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Acedia and its Remedies - CHSS 111   In today's episode, we continue our new series on the common temptations against prayer by looking at the phenomenon of acedia. As our point of departure, we use the Catechism of the Catholic Church's treatment of this distinct challenge.   Acedia is defined as a form of spiritual melancholy. This spiritual struggle, the Catechism argues, can emerge as a result of presumption, that is, the idea that God must act according to one's preconceived ideas of how God should act, usually in a way favorable to one's desires.   The Catechism maintains that Catholic Christians can overcome this temptation to prayer through the virtue of humility. This virtue aims to give the Christian an accurate sense of who they are as God sees them, thus guiding them away from presumption.   Humility does not mean inaction, passivity or indifference. Instead, humility invites the Christian to spiritual vigilance, temperance and asceticism. Humility teaches the Christian to never assume a positive spiritual outcome without any personal effort or, ultimately, reliance on God.   Join our discussion on we can overcome the temptation to spiritual melancholy through the virtue of humility.   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode111/   Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)            

In today's episode, we begin a new series discussing some of the common temptations against prayer. As our point of departure, we use the Catechism of the Catholic Church's treatment of this challenge. The first reason we discuss is the problem of the lack of faith. After defining the Catholic understanding of this term, we ask why people struggle to have faith in our age and, more importantly, how to overcome such struggles. We talk about the fact that the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity are interconnected. An abundant spiritual life depends on all of these virtues functioning well together. Join us how we can overcome temptations in prayer through an increase of faith, hope and charity.   Join us as discuss how we can overcome temptations in prayer through an increase of faith, hope and charity.   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode110/   Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)            

In today's episode, we discuss the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, which is celebrated on August 15th.  How does this feast connect to important Catholic beliefs on the value of the human person in their entirety, which means both their spirit and body? In addition, we discuss the Ark of the Covenant, the Resurrection, death, and the deeper meaning behind Luke's description of Mary as "full of grace."   Join us as we discuss The Feast of the Assumption of Mary.   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode108/   Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

What is the Beatific Vision? When explaining the Beatific Vision to students in a short sound bite, a common initial response is one of disappointment. But is it really as boring as they may think? We explain why it is a place we want to be, and how to use examples of everyday things to illustrate its incredible beauty.   Join us as we discuss the beatific vision.   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode107/   Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)    

What Mindset Should Catholics Have About the World? - CHSS 106   In the face of the various challenges facing Western Christianity today, some Catholics have adopted one of two mindsets.   The first mindset could be likened to a fortress. The fortress mindset would say that the Catholic Christians need to do everything in their power to keep themselves unaffected by the challenges of the modern by closing themselves off from culture as much as possible. To this end, those who adopt the fortress mindset would say that it is important for Catholics to restrict themselves to reading solely Catholic books and to avoid non-Catholic ideas and literature as much as possible.   The second mindset could be likened to a café. The café mindset would say that Catholic Christians need to expose themselves as much as possible to non-Catholic literature and ideas. This perspective would insist far less on the need to read Catholic books before engaging the ideas of the current culture as much as possible. This approach would manifest itself in a classroom where students are entirely unacquainted with a Catholic perspective(s) on the Life Questions.   Within these polar extremes, the Second Vatican Council in its document Lumen Gentium proposed that Catholic Christians should be thoroughly acquainted with their faith as well as being firmly committed to engaging modern culture. To achieve both objectives, the council presumed that Catholics would be well versed in their faith while being simultaneously well acquainted with the positions of non-Catholic movements and thinkers.   In today's episode, we discuss the importance of not only reading good Catholic authors such as the Fathers and Doctors of the Church but also the importance of engaging the ideas of those outside the Catholic faith. We discuss the precedents set in this regard by these great thinkers of the Catholic tradition who distinguished themselves by meeting both tasks.   We illustrate this principle set forth by the Second Vatican Council by briefly discussing the contributions of the great doctors of the Church, famous teachers down through the history of Catholic Christianity. Scholars such as Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and Robert Bellarmine are remembered to this day precisely because they had a great grasp of the faith and the ideas of other thinkers outside their theological tradition.   A study of these and other influential authors is an excellent starting point for thinking about these Life Questions in the context of the modern world.   Join us as we discuss the ideal to which Catholic Christians should strive in their engagements with the modern world.   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode106/   Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

In the Western world today, some Catholics find it difficult to feel confident in their faith. Whether at work, school or home, Catholics may encounter much opposition for their beliefs.   In the face of such challenges, how does a Catholic maintain confidence in their faith?   In today's episode, we discuss the importance of reading good Catholic authors such as the Fathers and Doctors of the Church. These authors devoted much time to answering the great Life Questions (e.g., Does God exist?; Are certain actions evil? etc.).   Instead of reinventing the wheel, Catholics would do well to consult the writings of these famous Catholic authors.   Accessing their thoughts is critical for Catholics who wish to better understand the rationale for their various beliefs and practices. By reading their writings, Catholics can better understand the types of reasons early thinkers in their tradition brought to these questions.   One of the first sources Catholic should study is the Catechism of the Catholic Church. When reading this source, readers should pay close attention to the authors cited. Usually, the Catechism quotes or references statements from Augustine and Aquinas.   A study of these and other influential authors is an excellent starting point for thinking about these Life Questions.   Join us as we discuss the ways Catholics can maintain confidence in their faith. https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode105/   Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

Empathy can be loosely defined as the ability to experience the world as someone else.  This ability to exercise empathy is essential for figuring out the reasons for another person's actions, beliefs, and statements. Often in the public domain, we encounter interpretations of others' statements and actions that lack empathy. In today's episode, we discuss the importance of empathy for understanding our own faith and others.  And we look at how Aquinas was perhaps the best example of someone who exercised empathy in order to strengthen one's faith. https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode104/   Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)      

Everyone is a historian. Some people, however, are better at history than others. But everyone must do history. No one is free to not have to do history.   Wherever we go or whatever we do, we are faced with various histories. Whether conscientious of these histories or not, we engage with people, events and institutions which have their own histories.   In this episode, Mary and Erik Estrada discuss how Catholic Christians can use historical context in order to better interpret the events and artifacts of the past.   This ability to use historical context to understand the past can also be very helpful for understanding one's spiritual life. When better grasping our Catholic history, we can more easily comprehend the Church's reasons for its teachings, spiritual practices and ascetic disciplines.   We explain that a good sense of history is also critical for understanding our neighbors. At times, our neighbors come from different ethnic and religious traditions. In order to understand our neighbors and their religious traditions better, it is necessary for Catholics to develop get a good sense of religious history.   Join us as we discuss the importance of historical context for our spiritual life.   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode103/   Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

Spirituality is often presented and understood as a pursuit that involves just one's self and God.  In today's episode, we explore the role friendship has in Christian spirituality. The concept of friendship is actually a foundational one for the Christian life. So important, in fact, that not only does Christ talk about it, but our ultimate goal in life, as we will see as we look at the Bible and the writings of various saints, should be in pursuit of friendship.  The relationship between spirituality and morality is explored in light of what friendship really means, and how friendship with God undergirds all of this discussion. Join us today as we discuss the role of friendship in spirituality.    The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

In this episode, Mary and Erik Estrada discuss the Trinity as the source of the spiritual life. We use as our point of departure one of Augustine's sermons. In this sermon, Augustine takes issue with the ideas of Celestius. As a popular student of Pelagius, Celestius defended the idea that human beings were in no way affected by sin of the first parents. Instead, all wrongdoing is primarily the result of the human will and not some defect in human nature. Thus, the solution to the human plight lies in the firm resolve of the will to do go and to develop good habits.   Augustine and the North African Episcopate took issue with Celestius' ideas, condemning his teachings around 411. This sermon of Augustine's is the product of this long debate with the teachings of Celelstius. In response, Augustine insisted that the human soul stands in need of God. By itself, the soul is incapable of raising itself toward the Highest Good, which is God. In the process of explaining these ideas, Augustine imparted much spiritual value to his audience.   Join us as we discuss Augustine's thoughts about the ultimate source of our spiritual life.   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode97/ https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode97/ The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

In this episode, Mary and Erik Estrada discuss five practical tips for increasing spiritual growth. Join us as we discuss these key spiritual habits.   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode96/ The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

