide-ranging discussion.Key Themes:Protestant vs. Catholic DifferencesPreservation and Reliability of ScriptureJohn 6, Communion, and the PapacyAddressing Transgender and Gender-Identity QuestionsReaching Atheists and Secular HumanistsWhy Faith Shapes Everyday LifeDo Pets Go to Heaven?Responding to Abortion with Truth and CompassionSharing Faith as a New ChristianMaryology and Catholic Reverence for MaryHelping Gen Z Stay Focused SpirituallyMarriage Without State PaperworkNephilim and Ancient Alien Theories“Rest in Peace” and Public FiguresInfluential Christian BooksGod's Justice and the Reality of HellCommunion and Closing PrayerTimestamps: 00:00 — Welcome, AMA overview, and how the Q&A works04:14 — Are Protestant churches legitimate? (Responding to Catholic friends)07:23 — Why didn't God miraculously preserve the New Testament? (Bart Ehrman)11:39 — How should Christians address transgender individuals in a shelter setting?15:42 — Does John 6 support the papacy or relate to communion?19:00 — Why faith shapes every part of life, even topics not directly mentioned in Scripture21:33 — How to reach atheists and secular humanists who view religion as myth25:35 — Do pets (cats, dogs) go to heaven?26:18 — How to lovingly respond to women who believe abortion is healthcare30:03 — How to share your faith as a new Christian with limited Scripture knowledge34:11 — How to talk
In our Protestant tradition, we often grow uneasy when Mary receives significant attention. But could it be that, in our reaction to Roman Catholic veneration, we have “thrown the baby out with the bathwater”? Mary's story draws us deeply into the richness of the Old Testament while simultaneously awakening us to the awe and wonder of the Christmas story in our present time. Exodus 25:10-22 (ESV)“They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.“You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.Luke 1:26-38 (ESV)n the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
“Is there an actual burning in purgatory?” This question opens a discussion on the nature of purgatory, alongside inquiries about addressing Protestant objections to John 6 and the Catholic Church’s stance on Gnosticism. Other topics include the interpretation of biblical imagery and the role of Mary in scripture, providing a rich exploration of Catholic beliefs. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 08:41 – Is there an actual burning in the cleansing of purgatory? 14:53 – How do I answer the protestant objection to John 6 when they say that Jesus said He was talking about the spirit and not the actual flesh? 24:54 – I don't understand Gnosticism . Does the Catholic Church say this is wrong? 35:16 – How do we dissuade people from thinking biblical stories are in the same vein as Greek mythology? Example: Jesus calls James and John the sons of thunder would be considered imagery of Zeus. 41:46 – Why do we not hear about Mary's “sisters”? 51:15 – Could a person with non-Catholic, non-water “believer's baptism” be saved according to the Catholic Church?
Who was Edward VI? To many, he's the pale, serious boy in a fur-trimmed coat, a footnote between Henry VIII and Mary I. But in reality, Edward's short reign reshaped England dramatically. In A Beginner's Guide to Edward VI, I explore: - His sheltered childhood and intense education - The power struggle between Edward Seymour and John Dudley - The sweeping Protestant reforms that changed England's religious identity - The rebellions that shook the kingdom - Edward's final illness, and his disastrous “Devise for the Succession” - How his decisions paved the way for the Lady Jane Grey crisis Edward VI ruled for just six years… yet his policies, beliefs, and fears set England on a path that would shape three Tudor reigns after him. If you enjoy this guide, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell for daily Tudor history! #EdwardVI #TudorHistory #OnThisDay #ClaireRidgway #HistoryYouTube #Tudors #HenryVIII #LadyJaneGrey #EnglishReformation #HistoryNerd #BritishHistory #HistoryDocumentary
Allie and Catholic apologist Trent Horn dig into what true masculine Christianity is — it isn't crude bravado, but it's bold, kind, and truth-driven. They cover everything from the Crusades to the death penalty while comparing such subjects through the lenses of Catholicism and Protestantism. Trent also weighs in on the U.S. Catholic Bishops' video condemning President Trump's immigration enforcement. Tune in for biblical clarity on manhood, womanhood, immigration, and everything in between. Buy Allie's book "Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion": https://www.toxicempathy.com --- Timecodes: (00:00) Intro (03:10) Christians Going on the Offense (11:30) Muscular Christianity (20:30) The Role of Women (25:50) Update on Trent's Wife (31:30) Pushing Back on Progressivism (40:20) The Pope's Perspective (49:20) The Death Penalty (52:30) Increase in Religious Revivals --- Today's Sponsors: A'del — Go to adelnaturalcosmetics.com for the biggest sale of the year, happening Black Friday weekend! Starting Friday, November 28, through Tuesday, December 2, A'del is offering 30% off everything. No discount code needed. Good Ranchers — Go to goodranchers.com and subscribe to any box, but preferably the Allie Beth Stuckey Box. And when you order by December 1 and use code ALLIE, you'll get an extra $100 off your first three orders. Seven Weeks Coffee — Go to sevenweekscoffee.com and save 15% forever when you subscribe, and this holiday season, you can claim up to four free gifts with your order! Plus, use code ALLIE for an extra 10% off your first order. Range Leather — Go to rangeleather.com/allie to check out their custom-stamped corporate gift items to be delivered in time for Christmas. These items work great for businesses, organizations, churches, and more. Receive 15% off all Range Leather products when you visit Allie's landing page. Shopify — Go to shopify.com/allie to get started with your own design studio to turn your big business idea into profit. Sign up for your $1-per-month trial and start selling with Shopify today! --- Episodes you might like: Ep 997 | Why Do Catholics Pray to Mary? | Guest: Trent Horn https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-997-why-do-catholics-pray-to-mary-guest-trent-horn/id1359249098?i=1000654720287 Ep 1216 | Can Catholics Claim the One True Church? | Lila Rose https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-1216-can-catholics-claim-the-one-true-church-lila-rose/id1359249098?i=1000716862468 Ep 1224 | The Mary Debate: Catholics vs. Protestants https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/relatable-with-allie-beth-stuckey/id1359249098 --- Buy Allie's book "You're Not Enough (& That's Okay): Escaping the Toxic Culture of Self-Love": https://www.alliebethstuckey.com Relatable merchandise: Use promo code ALLIE10 for a discount: https://shop.blazemedia.com/collections/allie-stuckey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of The Catholic Talk Show, Ryan is joined by Jeff Cavins to discuss how he came back to The Catholic Church and how he created The Bible Timeline Episode 341: In this episode, we will discuss: • Why Jeff Cavins Left The Catholic Church • Why He Returned To The Church • How He Created The Great Adventure Bible Timeline • and much more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices