Considering Catholicism

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In Part 1 of a two-part series, Greg tackles Protestant apologist Gavin Ortlund’s 5 Reasons I Am Not Catholic, which shakes cradle Catholic Iris and others with evangelical critiques. Instead of playing the “rigged game” of proving Catholicism by Protestant rules (sola scriptura, sola fide, Bible-only faith), Greg flips the script, showing these premises are unbiblical, ahisto...

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Why do American evangelicals passionately support modern Israel, especially in conflicts like Israel-Iran? In the final part of our Seeking Roots, Finding the Church series, Greg Smith shares why Americans, including evangelicals, admire Israel’s pioneer spirit and military prowess, akin to Davy Crockett at the Alamo. Buy notes that dispensationalist theology, tied to their ch...

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Why do evangelicals trust a Jewish canon finalized centuries after Christ over the Bible of the apostles? In part two of our Seeking Roots, Finding the Church series, Greg shares his journey from a Calvinist seminary where the Masoretic Text was taught as the “authentic” Old Testament to Catholicism, where he discovered the Septuagint’s role in the apostolic Church. Explore ho...

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Why do American evangelicals love Holy Land trips, seder dinners, and supporting the modern state of Israel? In this first of a three-part series, "Seeking Roots, Finding the Church," Greg explores how evangelicals, seeking a faith with gravitas, embrace a romanticized pre-Christian Jewish identity, imagining a simple, intimate faith free of “elaborate” Catholic or Orthodox tr...

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg tackles Catholic and Protestant views on sex, asking: whose take is stranger? From marriage as a sacrament to celibacy as a gift and Mary’s perpetual virginity, he defends Catholic teachings as biblical and healthy against Protestant critiques on divorce, contraception, and more. Using the Cathar heresy as a cautionary tale, Greg shows how Catholicism balances sex’s sacre...

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Is Catholicism a house of cards, ready to collapse under one false teaching? In this episode, Greg responds to a listener—an evangelical exploring Catholicism—who fears he can’t be certain the Church is the truth. With fun analogies like burritos and bridges, Greg unpacks why Protestantism’s “modest” claim is a mirage and how Catholicism’s evidence makes it a rational choice....

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Why does the Mass feel so formal, and how can you love it? In this episode, Greg responds to Darcy, a 25-year-old evangelical exploring Catholicism, who’s struggling with the Mass’s structure—repetition, kneeling, and call-and-response. He unpacks why our culture overvalues spontaneity, how the Mass’s form protects truth, and why the early Church wasn’t as “casual” as we think...

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In the final episode of the series on heaven, Greg and Cory explore the eschaton—the ultimate end of God’s plan, where Christ returns to renew creation as the New Heaven and New Earth. They unpack the biblical parallelism between Genesis 1-2 and Revelation 21-22, where God restores communion between Himself, humanity, and creation, fulfilling our deepest longings for belonging...

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg and Cory delve into the radical Christian teaching of the physical resurrection of the body, a cornerstone of Catholic eschatology that sets Christianity apart from other worldviews. They explore how the resurrection restores humanity to God’s original design in Genesis, uniting body and soul as seen in Christ’s own resurrection. Contrasting this with prevalent cultural a...

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg and Ed unpack a recent experience at a casual evangelical worship service, contrasting its informal, emotion-driven approach with the objective beauty of the Catholic Mass. They describe a service filled with pop culture references, minimal Scripture, and a vague "remembrance" with Wonder Bread and grape juice, lacking the structure and transcendence of Catholic liturgy....

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In this lively episode, Greg and Ed the Protestant tackle a listener’s critique that the show is too harsh on Protestants, sparking a candid discussion over tacos. They reflect on their tone, owning occasional snark while defending the need to draw distinctions between Catholic and Protestant beliefs, as truth claims—like sacraments or authority—demand clarity. Drawing from C....

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] Greg and Cory explore the three destinations awaiting every soul after the particular judgment: heaven, hell, and purgatory. They unpack Catholic teaching on these eternal and temporal states, using Dante’s Divine Comedy and Scripture to illustrate heaven as perfect communion with God, hell as eternal separation, and purgatory as a remedial journey to holiness. Addressing misc...

[DONATE WITH PAYPAL] In this continuation of the series about Heaven, Greg and Cory dive into the Catholic teaching on judgment, exploring the two moments every soul faces: the particular judgment at death and the final judgment at the end of time. They unpack how God’s justice and mercy intertwine, dispel common misconceptions, and discuss why our choices—rooted in faith, hope, and love—matter pr...

Ever wonder why medieval manuscripts show knights fighting giant snails or rabbits wielding swords? Or why Gothic cathedrals are covered in grinning gargoyles and quirky carvings? In this episode, Greg dives into a wild X thread that sparked a reflection on the medieval Catholic worldview—a universe alive with God’s purpose, where every doodle and stone figure meant something eternal. He contrasts...

Greg Smith and Cory Lakatos dive into the profound question of what happens when we die. In this second episode of the Heaven series, they explore the separation of soul and body, the particular judgment, and the three intermediate destinations—heaven, purgatory, or hell. They debunk pop-culture myths like reincarnation and clarify why death feels so unnatural. Rooted in the Catechism and enriched...

Join Greg Smith and Cory Lakatos as they kick off a deep dive into Catholic teaching on Heaven. In this first episode, they lay the foundation by defining key terms like "soul," "heaven," "purgatory," "beatific vision," and more, ensuring you’re ready for the journey ahead. Expect clear, orthodox insights drawn from the Catechism, with a conversational style that’s engaging for curious non-Catholi...

Greg Smith reflects on the joyful inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, unpacking its rituals, from the emotional moment Leo received the Fisherman’s Ring to the inclusive rite of obedience. He answers why the ceremony is grand yet humble, why it’s called the Mass for the Petrine Ministry, and how Leo’s Chicago-to-Peru journey shapes his universal call. Greg reveals the Catho...

What’s “Reformed” theology today? Greg Smith, a former Reformed pastor, unravels the tweed-coated posturing of a brand that claims intellectual edge but feels like evangelicalism with elbow patches. From preaching TULIP to questioning its cracks, he exposes a vague identity coasting on buzzwords. Catholicism’s 2,000-year depth—think Aquinas, cathedrals, Chesterton—makes Reformed flexing look silly...

Greg addresses conservative non-Catholic friends asking if Pope Leo XIV is “red” or “blue,” arguing that the 2,000-year-old Catholic Church transcends American political categories. Acknowledging concerns about Pope Francis’s perceived meddling on issues like immigration and climate change, Greg explores where red and blue ideologies intersect with Catholic teaching, reassuring listeners that Leo...

Hours after white smoke announced Pope Leo XIV, Greg reflects on Cardinal Robert Prevost’s election as the first American pope. Exploring Leo XIV’s choice of name, traditional regalia, and call to “build bridges,” Greg sees hope for a pope who unites past and future, left and right, in a tumultuous century. Rejecting speculation, he calls for loyalty, prayer, and faithful living, grounding his com...

Dive into the wild Tartaria conspiracy and discover a deeper truth: modernity bulldozed a sacred way of life, but Catholicism holds the key to reclaiming it. Host Greg explores how cathedrals, G.K. Chesterton, and the Mass connect us to a lost world, and why today’s souls are hungry for roots—and why the Church is their home–sparking a Catholic revival among young seekers.   Support this ministry...

In this episode, Greg Smith dives into Flannery O’Connor’s bold claim: “If it’s only a symbol, to hell with it.” Reflecting on his own conversion and a pivotal moment on Ireland’s Skellig Michael, Greg explores why the reality of Catholic sacraments and aesthetics matters. He critiques three groups—liberal Protestants, evangelicals, and progressive Catholics—who treat the Church’s sacred elements...

What kind of pope does the Church need today? In this episode, Greg argues against the modern expectation of a charismatic, media-savvy “influencer” pope, reflecting on how John Paul II’s global brand set a new standard that shaped perceptions of Benedict XVI and Francis. Instead, Greg calls for a quiet, faithful steward who guards the truth, cleans up scandals, and focuses on the Church’s core mi...

Greg dives into the Vatican politics shaping the 2025 papal conclave, revealing a 60-year fight for the Church’s soul between the Concilium and Communio visions born after Vatican II. While Concilium’s openness to modern culture has often aligned with Western leftist ideals, Communio champions timeless tradition, and these dueling perspectives will divide the cardinals choosing the next pope. Far...

When Pope Francis’s funeral drew millions and the world’s eyes turned to Rome, it revealed something unique: only the Catholic Church has a global leader. In this episode, Greg explores why the papacy matters, how it holds Christianity together, and what the upcoming conclave says about the need for one voice in a divided faith. Join us to discover why the pope’s death stopped the world—and why it...