In this episode, Dr. Estrada discusses the analogy of faith and its use down through history. Join us as we discuss this integral theme to Catholic thinking. The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

In this episode, Mary and Erik discuss some recent events in their lives and the spiritual significance of parenthood in general and motherhood in particular.   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode94/   Please note that Mary and Erik will be hosting a Zoom meeting this coming Thursday, May 13, 2021 (8 PM EST). The topic of discussion will be St. Margaret of Castello. We look forward to having a conversation with our audience.   The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

Saint Margaret of Castello was recently canonized by Pope Francis in April of 2021. Born blind and with other health ailments in Italy in the late 1200s, she was shunned and eventually abandoned by her parents. We'll talk about her story and why she is an extraordinary testament to faith, grace, and God's love. Join us this week as we discuss the life and contribution of St. Margaret of Costello. https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode93/ https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/Margaret-of-Castello/ The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagecom/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)    

A frequent theme in the Gospels is the temptation of triumphalism. At various points in Jesus’ ministry, his audience sought to make him a king or to construe him as a political revolutionary. In John’s gospel (ch. 6), for example, after feeding the multitudes, the author notes that crowds sought to make Jesus a king.   In response to this continual temptation, Jesus resisted such attempts. He even challenged these offers to make him as an earthly monarch by emphasizing the challenges involved in following him.   Jesus throughout the Synoptic Gospels made periodic recourse to the phrase “unless you pick up your cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.”   These appeals were meant to discourage, among other things, any temptation to triumphalism among the disciples of Jesus.   Such temptations to triumphalism even made their way among the inner core of Jesus’ followers. The Gospels record various instances of the disciples either seeking self-aggrandizement or seeking to dissuade Jesus from the sufferings of the cross.   To the present day, the temptation to triumphalism persists even in the church. It is very easy for Catholic Christians to be tempted to gloat over those who oppose the Catholic faith.   We discuss the dangers in triumphalism for any genuine Christian spirituality. A triumphalist position stands against the very heart of the Christian’s commitment to following the pattern of Jesus’s life, who described himself as being “meek and humble of heart.”   In this episode we discuss various questions such: What is the difference between triumphalism and genuine confidence in the faith? Why should Catholic Christians avoid triumphalism? How can Catholic Christians today avoid the temptation to triumphalism?   Join us this week as we discuss the role of triumphalism in the Christian’s spiritual life.   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode92/ https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/Temptations-of-Triumphalism/ The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)   Music provided by Pond5.

Some people ask: Why did God allow that? Or, How long is God going to take to answer my prayers?   In this episode we discuss the questions: Why at times does God allow things not to happen on our timetable? And, why does God at times defy our expectations?   To address these questions, we discuss one of the early homilies in the pontificate of Pope Francis. In this sermon, Pope Francis discuss the various objectives God may have in not answering our prayers immediately.   Using various the examples of various biblical characters (i.e., Abraham, the Leper and the Good Thief), the pope invites Christians to consider the ways in which God is at work in their lives in a manner they do not always expect. Often, it is in the least likely places and in the least likely ways that God is at work in their lives. In light of this fact, the pope encourages Christians to consider the patience of God in inviting human beings to turn to Him, even at the very end of their lives.   The patience of God is often not something people think about. However, when people view their lives from God’s vantage point, they begin to see that God has other goals in mind in allowing them not to obtain things on their timetable or in the manner they expect.   Join us this week as we discuss the role of patience in the Christian’s spiritual life.     https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode91/ https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/Lessons-Patience-Christian-life/ The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)   Music provided by Pond5.  

The question is often asked: How did Christianity change the Roman world? And, in what ways was the Roman world different after the advent of the Christian faith?   In this episode, we discussed the various ways from ethics to law that Christianity impacted the lives of people across the Roman Empire. We note that in many respects, the Roman Empire, despite its great cultural achievements, also posed many limitations on the lives of many people, especially those on the margins of society.   In a time where there is much misinformation spreading about Christian history, it is important for every Catholic Christian to know the history of their Church and the impact their religion had on the existing cultures.   These little-known of facts of early Church history will help inspire confidence in the accomplishments Christians have achieved on behalf of all peoples. Join us this week as we discuss the positive impact of the Church on Western civilization.   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode90/ https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/Ways-Christianity-Changed-World/ The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

Every year near the end of Lent, Catholic Christians celebrate Holy Week. The Church invites the members of Christ’s body to reflect on the deeper theological meaning of this period in the liturgical calendar.   The Easter season most especially invites us to think about salvation history and especially its climax in Christ’s Paschal mystery. The Paschal mystery is a special theological phrase that refers to the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.   Despite the grandeur of these events, it is often easy to lose sight of Easter’s meaning and its great significance for our lives. With the busyness of life, Catholic Christians can quickly forget the purpose of this liturgical season and these sacred days in the liturgical calendar.   In this episode, we invite listeners to think more deeply about the theological meaning of Easter, namely, God’s decisive victory over sin in his Son, Jesus. To guide us in this discussion, we have chosen one of the sermons of Augustine on the passion of Christ.   Augustine invited his audience to see in the passion the hope of glory and a lesson in patience. Augustine, like his contemporaries Hilary and Ambrose, viewed the Christian life as a journey.   In this respect, the passion of Christ was not only a promise of God’s fidelity but also an encouragement to Christians to continue in their daily striving toward the kingdom of God.   Join us this week as we discuss Augustine’s reflections on the meaning of the cross for the Christian’s spiritual journey.   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode88/ https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/Augustine-Meaning-Cross/ The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

Catholic and Protestant Christians often use the same theological terms such as “faith,” “grace” and “salvation.” But do they understand these terms in the same way?   In this episode, we take some time to think critically about the meaning Catholic theologians have assigned to this term “faith.” We note that Augustine and Thomas Aquinas understood faith to be a theological virtue. By referring to this virtue as “theological,” they understood faith to be a virtue that most directly connects the Christian to God.   Faith, hope and love, both scholars believed, were given to the soul at baptism, the critical moment of the person’s incorporation into the Church, the Body of Christ. With God’s help and with personal initiative, the Christian thereafter exercises each of these theological virtues. Throughout the Christian life, these theological virtues could be increased, decreased and even eliminated.   The theological virtue of faith, according to Augustine and Thomas Aquinas who followed him, means “to think with assent.” Faith assents to divine revelation.   In addition, these two thinkers likewise understood love to be a desiring of the good for someone else.  Love leads the Christian to take positive action in the world.   The question of the loss of the theological virtue of faith has proven to be a point of contention between Protestant and Catholic Christians. In the show, we talk about how Catholic and Protestant Christians address the question of post-baptismal sin as it relates to the virtue of faith.   The medieval Scholastic theologians divided sins into two broad categories. First, there were sins against faith such as apostasy, heresy and idolatry. These types of sins most immediately led to the loss of the theological virtue of faith. Second, there were sins against morals. These types of sins harm the moral virtues such as justice, temperance and temperance.   In most instances, post-baptismal sins are against morals. Because of this, there is a loss of the theological virtue of love. In instances where the theological virtue of love has been lost, it is necessary for Catholics to restore this theological virtue. Sins against morals usually do not require a restoration of the theological virtue of faith. Although sins against morals can eventually lead to a diminution and eventual loss of the theological virtue of faith, the primary effect of sins against morals is a loss of the theological virtue of love.   In order to restore the theological virtue of love, Catholics need to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and do penance for their sins. In this episode, we talk about why the Sacrament of Reconciliation is so important for Catholic spirituality, especially in light of the problems posed by post-baptismal sin.   Join us this week as we discuss faith, post-baptismal sin and its remedy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode87/ https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/faith-hope-love/   The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

Many Catholics have observed the practice of Lent without asking themselves: What is the purpose of this season in the liturgical year? In this episode, we briefly outline some of the major goals the Church has outlined with respect to the practice of Lent.   The purpose of Lent is to remind Catholics that our spiritual life is a journey toward an eternity of fellowship with God. With all the busyness of life, it is easy for Catholics to forget this most fundamental of truths.   Aware of this challenge, the church encourages its members to continually remember their final destination. An entire season in the liturgical year commonly referred to as Lent is meant to deal with this persistent challenge.   The season of Lent is designed to help Catholics recall not only their final destination with God in eternal life but also their mortality. Preparing the members of the Church to have a good death is one of the major goals of the season of Lent.   Rather than allowing death to take Catholics by surprise, the Church builds in this annual reminder about the final destination of our journey which passes through the transitory passage of death. An entire season is occupied with recalling the solemn reminder: “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.”   The season of Lent occupies such a central place in the liturgical year because the Church wishes to prepare its members for an eternity with God. Their journey back to God is a perilous one. Because of this reality, an entire season of the liturgical year has been designed in order to assist Catholics with their journey.   During this season of the liturgical year, the Church encourages its members to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Church encourages its members to practice works of mercy and acts of mortification in order to strengthen their spiritual lives.   Join us this week as we discuss Lent and its important place in the liturgical year. To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode85/ https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/goals-of-lent/   The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

Why do Catholics invest so much time and effort in the celebration of the Sacraments? In this episode, we briefly outline some of the differences between the Protestant and Catholic worlds with regard to beliefs and practices concerning the Sacraments.   One of the things non-Catholic Christians immediately perceive in their initial impressions of the Catholic Church is the centrality of the sacraments. They notice that from week-to-week Catholic services always include the celebration of the Eucharist.   Although normal for many Catholics, such regularity in the celebration of the Eucharist is anything but normal for many non-Catholic Christians. This weekly celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist may come as a surprise to many Protestant Christians.   The practice of frequent communion can be startling because the Eucharist in some Protestant traditions is celebrated once a month or perhaps even less frequently than that. Furthermore, the Eucharist is sometimes celebrated on a Sunday or Wednesday evening service. At these services, the entire congregation may not be present but perhaps only a certain percentage of a given community.   In this episode, we talk about why the Sacraments occupy such a central place in Catholic liturgies. We briefly discuss the fact that at every Catholic worship service, ecumenical gatherings aside, the Eucharist is celebrated. We also note that some Sunday liturgies even have a baptism of an infant placed in the service itself.   So, what accounts for this stark difference in sacramental practice? If one could put the answer as concisely as possible, one would have to say that the answer is salvation.   In this episode, we talk about the Catholic belief in the central role of the Sacraments in the salvation of the Catholic Christian. This one belief about the salvific efficacy of the Sacraments accounts for the great importance accorded to the Sacraments in the Catholic Church. It also explains why the Sacraments are celebrated with such frequency.   In the end, the differences between Catholic and Protestant practices surrounding the Sacraments emerge largely as a result of differing belief structures. The Catholic view is dominated by belief about the roles of Sacraments in the process of salvation. The Protestant worldview about salvation, broadly construed, depends far less on the salvific efficacy of the Sacraments and far more on the faith of the Christian.   Join us this week as we discuss the Sacraments and their central place within Catholic liturgy and spirituality. To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode84 https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/importance-Catholic-sacraments/   The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

Last week we discussed one objection to free will, which suggests that it may have been better if God did not create people with any freedom. During that discussion, we touched on original sin.   This episode discusses critical questions related to this topic: What is original sin? What is a common misunderstanding of the teaching of original sin? Can we explain why some may bristle at this misrepresentation of what original sin is?   We then explore how closely connected original sin is to free will and to the work of Jesus, the sacraments, and the Church.   Original sin is not a personal fault. Rather, it is a condition that all people are born with. We are weakened and wounded by it.   We see this in our struggle to choose good, and our need for constant grace or help from God. Part of the mission of the Church is to help Catholic Christians grow towards our union with God and enjoy a life to the full in Christ.   We also touch on infant baptism and the different ideas proposed for how to understand the effects of original sin.    Join us this week as we discuss original sin and its impact on human freedom. To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode83 https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/original-sin-free-will-and-salvation/   The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review

What role does free will play in the spiritual life?  The entirety of the Scriptures presuppose human freedom. From the creation of Adam to the creation of the new heavens and the new earth, the Scriptures assume that human beings have the ability to choose between right and wrong, to obey or not to obey.   In this episode we talk about the centrality of human freedom in nearly every dimension of human experience and especially the spirituality of the Catholic Christian. We ask the general question whether it would have been better for God to create human beings with no freedom and thus incapable of doing wrong or to create human beings with freedom and thus the possibility of choosing evil.   We are not the first to address this question. From the beginning of church history, various scholars have raised this question about human freedom as it relates to the morality of human acts.   Augustine ranks among the most famous of the early church thinkers who grappled with this complex question. Augustine stated that without freedom, human beings would be neither worthy of praise for good actions nor worthy of blame for evil actions.   We note especially that for Augustine as well as for the majority of Catholic theologians down through the centuries, true freedom consists in choosing higher goods. We note that for Augustine sin always involves an improper choosing of lower goods over higher ones.   Human freedom is one of the defining characteristics of human nature. When human freedom is removed, human beings cannot fully actualize their nature. Jesus claimed that those who make a practice of sin become slaves to sin. Choosing to do wrong slowly takes away a human’s freedom over time. By contrast, choosing to do the good increases a person’s freedom.   A proper understanding of human freedom is critical for a proper understanding of the spiritual life. Join us this week as we provide a preliminary introduction to this question about human freedom and its impact on morality. To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode82 https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/human-freedom-and-consequences/ The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

The authors of the New Testament frequently tried to help the early followers of Jesus understand their new identity as the most important facet of their personal existence. Throughout the Pauline Epistles, for example, one finds the Apostle Paul addressing the various followers of Jesus in different parts of the Roman Empire as “saints” or those who are in Christ. Paul even refers to followers of Jesus, whether Jewish or Gentile, as the “Israel of God.” The authors of the New Testament prioritized the question of identity precisely because they believed that the true citizenship of all members of the church was first and foremost in the heavenly kingdom. They all believed that after death, Christians would inherit the eschatological kingdom as a direct result of their belonging to the body of Christ. The major concern in this life, these authors believed, was to stay true to this commitment of belonging to Christ’s body, namely, the Church. There were many challenges in the ancient world that potentially prevented the followers of Jesus from following through with this commitment until the end of their lives. For this reason, the apostles laid a heavy emphasis on identity in order to keep the saints focused on the goal of the Christian life, namely, to enjoy communion with God and the saints both now and forever. These efforts at reinforcing identity were no accident. Rather, the authors of the New Testament deliberately invoked titles such as saints, sojourners and the twelves tribes of Israel dispersed abroad in order to help the followers of Jesus reconceive their identity precisely in response to the various challenges facing Christians at different times and in different places for the first-century world. These New Testament authors believed that assisting the recipients of their letters with this critical question of their new identity in Christ and as members of the body of Christ would greatly assist them in navigating the difficulties of their commitment to the faith. Aware of the power of identity in general, Paul and the other apostolic writers began their lengthy letters with these pointed reminders. These authors were acutely cognizant of the fact that identity is one of the most powerful dimensions to human existence. One of the fundamental motivators of human action is the desire to stay consistent with one’s identity. Professionals in various fields, for example, will often introduce themselves according to their professions such as “I’m a lawyer,” or “I’m a counselor.” These are concise but potent introduction because they reference the guild to which a person belongs. Such brief identity designations say much about people’s vocations and priorities in this world. In a similar manner, the authors of the New Testament make frequent recourse to the question of identity. They were acutely aware of the need to help the new and even seasoned members of the Church recognize their dignities and the responsibilities as members of Christ’s body. In view of such a recognition, the authors of the Gospels, the Epistles and the Acts of the Apostles inspired their listeners to act in new and even countercultural ways. Recognizing the importance of our Catholic identity is essential in the modern world. Like their early Christian forebears, contemporary Catholic Christians are faced with similar challenges of pluralism, internal challenges to the faith and the question of prioritizing competing identities (e.g., ethnic, professional and religious) as their primary center of identification. In the face of these challenges, Catholics should identify first as Catholic Christians and then according to their other forms of identity (e.g., national, professional, regional etc.) Join us this week as we provide a preliminary introduction to this question about Catholic identity. To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode81 https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/identity-in-Christ-basis-of-Christian-identity/ Sincerely, Mary Estrada and Dr. Erik Estrada   The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

How do we live a life that is led by the Holy Spirit? Paul tells us in Galatians that rather than just checking off a list of moral obligations, we are to live by a new paradigm.  And this paradigm has as its foundation nothing other than God, who is the source of all that is good and beautiful.   A person who is led by the Holy Spirit, and who has God's love as their foundation, will manifest love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control in their lives.  The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Join us this week as we provide an initial overview of the fruits of the Spirit and spiritual life.  To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode80 Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

0174 - Providence and the Protestant Canon of Scripture pt 1   What is the relationship between Providence and the Canon? In today’s episode, I talk about recent arguments in favor of the idea that God positively willed Christians to accept the 66-book Protestant canon of Scripture. This question came up in a recent video I was watching where two Protestant scholars were discussing various views about the canon within the Christian world.   These claims about divine Providence and the Protestant canon of Scripture harkened back to a statement I read in a popular systematic theology penned some time ago. Therein a popular Baptist scholar argued that all Protestant Christians should have confidence in their 66-book canon of Scripture for a variety of theological, historical and experiential reasons.   In this episode, I briefly address the various reasons forwarded in favor of the idea that God positively willed Christians to accept the 66-book Protestant canon of Scripture. Therein, I devote the majority of my attention to addressing the question of the historicity of the 66-book Protestant canon. I briefly discuss the acceptance of a Jewish listing of the Old Testament book in the fourth century by Christian leaders in the Roman East. The use of these leaders as a testimony to the Protestant canon, I argue, is problematic because their theory differs radically from their actual practice. On the one hand, these fourth-century leaders did indeed provide a list of scriptural books that came very close to purported Jewish canons of the period. But on the other hand, in their actual practice these fourth-century Christian leaders quoted from the Deuterocanonical books as scriptural, even though they did not include these books on their formal canonical lists.   In the end, we conclude that it is of utmost necessity for Christians to rely primarily on the authority the historical church of early Christianity and the Middle Ages in order to determine with certainty what exactly the canon of Scripture is. Criteria such as Providence, I argue, cannot be used as a reliable guide to determine that identity of the canonical books.   To forward this argument, I note, among other things, many Christians of the early church and Middle Ages did in fact regard books rejected from the 66-book Protestant canon not only as scriptural but even as canonical. In view of this complex history of the reception of the books of Scripture, the Providence criterion makes it virtually impossible to determine with certainty which books ought to be included in the canon of Scripture accepted by Christians.   Join us today as we talk about the question of Providence and the canon of Scripture. To access the show, download our free app on the iOS or Android stores. I look forward to hearing back from our audience.   Sincerely, Dr. Estrada   P.S., if you have  a second, I would greatly appreciate a review on iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) or Stitcher   How to Connect with Us Comment on the show below Ask a Question via Speakpipe Email via Contact Form in the Footer of the Site (audio files welcome)     To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritageshow.com/episode174 The Catholic Heritage Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to provide feedback to the show, of if you have any inquiries, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/

CHSS 79: The Fruits of the Spirit: An Overview   What are the fruits of the Spirit? And, why did Paul encourage the Christians of Galatia to “walk in the Spirit?” (Gal 5:25)   In this brief episode, we provide a brief overview of the fruits of the Spirit mentioned by Paul in the Epistle to the Galatians 5:22-23.   We not only identify what the fruits of the Spirit were, but we also discuss why exactly Paul included a discussion of these fruits. We note that Paul discussed the fruits of the Spirit in light of his longer conversation about the relationship between Christians and the Mosaic law.   Paul’s discussion about the fruits of the Spirit was nested in a historic controversy among Jewish and Gentile Christians over the proper Christian disposition toward the Mosaic law. Instead of using the Mosaic law as a primary reference for their moral conduct, Paul maintains, Christians should use the Spirit as the compass for their moral life. Rather than relying on a written law as the primary compass of a moral life, Paul’s maintained that none other than God the Holy Spirit establishes for believers in Jesus their spiritual direction.   Although innovative, this new proposal created a problem: How does one know if one is actually living one’s life according to the dictates of the Holy Spirit? A person could justify all sorts of activities, one could object, according to the supposed dictates of the Holy Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit is not bodily present, one can theoretically attribute all sorts of activities to the prompting of the Spirit. This created a true conundrum.   Anticipating this objection, Paul not only explicitly rejected the notion that a Christian could use their freedom for lawlessness (Gal 5:13) but also succinctly identified the characteristics of the Holy Spirit’s operation in a human life (Gal 5:22-23). The Spirit does indeed provide parameters for a person’s moral life.   We devote a good portion of this episode to discussing the hallmark of the fruits of the Spirit, namely, love. Paul deliberately began his list of the fruits of the Spirit with this key virtue, knowing that all the others depended in one way or another on love. In the end, Paul identified love as the litmus test of the Spirit’s work in the lives of Christians.   Join us this week as we provide an initial overview of the fruits of the Spirit.  To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode79 The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)   https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/the-fruits-of-the-spirit-an-overview/  

173: What Does the Term Deuterocanonical Mean? - CHS 173   There is some confusion today in certain Protestant circles as to what exactly the term “deuterocanonical” (i.e., pertaining to the second canon) means to Catholics. This question came up in a recently video I was watching where two Protestant scholars were discussing various views about the canon within the Christian world.   One of the Protestant scholars stated that Catholicism relegates the deuterocanonical books (i.e., 7 books accepted by Catholics among the canonical books not—i.e., 1-2 Maccabees, Judith, Tobit etc.) to a second class. The scholar asked whether Catholics believed that the deuterocanonical books were produced as a result of a second level of inspiration of sorts.   In this episode we briefly discuss what the term originally meant when it was coined by the sixteenth-century biblical scholar Sisto di Siena OP and why that meaning is still important for Catholics today.   We also discuss how Catholic ecumenical councils such as Trent, Vatican I and Vatican II have understood the inspiration and authority of the deuterocanonical books. We note that each of these councils did not demean the inspiration or authority of the deuterocanonical books but rather regardem them as possessing equal authority with the proto-canonical books (n.b., more on that term in the episode).   In the end, we conclude that it is of utmost importance for Catholics to know their history. History is often the key to answering such objections. Oftentimes, claims such as the ones noted above go unchallenged because the records of Catholic tradition are not well known.   Careful attention to the history, however, can better help Catholic Christians engage in dialogue with other members of Christian communities. With historical records better known, we can all get a better sense of why such terms as “deuterocanonical” were coined in the first place and what they have meant to Catholics since.   Join us today as we talk about the of the history of the term “deuterocanonical.” To access the show, download our free app on the iOS or Android stores. I look forward to hearing back from our audience.   Sincerely, Dr. Estrada   P.S., if you have  a second, I would greatly appreciate a review on iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) or Stitcher   How to Connect with Us Comment on the show below Ask a Question via Speakpipe Email via Contact Form in the Footer of the Site (audio files welcome)     To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritageshow.com/episode173 The Catholic Heritage Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to provide feedback to the show, of if you have any inquiries, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/

CHSS 78: Beauty in Catholic Spirituality   Catholics are at times told by their non-Catholic neighbors, friend and co-workers that money should never be used for building large churches or for obtaining works of art to be placed in the sanctuary. That money, some critics of the Church argue, should instead be allocated entirely to those experiencing poverty.   These objections raise various questions of great importance surrounding the relationship between money, art and beauty. Should Catholics ever invest any money in making their worship spaces more beautiful? What is the purpose of beauty in buildings or artwork in the Church? What is the balance between the allocation of money for worship spaces and the care of the poor?     These are important questions that Catholics frequently face from others who do not share their faith commitments. But they are important questions to ask because they invite those discussing these matters to think more deeply about the purpose of the Church as a whole and the purpose of beauty in Catholic spirituality in particular.   In this episode we discuss the purpose of beauty in Catholic spirituality and especially in the worship service. The primary purpose of the Catholic services is to worship God. One of the best ways for people to connect to God is through the path of beauty. God is beautiful and is even Beauty Itself. Beauty is one of the most powerful ways to foster a deeper spirituality.   Catholics also believe that human beings are made up of body and soul. Human beings first experience the world through their bodies, through the human senses. Human beings experience the world through the sense of sight, taste touch and smell. Through these senses, human beings can come to a deeper understanding of the world around them. The senses are an excellent vehicle through which human beings can learn something not only about the world around them but also about God. God has left in creation traces of his own self. Traces of God’s power, majesty and beauty remain in the creation. Through the senses, human beings can access those traces of God’s presence and through them, their minds can be lifted to God.   On the basis of these core convictions, Catholics believe that the members of the Church can indeed use beauty as a means to worship God. For this reason, Catholics have used such things as music, massive cathedrals, sacred images and other tangible entities that elevate the soul in the worship of God.   Catholics are not new in adopting material entities in the worship of God. The precedent for using created matter is none other than the Old Testament. Therein, the people of Israel used material entities such as a temple, psalms and even sacred oils were used as a means to honor and worship God. From the days of the patriarchs to the present, beauty has served as one of the primary means for bringing people into a stronger connection with God.   Join us this week as we discuss the various benefits that beauty can offer in the fostering of a deeper Catholic spirituality.   To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode78 The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

172: The Council of Rome (382) and the Canon of Scripture   Was the Council of Rome the first local council to produce a listing of canonical books? In this episode we briefly discuss this question of the Council of Rome’s role in the production of the canonical list.   In various histories of the canon and the translations of ancient Church documents, the Council of Rome has at times been identified as one of the first local councils to ever produce a listing of canonical books. This council was said to have been gathered under the leadership of Pope Damasus (r. 366-384).   But did Pope Damasus and the Council of Rome (382) really issue the first authoritative list of canonical books? In this episode we address this historical question by looking at the evidence of the manuscripts and the testimonies of late fourth and early fifth-century Catholic authors.   Although we do not believe that the evidence supports the idea that the Council of Rome was the first local council to produce a list of canonical books, we reiterate our long-standing argument that the history surrounding this council and others like it points to much larger considerations of the Church authority in creating the canon of Scripture. We argue in the end that the vaious other local councils which took place at the close of the fourth and the early decades of the fifth reflect an acute awareness among Catholic bishops of that period that the decisions of key bishops were indeed necessary to establish the precise nature of the canon of Scripture.   Join us today as we talk about the history surrounding the Council of Rome (382) and the creation of the authoritative list of Scriptures. To access the show, download our free app on the iOS or Android stores. I look forward to hearing back from our audience.   Sincerely, Dr. Estrada   P.S., if you have  a second, I would greatly appreciate a review on iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) or Stitcher   How to Connect with Us Comment on the show below Ask a Question via Speakpipe Email via Contact Form in the Footer of the Site (audio files welcome)     To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritageshow.com/episode172 The Catholic Heritage Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to provide feedback to the show, of if you have any inquiries, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/  

If we had to choose just the single most important difference between Catholic and Protestant worldviews, it would have to be the understanding of the Church. The Catholic worldview is rooted in the conviction that the Church is first and foremost the body of Christ. Many other conclusions follow from this most important of conclusions.   On the basis of this core conviction, Catholics believe that membership in the church is integral to the spirituality of the Catholic Christian. For it is through the Church, the body of Christ, that one comes to have a relationship with Jesus, the head of the Church.   In this episode, we discuss the practical implications of this teaching which finds its expression in the Catholic belief in the communion of saints. A belief in the communion of saints finds its expression in the veneration of the saints, the request of prayers from the saints, and the assistance that the members of the Church militant can provide to the members of the church in purgatory. All of these teachings are connected to a core conviction that Christians are interconnected in the body of Christ.   This episode gives special attention to the idea that the sufferings of the members of Christ’s body can benefit the spiritual well-being of other Christians. The Apostle Paul often expressed his belief in this teaching in a variety of ways from praying for the recipients of his letters to expressing his conviction that his personal sufferings were for the spiritual benefit of the various communities he had founded (Col 1:24). These spiritual benefits, he believed, would aid the early recipients of his letters, and presumably subsequent generations of Christians in those same communities, in their path to attaining eternal life. Even though separated by hundreds of miles from these congregations, Paul believed that his sufferings on behalf of the faith would accrue to the spiritual benefit of other members of Christ’s body. The principle supporting this belief was the conviction that all the members of the body are interconnected and because of this connection mutually support each other through their virtuous actions.   We also discuss the question whether our spiritual sufferings, even for the wrongs we have committed, can benefit the body of Christ? We answer in the affirmative. We note that it lies within God’s providence to make all things work together for good for those who love God and were called according to God’s purpose (Rom 8:28). Catholic Christians should not lose heart as a result of their personal failures but rather should use such occasions as spiritual lessons to to avoid future sin and instead to push forward to a greater love for God and neighbor.   Join us this week as we discuss the various spiritual truths that can be accrued from a correct understanding of the nature of the Church as the mystical body of Christ.   To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode77 The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

As we begin a new year again, many people are making resolutions. At this time of year, people often make various types of health and wellness resolutions from going to the gym daily to losing a certain amount of weight by the next year. The new year is a unique opportunity to start afresh. With the calendar reset, people often look to the new year to make critical decisions about how to improve their physical well being.   Although the new year has become synonymous with health resolutions, we often do not think of the new year as an opportunity to make spiritual resolutions. By spiritual resolutions we mean concrete decisions to improve our spiritual well-being. Why is this?   In this episode, we discuss some reasons why people do not make spiritual resolutions. In modern Western society, we are often tempted to think that progress in the spiritual life is simply automatic just as physical growth is automatic in children and adolescents. But this is not the case in the spiritual life.   To counter this trend, we encourage our audience to make resolutions for improving their spiritual well-being. We discuss the various types of resolutions Catholics can make in increasing their spiritual growth. From the daily recitation of the Rosary to daily spiritual reading, we suggest practical ways that Catholics can greatly enhance their spirituality by the next year.   Above all, we encourage Catholics to decide to formulate reasonable and attainable goals such as reading for 10 to 15 minutes a day. By writing these goals down and reviewing these goals periodically, Catholics can gain more confidence in attaining their spiritual goals. These measures, we believe, will help Catholics gain much ground in their spiritual lives.   Join us this week as we discuss the various things we can do as Catholic Christians to increase our spiritual growth.   To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode76 The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

Last week we discussed the challenges to the message of Christmas, which is the message of God’s intervention into history to save humanity through the Paschal mystery of Jesus.   In this episode we discuss the various cultural challenges to the announcement of this good news, more formally referred to as the “Gospel.” Among other things, we discuss how the contemporary cultures undermine in various ways the proclamation of this message from relativism to materialism.     These various philosophical and cultural ideologies in one way or another challenge the necessity of either believing in God or conforming one’s moral life to the teachings of Jesus. Rather than emphasizing the centrality of God in human life, these ideologies set in their place a whole range of alternative priorities from self-fulfillment to the creation of an earthly utopia.   In light of these idelogies, Catholics are faced with a large array of questions: Is the message of Jesus true? What difference does Jesus make to human life? Why should one conform one’s life to the moral teachings of Jesus?   In light of the significance of these questions, it is important for Catholics to be fully aware of these cultural challenges and their impact on the ways Catholics and many others are encouraged to see the world. When aware of these cultural challenges, Catholics can better assess their influence and respond accordingly.   Join us this week as we discuss what spiritual lessons we can learn from identifying and responding to some of the major challenges to the proclamation of the Gospel.   To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode75 The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

What is the meaning of Christmas? In this episode, we discuss the meaning of Christmas in these rather challenging times.   The world in 2020 has seen numerous challenges to say the least. Living in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic, many are asking themselves: What is the promise of Christmas? Some are even tempted to ask: Is Christmas merely a distraction from the gravity of the situation?   In this episode, we discuss the original challenges facing Judaism at the time of Jesus’ birth. We note among other things, that first-century Judaism was beset by religious rivalries, differences of view concerning politics and religion and the phenomena of sectarianism and political revolutionaries and the overarching dominance of the Roman Empire. Within those challenges, Jesus was born to bring salvation to humanity.   The purpose of Christmas is first and foremost soteriological. That is, Jesus came in order to affect the salvation of the world. Proclaiming this message to the world has been the central mission of the Church since its inception.   Although the Church has largely viewed its mission in terms of the salvation of souls, definite challenges to this perspective have arisen in recent decades. Various critics from within the walls of Christianity and outside have claimed that the insistence on salvation has only served as a ploy to distract others from the Church’s true mission to bring utopia on earth. These criticisms seek to undo the longstanding Catholic view of Christmas and its bearing on the salvation of humanity.   Join us this week as we discuss what spiritual lessons we can learn from the message of Christmas.   To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode74 The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

