Catholic Studies Academy Podcast

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Smith discuss the problem of confusion and understanding and how Aristotle's 4 Causes can help us avoid confusion. we discuss: - understanding has to judgments - judgments have to to do with reality - Plato asking 'what?' and 'why?' - Aristotle's 4 causes with examples - 4 Causes lead to 4 questions - how asking theses questions dispels confusion and leads to underst...

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Smith discuss St. Thomas' treatment of the passions. We discuss: - what are the passions - where do the passions lie - how the passions motivate - desire and the passions - love and desire - "Emotional Intelligence" - being intelligent about our emotions - Estimations and choices

In this episode, Jason talks with Dr. Allison Low about her embrace of the Catholic faith and her work in evangelization. We discuss: - Dr. Low's full embrace of her Catholic Faith - The relationship of studying the faith and loving God - Her experience with St. Paul's Street Evangelization - She gives 4 tips for every evangelist - The importance of writing, evangelizing, and teaching - Baptismal...

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Bulzacchelli talk with Lyle about Courage International. Lyle is the chapter leader for Courage in Nashville, TN. We discuss: - What is Courage - What are the 5 principles of Courage - What is shame and what do we do with it - What is Encourage - What separates Courage from other "ministries" - What is "acceptance" mean - Chastity and Freedom - What are some resource...

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Smith discuss the claim that is made even by some Christians that they do not need philosophy or that philosophy is useless if you have the Word of God. We discuss: - the role of philosophy in theology - what is faith - the elements of faith - what philosophy has to offer us - the limitations of philosophy with regard to faith - the usefulness of philosophy - faith s...

In this episode, Jason, Dr. Bulzacchelli, and Dr. Smith discuss the sin of detraction and the 10 Commandments. We discuss: - What is detraction? - Why it is important today - Detraction and Truth - Downplaying the 10 Commandments - Distinction of 10 Commandments and Levitical laws - Misconceptions about the old law and the new law - Detraction and some "what if" scenarios We mention the following...

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Smith discuss the importance of intellectual development and fitting this into your New Year's resolutions. We discuss: - Physical Health and Intellectual Health - Practical Suggestions on setting up a development plan - The need for philosophy and theology - Intellectual Dieting - Philosophical reading suggestions - The need for silence

In this episode, Jason interviews Fr. George Elliott, a priest of the Diocese of Tyler who recently published a book entitled, Discernment Dos and Don'ts: A Practical Guide to Vocational Discernment. We discuss: - What is a vocation - The importance to discern properly - Holiness as a a vocation for all - God's Timing vs our timing - Objectively vs Subjectively Better Vocations - A Tour of Fr. Ell...

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Smith discuss the relevance of ancient philosophy, one of the new courses available at catholicstudiesacademy.com. We discuss: - What is ancient philosophy - The context of the rise of philosophy - Ancient relativism - Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle - The Sophists and the importance of reality - The Stoics - Plato's Theory of the Forms - Philosophy as a way of life -...

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Bulzacchelli discuss some principles of Catholic economics. In particular, we look at communism and capitalism from an American perspective. We cover: - Communism - Right to Private Property and its limitations - Capitalism - Pope Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum - Rights of workers - Rights of employers - Just wage - The need for virtue in economics

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Smith discuss the crisis in education while reexamining the classical approach to education. We discuss: - Aristotle's view and goal of education - Habits and Virtues - Order - The importance of intellectual virtues - The Quadrivium - The Trivium and logic - The importance of logic in thinking clearly - The virtuous logician - Examining modern approaches to education

In this second episode on justice, Jason and Dr. Smith finish discussing the distinctions of justice as laid out by St. Thomas and the topic of capital punishment. We discuss: - Brief definition and overview of previous episode on the first two distinctions in justice - What is commutative justice (part-part) - Equal Exchange - Natural and Acquired rights - Acts opposed to commutative justice - Ju...

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Smith discuss justice primarily in terms of politics and ethics. We cover: - Defining justice - The division of relationships within justice - Political justice (part-whole) - Service to the common good - Obedience to legitimate authority - Distributive justice (whole-part) - Genuine need and merit

In this episode, Jason talks to Joan Watson, Director of Adult Faith Formation (AFF) for the Diocese of Nashville, on the topic of Adult Faith Formation. In this episode, we discuss: - The primacy of adult faith formation in the Church's understanding of ministry - The goal of AFF - Formation for mission - The principle of subsidiarity in faith formation - How parishes can get started - Gradualnes...

In this episode, Dr. Smith and John Carswell discuss the philosophical and theological themes of J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and related writings. Mr. Carswell is the creator and host of The Tolkien Road, a weekly podcast on the writings of Tolkien. The podcasts and John's other writings can be found at truemyths.org. John is an expert on the writings of Tolkien and graduated from Belmont...

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Smith discuss the idea and defining characteristics of post-modern man. We discuss: - historical placement of modern and post-modern man - the idea that society structures everything - social constructions - reality as interpretation - metanarratives - how post-modern man views the human person - how post modern man views the world - points of contact for the Christi...

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Smith discuss a topic covered in Dr. Smith's course on the Philosophy of the Human Person, namely, the will and human freedom. In Thomistic philosophy freedom must always be attached to what is good. Freedom is not the ability to choose whatever we want. We discuss: - how sense perception informs the person - freedom involves both the intellect and the will - how the...

Jason and Dr. Smith continue their discussion about God's Providence and the Problem of Evil. We discuss: - Bearing the Cross as part of being Christian - Passive purification/mortification - The false prosperity gospel - The compatibility of secular idea of autonomy and Christianity - The fact and implications of living in a fallen world - Suffering as punishment

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Smith discuss one of the most difficult topics of not just Christianity but human life as a whole. How can an all good God exist and there be senseless suffering. We cover: - Fundamental questions concerning the topic - Does God Cause evil? - Why does God allow evil? - The Aggregate Explanation - The Free Will Defense - The Soul Making Explanation - The role of evil...

In this episode, Dr. Smith and Jason explore Plato's classical text, The Republic. We cover: - Is it better to live justly or unjustly? - Glacoun's argument for an unjust society - Plato's definition of justice and why justice is good - The guardians of a just society - The Philosopher-King and the modern politician - The Allegory of the Cave and Modern Society

In this episode, Dr. Smith, Dr. Bulzacchelli, and Jason Gale discuss the issues regarding problematic catechesis particularly in the late 20th century. We cover: - A century of movements - Anthropocentric turn in catechesis - A problematic view of revelation - Problematic methodology

Christian faith has been declining for decades, but its influence and appeal has fallen remarkably in recent years. Indeed, it appears that the faithful are simply disappearing. The central, undeniable truth about modern Christianity is that it has turned decisively from away from a Biblical, God-centered worldview, and in its place has constructed an anthropocentric form of Christian humanism tha...

In this episode, Jason and Dr. Smith talk about the importance of natural theology and what it has to offer sacred theology. We discuss: -How does natural theology operate? What is its function? -Demonstrating the existence of God -Rational certainty or at least reasonable/ probable affirmation -Principle of causality and secondary causes -the natural world does not explain itself sufficiently -Im...

Either human sexuality is left "to the arbitrary will of man" or God has given it a design and it must be respected. In this episode Jason and Dr. Bulzacchelli discuss the document itself. We cover: -The competency of the Magisterium to make such a declaration -The "principle of totality" -Fidelity to God's design -The decision to abstain from the marital act -The moral difference between a contra...

Humanae Vitae: 50 Years Later by Jason Gale