Catholic Studies Academy Podcast

A great discussion on the need to recover classical education and the true liberal arts with Dr. Benjamin Smith and Mr. Joseph Grossheim.

Dr. Bulzacchelli speaks with canonist Tyler Ross about ecumenical dialogue and how to do it well. Mr. Ross shares his recent experiences with public discussions with a Protestant pastor on topics of dispute between Protestants and Catholics.

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith and Dr. Bulzacchelli discuss the meaning and history of the various political alignments, including "left" "right", "center right," etc. Once this terminology is defined the various alignments are evaluated in the light of Catholic theology. This episode is helpful for those Catholics (and others) confused by contemporary political labels. T...

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Bulzacchelli and Dr. Smith discuss current political events from a Catholic perspective. The discussion focuses especially on presidential politics, the rule of law, the administrative state, and the politics of abortion. The conversation bypasses the usual shallow polemics and engages the deeper trends and underlying ideas of current events. Topi...

Dr. Bulzacchelli and Dr. Smith discuss "pastoral theology". Can pastoral theology be intellectually rigorous? What distinguishes "pastoral theology" from speculative theology and other subdisciplines in theology? Is there a danger of too sharply dichotomizing between these two theological projects? How does pastoral theology overlap with non-theological disciplines, like sociology, psychology, eco...

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith and Dr. Bulzacchelli explore the unique character and ethos of medieval philosophy. The discussion focuses on distinguishing characteristics, the decline of the Roman empire, the intersection of faith and reason, and especially the enduring value of medieval philosophical thought. Join in, subscribe, and share with others! Topics: The Fall o...

The Liberal Arts and the Renewal of Western Civilization Description: #liberalarts, #Western_civilization, #Classical_Education Have you ever heard of the liberal arts? Maybe when you were applying for college? But you probably don't know that the liberal arts are at the heart of western civilization? In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith explores the history, meaning, and value...

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was a leading churchman and one of the greatest Catholic theologians of the 20th century. In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Bulzacchelli leads us on a guided tour of Ratzinger's classic text, Introduction to Christianity. In this discussion, we explore the problems of presenting Christian faith in the contemporary world, Ratzinger's dialectical engagement...

We live in interesting times --- for better or worse. Confusion and anxiety are the hallmarks of the age. In this episode, our contributors discuss and critique the key cultural, political, and philosophical developments of 2023. The discussion covers divergent views on natalism, the sexula revolution, political power, the decline of liberalism, and so much more. Join us as we continue to explore...

Dr. Bulzacchelli speaks with canonist Tyler Ross about the matrimony in the Catholic Church today from the perspective of canon law. Topics include: Annulment Mixed marriages Impediments and Defects in attempted marriages

Are you confused and frustrated by current cultural trends? You are in good company. America and Europe are experiencing an unprecedented period of self-destruction. What is going on!? This episode is wide-ranging romp through the philosophical flotsam of our current cultural crisis. And we are featuring a new guest: Mr. Whit Smith --- entrepreneur, music producer, and Catholic provocateur. If you...

Famously Aristotle claims that being ("reality") is primarily said of substance and claims that substance is the basic, foundational, unity of reality. In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith and Mr. Grossheim (Ph. D. student in Philosophy) explain how substance is discovered through a methodical analysis of change, which culminates in the insight that real composites are always c...

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith explores the connection between God and politics in the thought of Thomas Aquinas. Specifically, Smith explains the hierarchical connect of God to natural law and law to God. This connection lays the basis for a naturalistic, theistic politics that is also consistent with divine law. If you are interested in the debates about politics and re...

Catholics rightly hold out their own Catholic Intellectual Tradition as an alternative to contemporary errors and aberrations. But just what is the Catholic Intellectual Tradition? What distinguishes it as a specific way of thinking about the world and man? Does it consistent primarily in learning a particular content, or is it a method? Dr. Bulzacchelli and Dr. Smith take up these question in the...

Many Catholics feel like they are constantly under siege from a hostile culture. We seem to lurch from one crisis or controversy to another. Even worse, local churches seem to be in permanent decline. What are the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual reasons for the current state of the church? How should we respond? Dr. Bulzacchelli and Dr. Smith address these questions in this episode of Take E...

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Bulzacchelli leads a discussion on the intersection of globalism, nationalism, and Catholic faith. This conversation was occasioned by Pope Francis's recent remarks on the subject. His Holiness suggested that Catholics should affirm both roots and bridges. What should Catholics do to affirm national and religious roots? And how should "rootedness"...

In modern political discourse, authoritarianism is often denounced but rarely defined or understood. In this exploratory discussion, Dr. Smith and Dr. Bulzacchelli consider the meaning and possible legitimacy of authoritarianism. The discussion focuses on ideas taken from Plato, including the paradoxical claim that doing whatever you feel like is not really freedom. This exploration pushes the lim...

A recent study published by the Wall Street Journal and the University of Chicago found that traditional American values are in steep decline. Specifically, Americans were found to value patriotism, children, and religion to a far lesser degree than previous generations. In fact, the only value that has increased is the putative importance of money. In this episode of Take Every Thought captive Dr...

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Bulzacchelli interviews Dr. Smith about his recent edition of Logosletter entitled, "Should we Desire Riches: The Forgotten Vice of Greed." This is a wide-ranging and detailed discussion that covers the meaning of ownership, the foundations of private property, and the spiritual effects of a disordered desire for riches. The discussion concludes w...

This week, Dr. Smith interviews special guest, Joan Watson, about the Chosen. In recent years, Joan has become a well known speaker and writer and much of her work directly interacts with the smash tv series The Chosen. If you want to engage the Chosen from a Catholic and Biblical perspective, you are going to love this episode. We discuss criticisms of the Chosen, major themes, discernment, and s...

Why do conservatives revile higher education? Is there any way for conservatives and higher education to reconcile? In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith addresses the open hostility between conservatives and higher education. He discusses conservative anti-intellectual attitudes, the "woke left," and the nature of higher education. Along the way Dr. Smith develops an Aristoteli...

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith interviews special guest Mr. Phillip Berns, ABD graduate student at the Center for Thomistic Studies. Mr. Berns' research focuses on the intersection of economics and Aristotelian philosophy. This is a serious exploration of the nature of economics, the scientific character of economic theory, and the morality of economic action. Frequent co...

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Bulzacchelli explores the historical origins and major theological themes of Advent and Christmas. The discussion centers on the development of the liturgy and the ways in which these liturgical seasons help us to encounter Christ. The discussion concludes with suggestions for better ways to celebrate these important seasons. Historical origins Li...

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith explores the modes of thought that have led us to our contemporary crisis in culture and elucidates five Thomistic principles for recovering an authentic sense of reality. Dr. Smith discusses the reliability of human reason, the errors of postmodernism, and the proper understanding of nature. This is a crucial and important episode that you...

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith and Dr. Bulzacchelli discuss the recent US elections using the political categories developed by Aristotle, including aristocracy, oligarchy, democracy, republicanism, etc. Dr. Smith defends the view that American politics features a broad middle-class, focused on the household defending itself from domination by oligarchs and revolution and...