Who was Our Lady of Guadalupe? In this episode, we review the history of the December 1531 apparitions of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego.   In early December 1531, Mary is said to have appeared on at least four separate occasions to Juan Diego. These apparitions left as a relic of their validity the famous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is still preserved today in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.   Among other things, we note that this image was an important catalyst for the conversion of millions of indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica and beyond.  The image had encoded within it various pictographs, which presented themselves as a direct message from heaven for the peoples of Central Mexico. The image of Mary on Juan Diego’s tilma indicated that the true God had become incarnate in the virgin’s womb. Some early modern historians have argued that many indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica who were able to read the appeal of this image decided to convert to Catholicism. They in turn spread the message about this image to others and presented themselves for initiation into the Catholic faith.   In her statements to Juan Diego, Mary disclosed that she was indeed the mother of the oppressed peoples in the area and that it was her intention to convert them to the Christian faith. She spoke to Juan Diego in his native tongue and expressed to him her care for him and his dying uncle. Her central request of a basilica being built in her honor has had an enormous spiritual significance for the lives of millions of Catholics across the Americas and, indeed, the world.   We also discuss in this episode the relevance of this apparition for the 21st century, which some have described as an age of unbelief. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has various inexplicable features (e.g., the absence of paint strokes, the survival of the image to the present day, the image of micro figures in the eye of the image) which still require much explanation to the present day.   Join us this week as we discuss what spiritual lessons we can learn from the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.   To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode73 The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

What can monasticism teach lay Catholics about the spiritual life? In this episode we explore the insights that married and single Catholics can glean from the institution of monasticism.   Monasticism was a form of Christian living that emerged in the third century. After Anthony of Egypt decided to live in the desert in communion with God, men and women began to do likewise by living solitary and in some cases communal lives in the spiritual pursuit of holiness.   In this episode, we talk about the advantages that a monastic context provided men and women down through the centuries. Among other things, monasticism provide people the opportunity to have contact with nature. Living in a rural context gave people the chance to more easily contemplate their place and purpose in the world and their relationship with God.   Monasticism also afforded people a chance for silence. Set in nature, monasticism gave people the chance to be away from the noise of the city and the chance to more easily hear God’s quiet voice.   These are just some of the benefits afforded to people from the monastic context. In light of these benefits, we talk about what lay people can learn from the history of monastic institutions for their own daily spiritual practices. We discuss how lay Catholic can integrate such practices as silence, experience God in nature and other related questions.   Join us this week as we discuss how the features of monasticism can positively benefit the spiritual lives of lay Catholics.   To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode72 The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

Over a decade ago, a prominent Evangelical Protestant church historian set forth the claim that early Christian councils such as the ones that met Hippo (393), Carthage (397) and elsewhere merely recognized the canon of Scripture. They did not bestow authority, these scholars claim, on the books which are now part of the Bible. Instead, their decision to canonize the Scriptures reflected their larger desire to submit themselves to the authority of Scripture.  Their act of canonizing, this scholar argued, reflected their belief in sola scriptura, that is, that Scripture by itself defines the church’s doctrines and morals.   Are these claims true? Did the early councils merely recognize a certain number of books as belonging to the authoritative list of books that now constitute the Scriptures? And, did their canonizing of the Scriptures reflect their belief that their own ecclesial decisions, religious teaching and that of the church as a whole was subject to error?   In this episode I take a second to evaluate this claim about the authority which early councils attributed to their decisions in light of the primary sources. More specifically, we look at the records preserved of the local Council of Laodicea (363). Laodicea, I argue, presents a very different picture of the early councils’ exercise of authority than one given by certain evangelical Protestant church historians. In this council, I believe, one sees a picture of bishops from Asia minor rendering an authoritative declaration on what they believed to be the true list of scriptural books.   Join us today as we talk about the early councils and their perception of their own authority in relation to the authority of the Scriptures. To access the show, download our free app on the iOS or Android stores. I look forward to hearing back from our audience.   P.S., if you have  a second, I would greatly appreciate a review on iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) or Stitcher The Catholic Heritage Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to provide feedback to the show, of if you have any inquiries, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/  

What is humility? How do we experience humility? And what is the aim of humility in the Catholic’s spirituality?   To discuss these questions, we look at various episodes in the Gospels and the teachings of the early Fathers of the Church. In this episode we note that humility is one of the pervading motifs throughout the Gospels and the entire New Testament. From the Incarnation to the Paschal mystery, we see the Son of God manifesting humility in love for humanity.   We note that humility is the quality of accurately assessing one’s abilities and limitations and one’s recognition of one’s ultimate dependence on God.   Join us this week as we discuss the virtue of humility and place in the Catholic spiritual life.   To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode71 The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

What is meditation? How do we meditate? And what is the aim of meditation?   To discuss these questions, we look at the example of Mary’s response to the Annunciation.  We give special attention to the statement in Luke’s Gospel that Mary pondered all these things in her heart. The Catholic practice of meditation consists chiefly in recollecting and interpreting the significance of the events of salvation history.   Join us this week as we discuss meditation and its practice in the Catholic spiritual life.   To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode70 The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

Ambrose of Milan (ca. 337-397) was one of the great fourth-century doctors of the Church. In this episode we briefly review his life, achievements and the significance of his contribution for Catholic Christians today.   Ambrose was a Catholic bishop in Milan, Italy.  He is most remembered for his involvement in the conversion of Augustine of Hippo (ca. 354-430). In his Confessions, Augustine relates that a key step in his conversion to Catholicism involved a trip to the Basilica in Milan to hear Ambrose preach. In the sermon, Augustine heard Ambrose utilizing the allegorical method of interpretation, inviting listeners to see the deeper meaning of the various stories recorded in the Old Testament. So captivated was Augustine by this experience that he began to rethink his earlier aversion to the Scriptures. This shift which began in Milan eventually culminated in his baptism at the hands of Ambrose.   In this episode we talk about Ambrose’s use of philosophy and Greco-Roman rhetoric to promote the advancement of the Catholic faith. We give special attention to Ambrose’s use of the Neoplatonist philosophy as a mean for articulating the Christian concept of God. In adopting this course of action, Ambrose was taking his place alongside other earlier Christian Platonists such Origen, Basil of Caesarea and Gregory Nazianzus who had likewise used the Platonist tradition to deepen their understanding of the Christian faith.   We also note Ambrose’s role in opposition to the Emperor Theodosius. Because of his ordering of the slaughter of many Thessalonicans, Ambrose opposed Theodosius’s readmittance into communion until he had done penance for his sin. In taking this action, Ambrose put his own well-being at risk. Theodosius could have easily subjected Ambrose to permanent exile, as was the fate of many fourth-century bishops who became the object of the emperor’s ire. Instead, he opposed the emperor for his spiritual well-being.   Join us this week as we discuss Ambrose’s life and his key contributions to the Catholic faith. You can access this show wherever you download podcasts.   To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode70 The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)  

Hilary of Poiters (ca. 300-367) was one of the great fourth-century doctors of the Church. In this episode we briefly review his life, achievements and the significance of his contribution for Catholic Christians today.   Hilary was a Catholic bishop in Poitiers, Gaul.  He is most remembered for his consistent opposition to Arian Christianity. Arianism asserted that the Son of God was a creature and that there was a time when the Son of God did not exist. In response to this theological position, Hilary composed various books seeking to defend and clarify the faith of Catholic Church on this matter.   Up until Hilary’s time, the clearest expression on this question of Christ’s nature was the famous decree of the Council of Nicea (ca 325). Despite Nicea’s efforts to settle the debate over’s Christ true nature, much confusion ensued after the council. Part of this confusion came about as a result of Nicea’s use of the loaded term “consubstantial” (homoousios – “of the same substance”).   Hilary sought to clarify what Nicea truly taught about this matter since at that time the term “consubstantial” was being misunderstood, especially in the Eastern half of the Catholic Church. Because many Eastern Christians misunderstood this key term in the decades after the council, Catholic Christian supporters of an orthodox Christology were unecessarily divided by this language. Hilary sought to create common ground among Catholic Christians East and West around a proper interpretation of the Council of Nicea.   Join us this week as we discuss Hilary’s contributions to the Catholic faith. You can access this show wherever you download podcasts.   To access the text of this letter discussed during the show, please navigate to: http://catholicheritagespirituality.com/DoctorHilary/   To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode69   Review our Podcast iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/

What is theology? And what are the paths to the study of theology? In this episode, Dr. Estrada shares his journey to the study of theology. Among other things, Dr. Estrada explains that theology is first and foremost a conversation about God and, secondarily, a conversation about the Life Questions.   In this episode, we discuss the importance of studying theology, regardless of one’s profession. We consider various factors that influence one’s ability to study theology such as time, opportunity and resources.   Join us this week as we discuss the benefits of studying theology as a personal pursuit and/or as an academic discipline. You can access this show wherever you download podcasts.   To comment on this show or to provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode68 The Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Newsletter Sign-up for the Catholic Heritage Spirituality Show Stay in touch with us! Join our newsletter: https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/podcastnewsletter/ Review our Podcast iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review)

Several decades ago, a prominent Evangelical Protestant scholar set forth the claim that Augustine dominated the Councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397). For this reason, the scholar argued, one should not regard the decisions reached by these two councils as truly representative of the North African church.   The scholar made this claim in order to diminish the weight of Catholic appeals to these councils in order to demonstrate the canonicity of the Deuterocanonical books. These two councils have been famous in Catholic circles because they formulated lists of the canonical scriptures that are virtually identical to the ones canonized by the Catholic Church at the Council of Trent.   Since the sixteenth century, Catholics have appealed to the witness of the councils of Hippo and Carthage with regard to the inclusion of the Deuterocanonical books. By reframing the true source of this council’s decisions, this scholar would like to challenge the authority Catholics have allocated to these two North African councils.   Is it indeed the case that Augustine dominated these two councils? And, is it the case that these two councils were mostly an expression of his thought?   Join us today as we talk about this historical claim concerning Augustine’s role at these two important councils. To access the show, download our free app on the iOS or Android stores. I look forward to hearing back from our audience. To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritageshow.com/episode170 The Catholic Heritage Show is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to provide feedback to the show, of if you have any inquiries, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/ To place your name on the waiting list for our future learning site, please navigate to: https://catholicheritage.institute/   Follow the Catholic Heritage Show on Social Media:   The Main Catholic Heritage Website: https://catholicheritage.co The Show’s Website: https://catholicheritageshow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catholic.heritage.show/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catholic-Heritage-Show-202869793834233/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathheritagshow YouTube Channel   Review our Podcast iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) and Stitcher   How to Connect with Us Comment on the show below Ask a Question via Speakpipe Email via Contact Form in the Footer of the Site (audio files welcome)

Why did it take so long for the early Christians to produce the canon of Scripture? In this episode, we continue our discussion about this objection to Christian truth claims.   Some critics of Christianity have raised the objection that because it took early Christians so long to create a canon of Scripture, rational people should not pay any attention to Christian truth claims. Since Christians were unable to decide from themselves what exactly the Scriptures were for so long, these critics reason, why should anyone bother to give Christian truth claims any attention?   In this episode, I explain why this type of objection is not applicable to Catholic Christianity. Catholicism does not accept the Protestant teaching of sola scriptura (i.e., scripture alone) as the sole infallible authority for determining what the Church believes (faith) and how the Church behaves (morals).   Instead, we explore some of the early structures of authority within early Christianity. From the authority of the liturgy to living voice of the magisterium, we discuss the various means early Christians used to address the life questions.   Please join me this week as we discuss the relationship between the history of the canon and the various structures of authority within the church.   To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritageshow.com/episode169 The Catholic Heritage is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to provide feedback to the show, of if you have any inquiries, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/ To place your name on the waiting list for our future learning site, please navigate to: https://catholicheritage.institute/   Follow the Catholic Heritage Show on Social Media:   The Main Catholic Heritage Website: https://catholicheritage.co The Show’s Website: https://catholicheritageshow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catholic.heritage.show/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catholic-Heritage-Show-202869793834233/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathheritagshow YouTube Channel   Review our Podcast iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) and Stitcher   How to Connect with Us Comment on the show below Ask a Question via Speakpipe Email via Contact Form in the Footer of the Site (audio files welcome)   YouTube   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Old Age of a Book - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IuYpa_DOkg   What is the Canon of Scripture - Canon is a List of Books -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV9Uc26oPZM   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Apostolic Origin of a Book - https://youtu.be/2EARsghZhK8   Criteria for NT Canon Point to Church Authority - https://youtu.be/OYSAemeIiNY   Criteria for Determining New Testament Canon Used by Early Church - https://youtu.be/jSI9jponGUk   Why is the Canon of Scripture Important? - https://youtu.be/xGhDSpSvnkw

A common objection to the validity of Christian truth claims is that it took a rather long time to create the canon of Scripture (i.e., the authoritative list of books to be read in the Churches).   In this episode, we briefly review the practical and unseen factors that were behind the creation of this authoritative list. We discuss such basic aspects as the price of manuscripts, the difficulty of obtaining writing materials and the need for intra-church communication—factors that are often left unconsidered by those who quickly dismiss Christian truth claims because it took the Church a long time to create this list.   Early Christian communities faced many challenges beyond the task of determining which books ought to be included in its authoritative list. From answering claims about the Church’s relationship to Judaism in the Church’s conflict with Marcionism to defining the Church’s relationship to the state, early Christian leaders had to figure out answers to these questions in ways that would satisfy their audiences. In the midst of these pressing concerns, the resolution of the canon had to wait.   In addition to these pressing tasks, to name just a few, resolving the question of the canon of Scripture was an enormous undertaking. The task involved nothing short of creating an authoritative list from dozens of books written over hundreds of years in different languages. The leaders of the Church had to evaluate the contents of these documents, the contents of which have continued to exercise the minds of scholars to this day.   Join us this week as we review some of the major challenges that faced the church in compiling this list that we now call the canon of Scripture. To access the show, navigate to your podcast player of choice or download our free app on the iOS or Android stores.   To access the show, navigate to your podcast player of choice or our free app on the iOS or Android stores. To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritageshow.com/episode168 The Catholic Heritage is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to provide feedback to the show, of if you have any inquiries, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/ To place your name on the waiting list for our future learning site, please navigate to: https://catholicheritage.institute/   Follow the Catholic Heritage Show on Social Media:   The Main Catholic Heritage Website: https://catholicheritage.co The Show’s Website: https://catholicheritageshow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catholic.heritage.show/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catholic-Heritage-Show-202869793834233/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathheritagshow YouTube Channel   Review our Podcast iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) and Stitcher   How to Connect with Us Comment on the show below Ask a Question via Speakpipe Email via Contact Form in the Footer of the Site (audio files welcome)   YouTube   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Old Age of a Book - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IuYpa_DOkg   What is the Canon of Scripture - Canon is a List of Books -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV9Uc26oPZM   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Apostolic Origin of a Book - https://youtu.be/2EARsghZhK8   Criteria for NT Canon Point to Church Authority - https://youtu.be/OYSAemeIiNY   Criteria for Determining New Testament Canon Used by Early Church - https://youtu.be/jSI9jponGUk   Why is the Canon of Scripture Important? - https://youtu.be/xGhDSpSvnkw  

What does the history of the canon of Scripture teach us about discerning Christian truth claims? In this episode, I approach this question by making the general argument that Scripture by itself (sola scriptura) is incapable of establishing the nature of the canon of Scripture (i.e., the list of scriptural books). I briefly review some of the basic differences in the ways Protestant and Catholic Christians approach the question of how a Christian knows for certain which books belong to the canon of Scripture. I note that generally speaking Protestant Christians rely heavily on a certain number of criteria for determining the canon. Catholics, however, look not only to many of these same criteria but also to the Church’s authority and tradition. In this episode, we argue that Christians need the Church’s tradition and, ultimately, the Church’s authority to determine which books are indeed part of the authoritative list of scriptural books. Apart from the Church’s authority and the Church’s tradition, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to gain certainty on the nature of the canon of Scripture. Join us this week as we discuss the relationship between the canon of Scripture and one’s ability to discern competing Christian truth claims. To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritageshow.com/episode167 The Catholic Heritage is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to provide feedback to the show, of if you have any inquiries, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/ To place your name on the waiting list for our future learning site, please navigate to: https://catholicheritage.institute/   Follow the Catholic Heritage Show on Social Media:   The Main Catholic Heritage Website: https://catholicheritage.co The Show’s Website: https://catholicheritageshow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catholic.heritage.show/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catholic-Heritage-Show-202869793834233/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathheritagshow YouTube Channel   Review our Podcast iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) and Stitcher   How to Connect with Us Comment on the show below Ask a Question via Speakpipe Email via Contact Form in the Footer of the Site (audio files welcome)   YouTube   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Old Age of a Book - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IuYpa_DOkg   What is the Canon of Scripture - Canon is a List of Books -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV9Uc26oPZM   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Apostolic Origin of a Book - https://youtu.be/2EARsghZhK8   Criteria for NT Canon Point to Church Authority - https://youtu.be/OYSAemeIiNY   Criteria for Determining New Testament Canon Used by Early Church - https://youtu.be/jSI9jponGUk   Why is the Canon of Scripture Important? - https://youtu.be/xGhDSpSvnkw    

Tradition plays a key role in Catholic thinking. Why is this so? In this podcast episode, we briefly discuss the relationship between tradition and our knowledge of the Bible’s contents. I talk a little bit about how tradition played a key role in leading the church’s leaders to include certain books on the list of authoritative books to be read on liturgy. We note that most of the Gospels do not contain autobiographical information on the part of the author, explicitly indicating their connection to apostolic sources. The absence of such information is critical because, without it, another source is needed for confirming the apostolic origins of these statements about the life and ministry of Jesus. In other words, we need tradition in order to know which Gospels indeed emerged from apostolic origins. Join us this week as we talk about the place of tradition in our thinking as Catholic Christians.   To access the show, navigate to your podcast player of choice or our free app on the iOS or Android stores. To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritageshow.com/episode165 The Catholic Heritage is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to provide feedback to the show, of if you have any inquiries, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/ To place your name on the waiting list for our future learning site, please navigate to: https://catholicheritage.institute/   Follow the Catholic Heritage Show on Social Media:   The Main Catholic Heritage Website: https://catholicheritage.co The Show’s Website: https://catholicheritageshow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catholic.heritage.show/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catholic-Heritage-Show-202869793834233/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathheritagshow YouTube Channel   Review our Podcast iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) and Stitcher   How to Connect with Us Comment on the show below Ask a Question via Speakpipe Email via Contact Form in the Footer of the Site (audio files welcome)   YouTube   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Old Age of a Book - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IuYpa_DOkg   What is the Canon of Scripture - Canon is a List of Books -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV9Uc26oPZM   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Apostolic Origin of a Book - https://youtu.be/2EARsghZhK8   Criteria for NT Canon Point to Church Authority - https://youtu.be/OYSAemeIiNY   Criteria for Determining New Testament Canon Used by Early Church - https://youtu.be/jSI9jponGUk   Why is the Canon of Scripture Important? - https://youtu.be/xGhDSpSvnkw

What are some of the major differences in the ways Catholics, Protestants and secular humanists approach the life questions? In this episode we talk about the central role of the authority of the Church, tradition, Scripture and reason within Catholic approaches to these critical questions. We briefly compare and contrast this model of authority with the ones proposed by the Protestant and secular humanist worlds. Join us this week as we discuss some critical differences between Catholic, Protestant and secular conceptions of religious authority. To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritageshow.com/episode165 The Catholic Heritage is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to provide feedback to the show, of if you have any inquiries, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/ To place your name on the waiting list for our future learning site, please navigate to: https://catholicheritage.institute/   Follow the Catholic Heritage Show on Social Media:   The Main Catholic Heritage Website: https://catholicheritage.co The Show’s Website: https://catholicheritageshow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catholic.heritage.show/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catholic-Heritage-Show-202869793834233/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathheritagshow YouTube Channel   Review our Podcast iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) and Stitcher   How to Connect with Us Comment on the show below Ask a Question via Speakpipe Email via Contact Form in the Footer of the Site (audio files welcome)   YouTube   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Old Age of a Book - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IuYpa_DOkg   What is the Canon of Scripture - Canon is a List of Books -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV9Uc26oPZM   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Apostolic Origin of a Book - https://youtu.be/2EARsghZhK8   Criteria for NT Canon Point to Church Authority - https://youtu.be/OYSAemeIiNY   Criteria for Determining New Testament Canon Used by Early Church - https://youtu.be/jSI9jponGUk   Why is the Canon of Scripture Important? - https://youtu.be/xGhDSpSvnkw    

Augustine had some very important things to say about the canon of Scripture. This week we look at his statements to the Roman Catholic Christian Laurentius in his attempt to justify his appeal to the Letter to the Hebrews. In this brief episode we talk about the role that the authority the church fathers played in Augustine’s determination of the Scriptures. We note that this appeal to the authority the fathers is significant because of the frequently invoked theory by a good number of Protestant scholars concerning the early formation of the canon. In this episode, we take a critical look at this theory and ask: when was the letter to the Hebrews considered part of the canon of Scripture? In asking this question, we look at the broader implications of the later inclusion of the so-called Catholic Epistles into the canon of Scripture. Join us this week as we discuss Augustine’s thoughts on when the Catholic Epistles were included into the canon of Scripture.   To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritageshow.com/episode164 The Catholic Heritage is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to provide feedback to the show, of if you have any inquiries, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/ To place your name on the waiting list for our future learning site, please navigate to: https://catholicheritage.institute/   Follow the Catholic Heritage Show on Social Media:   The Main Catholic Heritage Website: https://catholicheritage.co The Show’s Website: https://catholicheritageshow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catholic.heritage.show/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catholic-Heritage-Show-202869793834233/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathheritagshow YouTube Channel   Review our Podcast iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) and Stitcher   How to Connect with Us Comment on the show below Ask a Question via Speakpipe Email via Contact Form in the Footer of the Site (audio files welcome)   YouTube   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Old Age of a Book - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IuYpa_DOkg   What is the Canon of Scripture - Canon is a List of Books -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV9Uc26oPZM   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Apostolic Origin of a Book - https://youtu.be/2EARsghZhK8   Criteria for NT Canon Point to Church Authority - https://youtu.be/OYSAemeIiNY   Criteria for Determining New Testament Canon Used by Early Church - https://youtu.be/jSI9jponGUk   Why is the Canon of Scripture Important? - https://youtu.be/xGhDSpSvnkw  

By the mid-second century, pagans were leveling many accusations concerning Christianity. In addition to the outlandish claims of cannibalism, certain pagans had begun to allege that Jews and Christians were unable to provide any reasons for what they believed about Moses and Christ. In response to the accusation that Christianity was hostile toward reason, the Catechetical School of Alexandria was formed. In today’s episode we talk a little bit about the early founders and teachers of the school, noting their objectives, writings and cultural achievements. Join us today as we continue our discussion about second-century Christianity.   To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritageshow.com/episode163 The Catholic Heritage is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to provide feedback to the show, of if you have any inquiries, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/ To place your name on the waiting list for our future learning site, please navigate to: https://catholicheritage.institute/   Follow the Catholic Heritage Show on Social Media:   The Main Catholic Heritage Website: https://catholicheritage.co The Show’s Website: https://catholicheritageshow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catholic.heritage.show/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catholic-Heritage-Show-202869793834233/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathheritagshow YouTube Channel   Review our Podcast iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) and Stitcher   How to Connect with Us Comment on the show below Ask a Question via Speakpipe Email via Contact Form in the Footer of the Site (audio files welcome)   YouTube   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Old Age of a Book - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IuYpa_DOkg   What is the Canon of Scripture - Canon is a List of Books -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV9Uc26oPZM   How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Apostolic Origin of a Book - https://youtu.be/2EARsghZhK8   Criteria for NT Canon Point to Church Authority - https://youtu.be/OYSAemeIiNY   Criteria for Determining New Testament Canon Used by Early Church - https://youtu.be/jSI9jponGUk   Why is the Canon of Scripture Important? - https://youtu.be/xGhDSpSvnkw